Today there are more than 2 billion Christians around the world, representing about a third of the global population. The geographic distribution of Christians around the world is so widespread that currently, no single continent or region can be considered a center of global Christianity. With churches established in all corners of the world, representing different denominations, nationalities, ethnic groups, and cultures, it’s no surprise that we see a wide variation in how the faith is expressed.
One clear example is religious art, particularly the depictions of Jesus Christ. From the blonde, blue-eyed White Jesus to the Asian Jesus to the African Jesus, people tend to create depictions that look more like themselves—someone they can more easily relate to.
Here are just a few examples of the different cultural depictions of Jesus Christ.
United States
Head of Christ (1941), Warner Sallman
Korea
Woonbo Kim Ki-chang (c. 1950s)
Japan
Japanese Christian Orthodox icon, late 19th-early 20th century
Ethiopia
Great Triptych, c.1700
St. George & the Virgin and Child, late 18th century
India
Cuba
Cristo Guerrillero (1969), Alfredo G. Rostgaard
Egypt
Christ and Saint Mina. 6th-century icon from Bawit, Egypt
Russia
