David W. Swanson

Pastor and Author

Christ’s “mulatto” flesh

In short, Christ’s flesh as Jewish, covenantal flesh is a social-political reality displayed across time and space into which the Gentiles are received in praise of the God of Israel. Given this, we must say that Christ’s flesh in its Jewish constitution is “mulatto” flesh. That is to say, in being Jewish flesh it is always already intersected by the covenant with YHWH and in being intersected it is always already intraracial (and not merely multiracial). Its purity is its “impurity,” which is the “impurity” of its being covenantally intersected by YHWH as its life-giving limit.

J. Kameron Carter interpreting Irenaeus in Race: A Theological Account.

David Swanson

April 14, 2011

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3 responses to “Christ’s “mulatto” flesh”

Byron Durham

April 15, 2011 at 10:10 am

I don’t really understand the reasoning, but I like the conclusion.

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Wayne Park

April 16, 2011 at 11:03 am

I’ve been thinking A LOT about this same line of thinking.
If we believe that Jesus ascended fully flesh (against a Docetic line of reasoning), then what we have “in heaven” is a God who is a Jewish carpenter (to stretch the metaphor a bit).
So for us, I’m thinking, we ascend, resurrect in our ethnic distinctions. The implications for this, I think, are vast. Better start loving our skin color now because we will be that into eternity (sans all the racism and baggage).

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1. David Swanson
  
  April 17, 2011 at 9:38 pm
  
  Really appreciate this thought Wayne. Thank you. May have to quote you in our upcoming sermon series.
  
  Reply