Hope, Sacrifice And Resurrection: Why Superman Is Christ In A Cape
(ANALYSIS) This summer’s “Superman” is more than just another superhero movie. James Gunn's latest, starring David Corenswet, offers something different: A return to the character's core — not just as a cultural icon, but as a figure imbued with spiritual and moral gravity.
Because Superman has always been religious. Maybe not explicitly, but unmistakably. And once you see it, the evidence isn’t subtle: A baby sent from the heavens. Raised by humble foster parents who teach him right from wrong. He learns of his divine heritage and devotes his life to saving humanity. He dies for the world and returns from the dead.
Sound familiar? It should. Because Superman is Christ in a cape.
READ: The Surprising Revival Of Superman And Christian Faith
The West's first proper superhero wasn’t born in a boardroom. He was born in 1938 — out of ink, hunger and a desperate need to believe in something. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were two Jewish kids from Cleveland, sons of immigrants raised on Old Testament fire and Depression-era drive.
At the time, the country was sinking. Europe was sliding toward darkness. Instead of simply creating a comic book, they summoned a savior—and they knew exactly what they were doing.
Superman’s story mirrors the Christian narrative with surgical precision. A father sends his only son from the heavens to Earth. The rocket is the manger. The Kents are Mary and Joseph. Smallville is Nazareth. He grows up quiet, ordinary, hiding something divine.
Even his name — Kal-El — isn’t random. It means “voice of God” in Hebrew. And Clark Kent? That’s the cloaked Messiah, walking among us, unnoticed. Superman is a theology lesson in tights. The imagery hits like a hammer: arms outstretched in the crucifixion pose, suspended above Earth, face tilted to the sky.
But Superman’s Christianity goes beyond the visuals. It’s hardwired into his moral code. He doesn’t kill because life is sacred. He protects the innocent because they bear divine worth. He serves instead of rules. These aren’t vague heroic values. They’re Christian virtues, stripped of scripture and dressed in spandex.
The structure of Superman’s story follows the Christian narrative with startling fidelity. By now, it’s also clear that Lex Luthor isn’t just another villain. He’s a theological figure — one of the oldest. The tempter. The deceiver. The prideful rebel who cannot bear to see another worshipped. He offers Superman earthly power, manipulates public opinion, sows doubt and distorts truth. He’s not just trying to defeat Superman — he’s trying to dethrone him. His hatred is metaphysical. He recognizes the divine and chooses defiance. He is, quite literally, Satan in a suit.
Even the Fortress of Solitude is sacred ground. It’s temple and tomb, sanctuary and sepulchre. It’s where Superman withdraws to commune with his father through Jor-El’s recorded voice — a kind of high-tech prayer life. It’s where he sheds the noise of the world, contemplates purpose and prepares for resurrection. When he falls, it’s where he’s laid to rest. When he rises, it’s where the rising begins. None of this is accidental. It’s architectural. The mythology is embedded directly into the framework of Christian theology, whether modern screenwriters recognize it or not.
In recent years, Superman films have stripped all this away. Zack Snyder understood the imagery but missed the heart. His Superman was all crucifixion, no resurrection. All burden, no joy. All anguish, no grace. He turned the Christ figure into a tortured god who didn’t believe in us — and barely believed in himself.
The Marvel model drifted even further off course. Their heroes are broken, messy, morally gray — perfect for a world that doesn’t know what to believe. But it’s a mistake to try to make Superman relatable. He was never meant to be. He’s not Batman. He’s not here to reflect us. He’s here to pull us upward. That’s what makes him transcendent.
To his credit, Gunn seems to understand what’s been lost. And the timing couldn’t be more urgent. America is splitting apart — politically, spiritually and morally. Heroes are torn down. False idols like celebrities and influencers are worshipped. Into that void steps Superman. Not to dominate. Not to brood. But to protect. To serve. To sacrifice.
Superman works because Christianity works — not just as faith, but as story. The arc of divine calling, inner strength and sacrificial love cuts through time, culture and creed.
The secular world has spent years trying to decode Superman’s staying power while ignoring what actually holds him up: the Christian mythos baked into his DNA. Superman endures because he’s the Christ story, made palatable for a culture that’s forgotten how to speak of God.
John Mac Ghlionn is a researcher and essayist. He covers psychology and social relations. His writing has appeared in places such as UnHerd, The US Sun and The Spectator World.