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The identity and colour of Jesus \\u2013 and why it matters - has taken on a new significance in this year of protest and change. Seeing Jesus as a darker skinned Palestinian Jew rather than blonde European is both historically accurate and theologically important, but it\\u2019s not a new idea.

James Cone, the influential US theologian released \\u2018A Black Theology of Liberation\\u2019 50 years ago this year \\u2013 and formally developed a radical new way of exploring the message of Christianity. While people often say it\\u2019s a \\u2018white man\\u2019s religion\\u2019, Cone emphasised Jesus\\u2019 identity as black, on the side of the oppressed, and Christianity as a religion of liberation.

Robert Beckford, one of the UK\\u2019s prominent black theologians, wants to explore the impact Black Theology has had, the implications for the church and whether seeing Jesus as black is having a revival due to the influence of black lives matter. In this programme Robert speaks to key theologians who studied under Cone; Professor Dwight Hopkins and the Very Reverend Kelly Brown Douglas about the social context and significance of Cone\\u2019s work. He hears from Rev Otis Moss III from a Chicago based church which lives out black theology, and Pastor Jonathan Jackson in the UK. Robert goes on to explore how young Christians are readdressing Jesus\\u2019 identity in the UK with Chine McDonald and has a discussion about embracing the Black Jesus with Clare Williams, Shermara Fletcher and Joel Brown. Plus he\\u2019ll hear from American artist and iconographer Mark Doox about the depiction of a black Christ in Christian art.

Producer: Miriam Williamson

(Picture: \\u2018The Holy Face' by Mark Doox)