Before this semester I had never taken a moment to ask myself: Who is Jesus? It's something I've never been given the chance to question. Growing up in a strongly Christian context, where I went to Mass every Sunday and then, after Mass, attended Bible school for two hours, ingrained a specific image of Jesus in my head. This image portrayed Jesus as a white man who he performed miracles for the poor and oppressed and also sacrificed himself on the cross for all the sins of humanity. However, after taking this course, I have been able to think back to Jesus in ways I could never have imagined. It has become apparent to me that there are many different ways to view Jesus. And with each of these contrasting views, comes both biblical and rational evidence supporting each image along with criticisms that challenge each image. When Dale C. Allison Jr. says that “Jesus is not one but many,” it becomes obvious that there are many different ways to imagine Jesus. He says that “Jesus looks like a chameleon; it takes its color from anyone who recreates it” (Allison, 46). Therefore, it is our experiences and beliefs that create all these different types of Jesus. Furthermore, J. Deotis Roberts argued that “if the universal Christ came to all people in their particular historical context, then all people would have the right to define Christ through their particular experience and imagine Christ in their own likeness” (Douglas, 61). Therefore, using Allison and Roberts' theories, it makes sense that people can see Jesus in the different ways they see him; black, white, straight, gay, etc. In Kelly Brown Douglas' book, The Black Christ, there are a few different images of Jesus. Some of these ideas come from the slave era, and others... middle of paper... homosexual. Furthermore, societies were clearly different, so it might have been socially acceptable to have a close male friend like Jesus had. On the other hand, when talking about a black Christ, like James Cone did. It can be said that if Christ identifies only with the oppressed, then what about other people who are doing well, but still need guidance in their lives. After looking at all these different models of Jesus and taking them into account, it is my opinion that Jesus is a universal human being. That said, I most likely agree with Roberts' thoughts about Jesus being who you want him to be. The issue isn't what he looks like or who he's had intimate relationships with, it's what he's done. It is the messages he is trying to show us that we all need to understand. It can be anyone you want, as long as you follow its teachings.