Did you know that when Superman appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938, he could not fly? He was able to “leap tall buildings with a single bound.” In those days he did not fight aliens, warlocks, or evil super geniuses, but rather opposed corruption, evil bankers, and everyday criminals. He did so with violence, tossing the evil doers around with a force that was undoubtedly fatal.
Did you know that Superman wasn’t always an alien from the planet Krypton? One, pre-1938 version of the character made him a bald drifter named Bill Dunn who consumed an experimental drug that gave him mind control powers. That version of Superman went through multiple edits, with the character gaining and losing powers in multiple ways, until finally settling on the story we’re familiar with today.
Did you know that at one point, Superman had a super dog (Krypto), super cat (Streaky), super horse (Comet) and super monkey (Beppo). These four joined forces to create the Legion of Super Pets in the 1962 issue of Action Comics #293. Technically, the horse and cat belonged to Supergirl, but still…
And did you know that Superman has died countless times? Fans debate which “death” was the first: was it Superman #149 from 1961, Superman #188 in 1966, Action Comics #222 in 1956, or some other? In the present most fans will cite Superman #74-75 from 1993 when he was killed by Doomsday, but even more notable than that is Superman #423 in 1986, after which the Superman issue count was reset to 1.
None of this is surprising to anyone who’s had any contact with comic books. Comic publishers and artists are continually revisiting and revamping their properties to make them attractive to new audiences. It’s all fictional entertainment anyway. The stories change continually and while some might get upset about changes to a favorite storyline, everyone understands it was all imaginary to begin with.
People can and do fight over actual history. We’ve all heard the saying, “history is written by the victors.” While this maxim is overly cynical, it does bear some truth. The grade school texts of my youth often omitted or distorted unpleasant periods of American history (The Civil War, the Civil Rights movement, the American-Indian frontier wars, to name a few). Who tells the story and how it’s told matters because we’re talking about real people who really suffered.
But what about people and events that are believed to be factual history by some and to be fictional creations by others? People and events that are essential articles of faith to large groups of people and entire cultures? People like Jesus and events like the Crucifixion and Resurrection?
People fight about those too. Most confusingly, sometimes even Christians. Some, like myself, contend that Jesus was a real, historical person who lived, died, and rose again. Our most basic beliefs are contained in the Creeds (Apostles and Nicene) and have been further clarified over time through various Church councils. Others contend that Jesus was more like Superman- a fictional construction that had meaning for his creators at the time, and that while he is still important, the meaning has changed. And that because this Jesus is fictional, his story can be rewritten to suit our modern tastes.
Which one is right? Debates on this topic sometimes skip an essential question and proceed straight to the yes/no argument. I think we should take a step back and ask a different question.
Why does it matter? Why should we care if Jesus is an inspirational, yet fictional mascot dreamed up by 1st century Christians? Why should we debate whether or not He really was the Son of God, whether He died on the cross, rose from the dead, or ascended into Heaven?
Because nothing else matters! Humans are born, live for a time, and die. Winds blow, waters rise and recede, and the earth crumbles. Time passes. And not one of us endures. All things come to an end, good or not. Shakespeare says it best:
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.(Shakespeare, Macbeth)
Without God, nothing has meaning in and of itself. We can try to impart meaning, but even if those meanings last past our demise, they will eventually fade and be forgotten. Nothing really matters without God. And even more than that, nothing else matters without our benevolent, loving God. If God was just a bored space alien (Von Danilken) or an ancient hostile entity (Lovecraft) or some other less than good, less than loving thing then there’s also no point.
God loves us. And more than that, He loves you. He loves me. He loves us all. I don’t understand it, but it’s true, and it’s that love that gives existence meaning.
And that’s where Jesus comes in. God became man and dwelled among us. He knows us intimately. He is not far off. If we want to know Him we can, at any time. We can never know Superman, no matter how much we wish. And there’s the essential difference: one’s real and the other isn’t.
Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection provide the final act of God’s desire to connect with His creation and grant us an eternal, glorious meaning. If it isn’t True… If Jesus isn’t who He says He is.. If it’s all a later fictional man-made creation… If Jesus is no more real or true than Superman… Then it’s all pointless.
But Jesus is real. God has redeemed His creation. He has opened up the gates of Heaven. That’s why we argue over it. Nothing is more important.
Michael Bertrand
Michael served as a priest in the Episcopal church for 11 years. He and his family were received into full communion with Catholicism in 2016. He currently works nights at an 30 day Alcohol and Other Drugs (AoDA) rehabilitation clinic in Monona, Wisconsin.