Christianity Today published a story entitled “How Asian Artists Picture Jesus’ Birth From 1240 to Today, which sparked debate among viewers.
On Christmas Eve, a Christianity Today article titled "How Asian Artists Picture Jesus’ Birth From 1240 to Today" sparked debate on social media. According to the article, which was written by Victoria Emily Jones, Jesus was born in Asia and was Asian.
Additionally, the photo essay showcased nine pieces of artwork from various Asian cultures depicting the Nativity.
Jones argued that Jesus as Asian allowed Christian artists to convey a deeper theological meaning, emphasizing the universality of Christ's birth.
“Some may object to depicting Jesus as anything other than a brown male born into a Jewish family in Bethlehem of Judea in the first century, believing that doing so undermines his historicity. But Christian artists who tackle the subject of the Incarnation are often aiming not at historical realism but at theological meaning,” Jones wrote.
“By representing Jesus as Japanese, Indonesian, or Indian, they convey a sense of God’s immanence, his ‘with-us–ness,’ for their own communities—and for everyone else, the universality of Christ’s birth,” Victoria Emily Jones explained.
Originally published on December 18, the article gained attention on December 24 after being posted on social media, sparking debate among viewers.
The post was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. Numerous users criticized the article and ridiculed the evangelical outlet, while other users rejected the article's premise.
One person said: If Jesus was Asian, how do you explain this? Everyone knows he was American.
A second wrote: The Bible, the infallible word of God, is pretty specific about where Jesus came from and where he was born. It was not Asia.
A third commented: He was a Jew. Born in Bethlehem. In Judea/Israel. On the continent of Asia. He was not Eastern Asian.
Someone else said: What nonsense. Jesus was born in the Middle East and was Jewish.
