Take a moment to picture the Bible characters you have heard and seen over the years. What race are they?

Despite the fact that these characters are predominately of Semitic and African origin (i.e. people of color), since the Renaissance they have been mostly depicted as white.

James C. Lewis, an international photographer, grew up with a Bible that was “whitewashed.” So did I. Several years ago, James began a mission to present biblical characters as people of color. Though his goal was not to reflect precise historical context, the result is often dramatically closer to reality than our traditional Western images.

How do you feel when you see these “color-corrected” representations of people from the Bible?

James said, “I think it is very important to see one’s self in the Scripture so that it may become real…”

While the nation has an important conversation about race, it is equally important for us to have a parallel conversation about the theological implications of ethnicity and race.

See the entire “Icons of the Bible” series here: https://www.pinterest.com/rawnoire/icons-of-the-bible/

EDIT: Some have asked if these pictures can be acquired. Here is a link to James Lewis’ art and apparel website. https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/2-cornelius-lewis