Module 3 · Is Christianity a White Man’s · Lesson 1
Christianity Before Colonialism
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Big idea
Christianity began within first-century Judaism in the eastern Mediterranean and spread through Africa, Asia, and Europe long before modern European colonialism.
Learning objectives
- Locate Christianity historically and geographically.
- Explain the Jewish identity of Jesus and the earliest movement.
- Distinguish Christian origins from later European colonial Christianity.
- Explain how Western imagery can distort historical perception.
Primary text
Acts 1:8 — “The missionary movement begins in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria before moving outward.”
Scaffolded Scriptures
- Matthew 1:1 — Jesus is Son of David and Son of Abraham.
- John 4:9 — Jesus is explicitly identified as Jewish.
- Romans 9:4–5 — Christ comes according to the flesh from Israel.
- Acts 2:5–11 — Pentecost is internationally diverse.
- Acts 8:26–39 — An African official appears within the earliest missionary narrative.
Teaching movements
Movement 1
Jesus Was Not European — The historically grounded description is a first-century Jewish man from Roman-period Judea and Galilee.
Movement 2
Christianity Did Not Begin in Europe — It begins in Jerusalem and expands outward.
Movement 3
Europe Became Hugely Influential — European theology, institutions, missions, art, empire, and colonialism profoundly shaped later Christian history.
Movement 4
Colonial Christianity Is Not Christian Origins — Modern European colonialism occurs many centuries after the Christian movement begins.
Movement 5
Images Shape Assumptions — European-looking Jesus imagery can become mistaken for historical description.
Movement 6
The Gospel Crosses Cultures Without Belonging to One — Every culture receives and is judged by Christ.
Key terms / word study
- Christ / Christos
- Anointed One; a messianic title rooted in Israel’s Scriptures.
Christ at the center
The decisive question is not which civilization behaved best while claiming Christianity. It is who Jesus Christ is. Christianity belongs to Christ, not to any ethnicity or empire.
Common error to avoid
Do not respond to the “white man’s religion” objection by denying the very real history of European Christian power or colonial misuse.
Reflect
- Why do many Americans associate Christianity with Europe?
- What is true and false inside that perception?
- Why does Jesus’ Jewish identity matter?
Practice
Use LISTEN → LOCATE → UNCOVER → RESPOND → CHRIST on the claim: “Christianity is a white man’s religion.”
Remember
Christianity was not born in Europe, and it cannot honestly be defended by pretending Europe never weaponized it.