Pastor discusses role of blacks in the Bible

Was Jesus black? Pastor Dwight McKissic thinks so. Citing biblical scriptures and religious and scientific sources, McKissic argued that many biblical characters are black in a speech Wednesday night in High Rise North Rooftop Lounge. The presentation began with four songs performed by the Inspiration, a co-ed a cappella group made up of primarily black students. Then McKissic, a pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, began his speech by presenting a biblical passage which he said proves that Noah is the father of the "three basic races of mankind." McKissic said that Noah's first son Shem is the father of all olive-skinned Semitic people, his second son Ham is the ancestor of all dark or black African or Asiatic people and his other son Jephthah is father to all fair-skinned European or caucasian people. "Jesus Christ has taken one blood and made all nations of man," he said. McKissic next explained that the descendents of each of Noah's sons have had their period of enlightenment. He said that Africans and Semites have had their eras of development and creativity, adding that the sons of Jephthah are currently enjoying their period of world leadership. He said that their time is almost up, and when that happens, "we will all come under the reign of Jesus Christ." Using other biblical passages, McKissic tried to show that the ancient Ethiopians, Egyptians and Canaanites were all descendent from Ham. He then described the long-standing ties between Ethiopians and Judeo-Christianity, beginning with Moses marrying a woman from an Ethiopian tribe. McKissic next connected the geneology of Ham to the first man in the bible, Adam. Intimating that Adam was a person of color, he cited another biblical passage which said Adam was made from dirt and added that dirt only comes in brown, tan and red varieties. McKissic provided further medical evidence to support his argument by citing DNA and genetic research which claims that an African woman is the mother of all mankind. McKissic ended the lecture by saying that Jesus had the attributes of black people, "lambs-wool hair and tan feet." Many of the 100 students at the lecture said they found it interesting and that they appreciated McKissic's evidence. "I thought he treated this fairly and I don't see any reason why it couldn't be," said College and Wharton senior Jason Fubozzi. "I wouldn't put as much [stock] in fifth century sources, but he has studied it more than I have." "He referenced things so that I can go home now and look things up for myself," said Drexel University senior Nicole Washington. The program was co-sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and Campus Crusade for Christ.

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