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| Composite Jesus (Public Domain) |
Last time we checked, the word "portrait" was strongly associated with the "likeness of a person, especially one showing the face." Now there's no disputing that the "Head of Christ" is highlighting a face, but attributing that face to Jesus is quite a leap of something (not necessarily faith).
Although the "Head of Christ" has been
"reproduced more than 500 million times" since its 1941 copyright date, it is not welcomed everywhere by everyone. After hanging within an Ohio public school since 1947, this alleged "portrait" was recently taken down. That
decision was made "because of concerns about the potential costs of a federal lawsuit…" In other words, "the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and the Madison, Wis.-based Freedom from Religion Foundation
had sued on behalf of a student and two parents, calling the portrait an unconstitutional promotion of religion in a public school."
Since many have strongly identified this picture with Jesus, calling its display a "promotion of
religion" is not that far a stretch.
Therefore, the issue of whether it should be hanging within a U.S. public school seems
worth exploring.
Nevertheless - just as the menu is not the food, this picture is not the Christ.
Perhaps that seems obvious to many, but unfortunately – not to all. Some irate individuals are even suggesting that those who asked that the picture be removed "should leave town and find another school."
That type of talk seems quite distant from the Christian mandatum to love
one another. The question then
becomes: Is this picture really worth a thousand bitter words?
Resources
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/portrait
http://www.warnersallman.com/collection/images/head-of-christ/
Copyright April 5, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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