As millions of people tuned in on Sunday, Feb. 11 to watch Super Bowl LVIII, many of them were confused when interspersed between silly, overproduced commercials was one displaying a slideshow of images of people washing each other’s feet.
When I was watching the big game with some of my friends, we all just stopped to look back at the TV. A chorus of questions followed: “What is this?” “Why are their feet out?” “Is this trying to get me to buy some sort of foot cream?”
With many years of Catholic school under my belt, I could tell immediately this advertisement was making a statement about inclusivity within Christianity.
The Bible story referenced describes Jesus on the night before his death, washing the feet of his 12 disciples including Judas Iscariot, who he knew would betray him. This story is meant to show the importance of humility. Foot washing is a historically Christian practice done in many churches because it’s a symbol of service and love for each other.
Despite this message of inclusivity, many Christians aren’t pleased with this advertisement because of the “woke” imagery. This includes a policeman washing the feet of a black man, an elderly white man washing the feet of an Indigenous American, and a middle-aged woman washing the feet of a young girl going to get an abortion, amongst many others.
Along with this backlash from strict Christians was an intensely negative reaction from left-leaning individuals. This is due to the campaign being previously overseen by the Servant Foundation, which is a donor to anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ causes. Another prominent donor is Hobby Lobby co-founder David Green, who is infamous for heading a legal fight for giving companies the right to deny medical coverage for contraception (such as birth control) on the basis of religious beliefs. This case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where his decision was upheld.
The “He Gets Us” campaign is now under the charitable organization Come Near, which stated on its website that “Jesus loves gay people and Jesus loves trans people… no matter who you are, YOU are invited to explore the story of Jesus and consider what it means for your life.” However, this doesn’t negate the impact left by previous donors.
Despite these mixed reactions, it would be impossible to say that the “He Gets Us” campaign hasn’t left a colossal impact since its launch in 2022. The “He Gets Us” YouTube channel currently has over 370 million views with their highest-viewed video titled “Alone” having 41 million views. Google search trends reveal that the number of people looking up the organization had a massive spike on the day of the Super Bowl.
“He Gets Us” has employed a unique strategy of portraying Jesus as an outcast of American society: an immigrant, a refugee, an activist, a trans person, and an addict. The campaign is attempting, and in some ways succeeding, to make the story of Jesus relatable to a wider audience. Many people view the church as something only holy, virtuous people can be a part of. The “He Gets Us” website asks, “How did the story of Jesus, the world’s greatest love story, get twisted into a tool to judge, harm, and divide? How do we remind people that the story of Jesus belongs to everyone? These questions are the beating heart of He Gets Us.” Although their angle has gained much resistance, it’s clear this campaign is attempting to change the narrative.
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