Denzel Washington gets baptized after criticizing Hollywood's lack of faith
In a major spiritual milestone, Hollywood actor Denzel Washington was baptized and got his minister license on Sunday. The ceremony was held at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ in Harlem, New York City. The license clears the way for the Gladiator II star to be ordained as a minister in the future. The First Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ Eastern New York live-streamed the event on Facebook.
Washington shared his faith journey during the ceremony
During the ceremony, Washington, casually dressed in a gray T-shirt and black sweatpants, addressed the congregation about his faith. "In one week I turn 70," he said, according to Archbishop Christopher Bryant. "It took a while but I'm here." He added that if God could do this for him, there's nothing he can't do for others, and "the sky literally is the limit."
Washington's wife expressed pride in his spiritual journey
Pauletta Washington, the actor's wife, attended the ceremony and expressed pride in her husband's spiritual journey. "Forty-six years later, here I'm still standing next to him as only God will have it," she said. "So I'm very proud of you. You are the head of our house and you have set a great example for our children, who are now adult children who know the difference because we have shown them the difference."
Washington's views on religion in Hollywood
The news of Washington's baptism comes on the heels of his recent comments on religion in Hollywood. In an essay for Esquire last month, he had called it "unfashionable." He recalled his first visit to the Pentecostal West Angeles church in Los Angeles, calling it "the biggest moment of my life" when "I was filled with the Holy Spirit." He also said that being vocal about one's faith is often discouraged among his peers in the entertainment industry.
