Far-right group condemns black Jesus painting at St Albans Cathedral
Far right extremists have condemned an image of a black Jesus Christ on display at St Albans Cathedral.
Far right extremists have condemned an image of a black Jesus Christ on display at St Albans Cathedral.
Members of Britain First, a far-right political organisation formed in 2011 by former members of the British National Party (BNP), were protesting about the image by Lorna May Wadsworth.
Group leader Paul Golding, who has a criminal record for a string of convictions including harassment and assault by beating, filmed himself visiting the Cathedral to see a print of the original painting.
He said: "This is deeply sacrilegious and offensive to all true Christians, but the politically correct, woke liberals who run the church don't care."
While there, Golding attempted to engage in a discussion about race politics with a member of the Cathedral ministry.
A spokesperson for the Cathedral said: “Our faith teaches that we are all made equally in the image of God, and that God is a God of justice.
"Black Lives Matter, so that is why last year, we turned our Altar of the Persecuted into a space for reflection and prayer with Lorna’s altarpiece at the heart.”
Artist Lorna May Wadsworth explained: “Painting the Last Supper altarpiece made me really think about how we are accustomed to seeing Jesus portrayed.
"Experts agree he would most likely have had Middle Eastern features, yet for centuries European artists have traditionally painted Christ in their own image
"I cast Jamaican-born model, Tafari Hinds, as my Jesus to make people question the Western myth that he had fair hair and blue eyes.
"My portrayal of him is just as ‘accurate’ as the received idea that he looked like a Florentine.
"I also knew that, from a previous portrait of Tafari, there is something in his countenance that people find deeply empathetic and moving, which is the overriding quality I wanted my Christ to embody.”
Members of Britain First, a far-right political organisation formed in 2011 by former members of the British National Party (BNP), were protesting about the image by Lorna May Wadsworth.
Group leader Paul Golding, who has a criminal record for a string of convictions including harassment and assault by beating, filmed himself visiting the Cathedral to see a print of the original painting.
He said: "This is deeply sacrilegious and offensive to all true Christians, but the politically correct, woke liberals who run the church don't care."
While there, Golding attempted to engage in a discussion about race politics with a member of the Cathedral ministry.
A spokesperson for the Cathedral said: “Our faith teaches that we are all made equally in the image of God, and that God is a God of justice.
"Black Lives Matter, so that is why last year, we turned our Altar of the Persecuted into a space for reflection and prayer with Lorna’s altarpiece at the heart.”
Artist Lorna May Wadsworth explained: “Painting the Last Supper altarpiece made me really think about how we are accustomed to seeing Jesus portrayed.
"Experts agree he would most likely have had Middle Eastern features, yet for centuries European artists have traditionally painted Christ in their own image
"I cast Jamaican-born model, Tafari Hinds, as my Jesus to make people question the Western myth that he had fair hair and blue eyes.
"My portrayal of him is just as ‘accurate’ as the received idea that he looked like a Florentine.
"I also knew that, from a previous portrait of Tafari, there is something in his countenance that people find deeply empathetic and moving, which is the overriding quality I wanted my Christ to embody.”