The Jesus of Tonight’s Super Bowl Ads Can’t Be Found in Right-Wing Churches
During tonight’s Super Bowl, ads funded by pillars of conservative Christianity will promote a compassionate Jesus aligned with young people’s left-wing values. They’re compelling — but those values can’t be found in conservative churches.
Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles prays during the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
Super Bowl LVII tonight will feature some major stars, from Patrick Mahomes to Rihanna to the always much-anticipated “special guests” of the Barbadian pop singer. But an even bigger celebrity will also make a cameo during Sunday night’s TV extravaganza, probably the most globally recognized and well-liked person in history: Jesus.
Over the past year, the Servant Foundation, a conservative evangelical group, has been using billboard, YouTube, and TV ads in a billion-dollar campaign called “He Gets Us,” to highlight a relatable, forgiving, and compassionate Jesus. The group is spending $20 million to run several of these ads during the Super Bowl.
The Servant Foundation’s research shows that people like Jesus but mistrust Christianity. Young people especially reject the politics and divisiveness associated with evangelicalism. But the “He Gets Us” campaign, while beautifully conceived and executed, seems unlikely to change that. After all, people already have positive feelings about Jesus — and have no compelling reason to rethink organized Christianity or its right-wing politics.
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