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Two Rockhurst University theology professorsreflect on why the African roots of the Bible go unnoticed.By Jamie Sievering, MBA ’06What does Jesuslook like? Theimages you’velikely known allyour life of Jesusand others in Christian history maynot reflect their true appearances. Buteven if that’s the case, does it reallymatter what he looks like?First, a few facts. Did you knowthat Moses’ wife was Ethiopian? Andsome of the early Roman Catholicpopes were black? Jesus had ancestorsof African descent. After Israel andEgypt, Ethiopia is mentioned morethan any other nation in the OldTestament. Many Egyptian pharaohswere of Ethiopian descent. The Nileactually starts in Ethiopia.Today, the rich heritage of Ethiopia— and the rest of Africa — seems allbut left out of Christian teachings.But if Africa and its people are soengrained in the Bible and the earlyChristian church, why don’t we knowmuch about it?“It’s in there, but people are blindto it,” says Daniel Stramara Jr., Ph.D.,assistant professor of theology andreligious studies, who specializesin early church history. “A lot ofCaucasian Americans are obliviousto the biases that get unconsciouslyput forth.”A prime example is the blondhaired,blue-eyed image of Jesusmany Americans have grown up with.“He looks like a white guy,” saysStramara, “but Jesus was really oliveskinned. He’s a Mediterranean Jew,and some of his ancestors were fromAfrica. From a historical point ofview, that’s just the way it is.”According to Stramara, people ofAfrican heritage in the Bible tend tobe ignored by those who see the peopleand stories through a Caucasianlens. To have a fair perspective, all ofChristianity needs to be understoodin a balanced historical context sono group is either overemphasizedor neglected.An interest in researching misguidedperceptions about ethnicityin the Bible is why Stramara traveledto Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November2005, to attend the InternationalConference on the Bible and ItsAfrican Roots. Along with educators,pastors and seminary students fromaround the world, Stramara met withdignitaries and locals, worshippedin local churches and visited holyand historical sites in a crossculturaleffort to reclaim some ofthe African heritage that is overlookedin the Bible.His trip brought him face to facewith Lucy, the oldest known humanoid,who was found in Ethiopia; ledhim into the depths of a mountainwhere churches are carved from theearth; and introduced him to PrimeMinister Meles Zenawi in a discussionsession aimed at promotingbetter ties between black Americansand Ethiopians. Both Stramara, whois eager to share his experiences withstudents, and Craig Prentiss, Ph.D.,associate professor of theology andreligious studies, explore the growingdebate in Rockhurst courses such asChristianity II; Eastern Christianity;Religion in America; and Religion,Ethnicity and Race.Daniel Stramara Jr., Ph.D., assistantprofessor of theology and religious studies,traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, inNovember to explore the Bible’s neglectedAfrican heritage.Rockhurst4spring 2006 13