Lindsay Mustafa Davis

For the Literal Love of Christ, Stop Making Jesus White

May 19, 2017 by Lindsay Mustafa Davis in Christian Issues

I was browsing Buzzfeed the other day when I ran across an article about the Mary Magdalene film starring Rooney Mara (as Mary) and Joaquin Phoenix (as Jesus).

At first, I thought it was great that a film about Mary Magdalene would be coming to theaters soon, especially because of the issues many in the Church might have with her story being portrayed well on screen (read: not as a prostitute).

Then I saw the casting and I got frustrated that, once again, two white actors are portraying religious and historical figures of color.

I quickly went to IMBD to check out the rest of the cast and discovered that black, Israeli, and Algerian actors will be playing Jesus’ disciples.

Which is better than having them all be white, too, I suppose.

This being said, Hollywood is not off the hook. The fact that, in most biblical films, Jesus is cast as a white man while the people of color are relegated to the supporting cast is a symptom of the American white savior complex.

The simplest way to define the white savior as an entertainment trope is a white character rescuing people of color from their plight. While many well-meaning people defend these characters as benign and even admirable (perhaps saying that they learn a lesson about themselves and “those people” and become “better” in the end), they are actually harmful.

The danger of the white savior mentality is that it enables the savior to look down on the ones they try to “save.” It allows the savior to say, “You are only… [Read more…] about For the Literal Love of Christ, Stop Making Jesus White

Not Anomalies: Reclaiming the Biblical Heroines

January 18, 2017 by Lindsay Mustafa Davis in Christian Issues

Growing up with a single mother, I learned that being a woman and being strong go hand in hand.

Growing up in the Pentecostal church, I learned that the Holy Spirit gave the power to everyone, male or female, to preach the Gospel, live a Christ-like life, and do fantastic works that would bring people to Jesus.

In two formative ways, I learned that to be a woman is not in and of itself a hindrance to accomplishment. Being a woman, in both contexts, is something to be celebrated. Together, my mother and the Spirit emboldened me to do anything God put in my heart to do.

So of course I asked if the Spirit was calling my beloved, empowered self to be a leader in the church, maybe even a pastor.

Then things got weird.

My mom told me there was no question: of course I could be a pastor if that was what I really wanted to do.

The church of my youth and evangelical groups I joined, however, told me there were limits to this empowerment, especially for girls. Perhaps the Spirit might have given me the gifts of teaching, but only to teach children, youth, and other women.

But to teach everyone, including (and especially) men? You heard God wrong on that, they said. Maybe instead of being a pastor, you’re called to be a pastor’s wife.

I balked quite a bit at that idea.

So I found myself confused. And as a result, I asked more questions.

I asked, “Why would the Spirit awaken such gifts within me only to put odd limits on them for the sole fact that I am female, not male?”