An Icelandic church recently received backlash after running a cartoon ad featuring a bearded Jesus with breasts, makeup, and in a white dress.
According to the Daily Mail, the advert first appeared on the National Church’s Facebook page on September 11, which has since been deleted. The ad was meant to be used as a means to introduce young people to Sunday school.
The graphic apparently showed Jesus dancing under a rainbow shaking his breasts while pointing to a church. Several children are also shown across the advert.
In response to the controversy, the Icelandic church has issued a statement apologizing for their actions.
“’The 2020 Assembly of the National Church regrets that the picture of Jesus in a Sunday school – has hurt people. The goal was to emphasize diversity, not to hurt people or shock them,” the church said.
Petur Georg Markan, a media representative for the Church of Iceland, explained the necessity to share various forms of Jesus as the church’s way to endorse diversity.
“In this one, we see a Jesus who has breasts and a beard. We’re trying to embrace society as it is. We have all sorts of people and we need to train ourselves to talk about Jesus as being ‘all sorts’ in this context,” Markan said.
“Especially because it’s really important that each and every person see themselves in Jesus and that we don’t…
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