Steve Biko Christ-figure : a black theological Christology in the Son of Man film

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Authors

Mokoena, Katleho Karabo

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AOSIS Open Journals

Abstract

Son of Man (2006) is the first Jesus film to be produced in South Africa and the first Jesus film with an all-black cast amongst all films about the life of Jesus. Son of Man retells the story of Jesus from the pre-1994 South African context and the transition to democracy. The film portrays a Jesus who is concerned about social justice and seeks to dismantle systems that perpetuate and maintain subjugation, oppression, discrimination and marginalisation. The film reinforces the ideology of black consciousness and the praxis of black theology creatively and artistically through film. Jesus in Son of Man embodies the life of Stephen Bantu Biko, and Steve Biko is thus given a Christ-figure around four things: non-violence, ideology, disappearance and death. A black Christological perspective is used to analyse the nature of Jesus Christ in Son of Man.

Description

Mr Mokoena is participating in the research project, ‘Social Cohesion’, directed by Prof. Dr Vuyani Vellem, Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria.

Keywords

Jesus Christ, Jesus film, South Africa (SA), Black consciousness, Black theology, Son of Man (2006), Pre-1994 South Africa, Social justice, Stephen Bantu Biko

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Citation

Mokoena, K.K., 2017, ‘Steve Biko Christ-figure: A black theological Christology in the Son of Man film’, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 73(3), a4667. https://DOI.org/ 10.4102/hts.v73i3.4667.