Color and Religion

Color has so much meaning in our world today. Different countries and their cultures see different meaning in color. Religion is a major part of color distinction and meaning. The color red means something different to Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, and Islamic religions. Traditions and beliefs change the meaning of colors in religions around the world. Christianity is a monotheistic religion and teaches the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe in Jesus Christ ad follow him as the Son of God as prophesized in the Old Testament of the Bible. They see the New Testament as a record of the gospel reveled by Jesus. Throughout the Bible, color is used as a recurring theme and as an insight to the principles of the religion. Black is a powerful association with negative aspects in Christianity. It symbolizes death, plague, famine, and sorrow. Primarily, black is the color of sin and judgment in Christianity with the exception to a hair color. Blue, on the other hand, is a heavenly color. It is used to represent water, cleansing, and holy service. This color is used consistently in Christianity for decorating holy spaces. Green marks nature. It symbolizes life, growth, freshness, maturity, and frailty. On the other side of green, is grey. Grey is associated with old age and the beauty of it. While it does represent weakness, repentance, and morning, it is placed on the forehead as a ritual of repentance. Red is a powerful color in Christianity. It symbolizes Pentecost or the great feast held fifteen days after Easter. Skin color, wine, bloodied water, and temptation are all represented by the color red. It is a very diversely used color in the religion. Close to the color red, crimson symbolizes life. It can also represent sacrifice and the remission of sin. The covenant, which is an agreement between God and his followers, is represented by the color red. With all of the good that red is, it is the same color that is used for association with Satan and the

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