Christian author and radio host Eric Metaxas is facing criticism after saying that Jesus was white in a tweet.
According to the Christian Post, Metaxas, who hosts The Eric Metaxas Show, was responding to an announcement that the United Methodist Church would be working with author Robin DiAngelo to create videos on “Deconstructing White Privilege.”
DiAngelo is the author of the 2018 book, White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.
“Jesus was white. Did he have ‘white privilege’ even though he was entirely without sin? Is the United Methodist Church covering that? I think it could be important,” Metaxas tweeted in response to the UMC announcement.
Jesus was white. Did he have "white privilege" even though he was entirely without sin? Is the United Methodist Church covering that? I think it could be important. https://t.co/lNv67Z7g5l
— Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) July 27, 2020
Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., said Metaxas was wrong in calling Jesus white.
“Jesus was not a white, American man. The U.S. flag is not a symbol for the Church or for Jesus. The National Anthem is not a holy hymn. Slavery was not a ‘necessary evil.’ The oppressor even tries to control the response to oppression. The truth will make us free,” she tweeted early Tuesday morning.
Jesus was not a white, American man.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) July 28, 2020
The U.S. flag is not a symbol for the Church or for Jesus.
The National Anthem is not a holy hymn.
Slavery was not a “necessary evil.”
The oppressor even tries to control the response to oppression.
The truth will make us free.
Author and teacher Beth Moore tweeted: “You can have white Santa if you must. But you can’t have white Jesus. Nope. Sorry. Can’t. And here’s what I want to know. Why the heck do you want one?? Why can’t we just go with the Jesus we got?”
You can have white Santa if you must.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) July 28, 2020
But you can’t have white Jesus.
Nope.
Sorry.
Can’t.
And here’s what I want to know. Why the heck do you want one??
Why can’t we just go with the Jesus we got?
Rich Villodas, pastor of New Life Fellowship in New York City, called Metaxas’ tweet “theological malpractice.”
“When Jesus lived, White people didn’t exist. Why? Because ‘White’ was a category later created to assert dominance through illusory notions of superiority. Jesus knows nothing of this. Do better. Bonhoeffer is not pleased,” he said, referring to Metaxas’ bestselling biography of Deitrich Bonhoeffer.
This is what you call theological malpractice.
— Rich Villodas (@richvillodas) July 28, 2020
When Jesus lived, White people didn’t exist.
Why? Because “White” was a category later created to assert dominance through illusory notions of superiority.
Jesus knows nothing of this.
Do better. Bonhoeffer is not pleased. https://t.co/B9WC2eEsVr
Metaxas said in a later tweet that he doesn’t “REALLY think of him (Jesus) as white, but I enjoy helping people think about how THEY think of him, and of other Jewish people, whom they believe have ‘white privilege.’”
Don't worry, Brian. I don't REALLY think of him as white, but I enjoy helping people think about how THEY think of him, and of other Jewish people, whom they believe have "white privilege."
— Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) July 28, 2020
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Pool
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.