Grammy award-winning British actor, Cynthia Erivo, will become the first woman to play Jesus in a major production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Kate Orson says the decision is blasphemous, but Christians should take care in expressing themselves
Actress and singer Cynthia Erivo has been cast in the role of Jesus in the Hollywood Superbowl production of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar which will be performed in Los Angeles this summer.
Many Christians have already taken to social media to express dismay at the casting, considering it blasphemy, and I agree with them.
Jesus Christ Superstar has been controversial since its debut in 1971. Christians have long objected to the musical’s portrayal of Jesus as an imperfect human rather than the perfect son of God. There is also an implied romance between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and Judas is depicted sympathetically. Billy Graham once described it as “bordering on blasphemy and sacrilege”.
The musical was never purported to be a faithful rendering of the Gospel story, so we perhaps shouldn’t expect it to be. However, casting a woman in the role of Jesus is a step too far, and I can’t help thinking it’s a deliberate act to mock God.
A female Jesus is an act of rebellion. It’s blasphemy
Christians are right to be upset about this. In previous decades there would be a certain reverence and respect for Christianity, even among non-believers. Now, as the West strays further and further from its Christian roots, it seems that anything goes.
It is sad that in the entertainment world there are so few faithful renditions of our Lord and Saviour and as followers of Jesus we have the right to feel aggrieved at how he is depicted.
A female Jesus is an act of rebellion. It’s blasphemy, it’s defiance against a God that most of the world has run from.
Nevertheless, while we are justified to feel grieved in our spirit, I think we have to be careful how we talk about it. Christians can add fuel to the fire when they express their outrage and the enemy delights in the fallout.
It sends the message that the world has moved on and modernised, and the Gospel must be reclaimed with a woman at the centre. This is a lie
John K. Amanchukwu Sr a pastor from South Carolina caused some controversy of his own when he wrote on X, “With all due respect, and humbly submitted, Cynthia Erivo is too BALD, BROWN, and BI to play Jesus.” This kind of commentary creates a narrative that the God of the Bible is bigoted and hate-filled, and is trying to curtail everyone’s fun. Such a depiction could lead people further away from Jesus, and want nothing to do with him. We are also on shaky ground if we have a tick-list of characteristics that are required to play Jesus. After all, casting Jesus as a white man (as has been the case for so long) is also inaccurate.
The problem with a female Jesus, is not so much the gender per se, but the way it sends the message that there’s something wrong with the Bible, that the world has moved on and modernised, and the Gospel must be reclaimed with a woman at the centre. This is a lie that we need to speak up about and correct. But we should do so gracefully and prayerfully, encouraging people to dig a little deeper, and reflect upon the question, why is Jesus the most mocked religious figure in popular culture?
As we express our dismay at the way Jesus is blasphemed in the world, we should also remember that it’s not our place to be the judge of the world, but rather to share the good news with them. Let’s use this as an opportunity to point people back to the real Jesus Christ, who is still changing lives today.
Read an alternative perspective on this story: ‘It isn’t blasphemous for Jesus to be played by a woman, it’s inclusive’
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