Controversial Artist's Depiction of Christ, Praised by Pastor

REPORTER HERALD
By Tom Hacker

COLORADO - Enrique Chagoya’s labor of love is nearly complete, and his monumental portrait of Jesus Christ could be in Loveland by the end of this month. The California artist was the center of a storm last fall, when one of his works that some people believed depicted Jesus Christ involved in a sex act was displayed at the Loveland Museum/Gallery.

Resurrection Fellowship senior pastor Jonathan Wiggins reached out to Chagoya with an email asking the artist what he had intended to convey with the image that so many found offensive. Chagoya replied that it was satire intended to depict the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, and a slap at documented cases of child sexual abuse by priests. A lengthy email exchange engendered a friendship between Wiggins and Chagoya — and an offer from the artist to paint a portrait of Christ to hang in the church.

Resurrection pastor Adam Lowry last week traveled to Chagoya’s Palo Alto, Calif., studio near the Stanford University campus, where Chagoya is a professor of art. “It’s a beautiful piece of art,” he said. “My initial reaction? It’s the most peaceful, loving image of Christ. He accomplished what he set out to do.” [link]