Church of England Decides St Augustine Was Black

St Augustine has been depicted as a black man in a children's book written by Church of England officials as part of its diversity drive. 

The saint, one of the most influential figures in Christian history, has been illustrated as black in a new book called Heroes of Hope.

Advertisement

This book says it seeks to inspire children with examples of 'Black and brown saints, often erased and whitewashed from history, who formed the church and therefore modern society as we know it today'. 

Aurelius Augustinus was born in 345 AD in a Mediterranean coastal town now in modern-day Algeria, going on to become a bishop of the North African settlement of Hippo.

Over the years, most depictions of St Augustine have been of a white man.  

At that time in history, the area was a Roman province, although Augustine and his mother Saint Monica may have originated from the North African Berber ethnic group.

Beege Welborn

The book was authored by the head of the Church's 'Racial Justice Unit.'

Unsurprisingly, an American Catholic university, Villa Nova, has been way ahead of them on this, as  'depicting St. Augustine as a Black man actively decentres whiteness'. 

Which is more important than historical fact.


Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement