Images of Jesus

Remember when I discussed the United Church advertising campaign a few months ago? Part of the furor --okay, kerfuffle -- that ensued revolved around a bobblehead figure of Jesus. Yesterday a member of the congregation with a playful sense of humour brought me a bobblehead Jesus as a gift. He ordered two, one for his work desk and one for me. Somehow he found the same one which is in the ad campaign. The reaction in the coffee time following the service was mixed. I wandered around talking to people as usual, but with the Jesus figure in hand. Some laughed, others seemed mildly shocked --what was I going to do with it?

It raises some important questions about our images of Jesus and what we consider appropriate. A few years ago I was given a Christmas gift of a two-foot tall plaster Jesus that could be plugged in and illuminated. It was hideous, but I couldn't express my distaste because the person who gave it to me did so in sincerity. It was offered as an object of devotion.

In our membership classes I use a poster with twenty portraits of Jesus from around the world. Jesus is white, and black, and Asian, and aboriginal. I ask participants which one appeals to them and it always a worthwhile discussion for the group because choices are so varied.

What image of Jesus do we have? How do we decide what is reverent and irreverent? Movies in the fifties and sixties chose not to show Jesus' face, or only briefly, for fear of offending.

I think Jesus would nod assent to the notion that we can all wrestle with our images of who he is. Chances are that they will be shaped and reshaped over the course of a lifetime.