With films like Ridley Scott’s “Exodus” coming under fire for whitewashing biblical history, one photographer chose to go against the grain. In 2014 photographer James C. Lewis debuted his photo series titled ‘Icons of the Bible’. The series featured figures from both Old and New Testament portrayed by people of color. According to an interview with Huffington Post, the 70 models used in the project are Asian, Native American, Hispanic, African, Middle Eastern, Black American and West Indian:
“I think it is very important to see one’s self in the Scripture so that it may become real in their eyes,” Lewis told The Huffington Post. “The whitewashing of the Bible has always bothered me. However I’m happy to now have the opportunity to give a different point of view.”
This video gives a thorough recap of the exhibit.
https://youtu.be/sFMl5ALvDX0
Do you like Lewis’ revision of biblical figures?
15 Responses
These are gorgeous. Amazing. I could look at them for hours.
They are beautiful. At least it’s closer than Caucasian people acting the parts. I think the African American community especially needs this right now. So my favorite- ABSOLUTE favorite- is Adam and Eve, It is the most historically accurate depiction of our ancestors. Now, for me personally, I would like to see accurate (as we can be at this point) depictions of the best genetic guesses as to what the people in the bible actually looked like. No one would be white, but a Semitic man wouldn’t have the physical features of the gorgeous man in the photos here. I want some artist out there to really try to get the physical features accurate. But that is only my personal wish. As a response to whitewashing? Yes, these amazing pictures are perfect.
These are accurate depictions because most whites already know the real history, the American blacks are the real biblical Israelites (Deut.28:68). The only inaccuracies in this article are the names and angels don’t have wings. Jesus is pagan and God is a title. Yahuah (Psalms 68:4) and Yahusha are the correct Hebrew names.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful images – my heart soars!
lmao girl i said the same when elisha poped up. straight forgot i was looking at biblical figures lol like lord i’m having impure thoughts XD
Beautiful depiction!
The first people created in the bible were black people. There is only one race of people who fall under the description of curses described in Deuteronomy 28. We have all been deceived and taught many lies. If Joseph had been white, there is no way that he could have fled to Egypt and blended in with this dark skinned race of people. Yahuah only dealt with one race of people in the beginning, but later extended salvation to all to all races through his son Yahusha. Shalum
Absalom and Solomon can get it!
My, my King Solomon… Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
love them! 🙂
How is it a revision? Middle Eastern people are brown; since the Arabs had not yet invaded Egypt, Egyptians were all black (even today those not in the north of Egypt are black as they are descendants of the Ancient Egyptians). At the time of the Bible Egypt extended into what is now Sudan, and Sudanese (as far as I can tell) seem to be darker. Most of the Bible’s characters were brown or black, with the exception of most of the Romans; I say ‘most of’ because Roman citizenship didn’t depend on race so there is no way of knowing what colour the Roman characters were or if they were mixed race. This photo series simply depicts the reality.
Whites have been “whitewashing” the bible, so it’s nice to see people making a change
I love this. I can actually imagine these people being those from The Bible. It looks more realistic, than the traditional images used.
Love it.
Like it? I love it!!!