Weaponizing the Gospel
Jesus has, at different times in history, been weaponized as a tool of domination and division. The weaponization of Jesus began during the 4th century, in the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who aligned Christianity with imperial power and transformed Christ’s image from a persecuted peacemaker into an embodiment of conquest and authority, according to Dr. Bart D. Ehrman of the University of North Carolina. [¹] This political marriage of faith and empire made the cross, a symbol of self-sacrificial love, a banner for control, from which imperial power sought an ideological justification for war, persecution, and exclusion.
Over the ages, both religious leaders and rulers have manipulated the name of Jesus for their benefit. As Dr. Elaine Pagels of Princeton University indicates, the early Christian writings reflect deep struggles over who “owned” the message of Jesus, with factions manipulating his teachings to bolster their own power structures.[²] The same applies to today's politics as well. In these contemporary times the concept of Jesus' teachings is frequently exploited as a pretext for supporting ideologies in opposition to his underlying philosophy of love, forgiveness, and inclusion. The Sermon on the Mount, once the essence of Christian values, is now overshadowed by a louder and more punitive interpretation, one that upholds judgment over mercy.
As Dr. Reza Aslan, of the University of California, puts it today, Jesus has become, "a mirror reflecting the values of the culture that worships him."[³] In some circles, the compassionate healer has been replaced by a figure of tribal loyalty, a Jesus blessed with violence, nationalism, or intolerance. The truth of this distortion cannot be pinned down to any one denomination or nation: It is a global phenomenon of fear, misinformation, and political opportunism. The peril is not only in what is uttered in Jesus’ name, but in the thing that is lost to history: Jesus’ assertion that it is love of neighbor and enemy that is the authentic disciple at heart.
For us to rediscover Jesus, we need to go back to His words unfiltered through power or corrupt ideology. Dr. N.T. Wright of Oxford University challenges believers to take back “the radical challenge of Jesus’ kingdom message”, a message of reconciliation, humility, and service, as opposed to domination.[⁴] That includes exercising mercy instead of vengeance; giving up our petty disputes to share others’ pain and compassion; and forgiving instead of punishing. Fear and hatred make up the basis for the weaponization of Jesus, but simply remembering his genuine message of unconditional love will disarm the most hardened hearts, restoring the peace he promised to the world.
[¹] Bart D. Ehrman, How Jesus Became God (HarperOne, 2014).
[²] Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels (Random House, 1979).
[³] Reza Aslan, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth (Random House, 2013).
[⁴] N.T. Wright, Simply Jesus (HarperOne, 2011).