Postscript: Bruce Wayne/Batman as Christ



The mythos of Batman is just that, a myth.  And as highly as I regard the creative genius of Christopher and Jonathan Nolan, I do not regard their trilogy as a “fifth gospel.”  I think they would agree.

So the analogies can only go so far before they reach a breaking point and no longer work.  You can surely point out many ways in which the story of Batman does not perfectly match up with the teachings of Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, Buddha or other teachers of wisdom.  You will be right.  You can also surely point out the many ways in which the story of Batman, and the four stages of the spiritual journey as I have laid them out here, do not exactly match your own story.  You will certainly be right.

But the parallels are still undeniably there.  Throughout the films, I noticed many other instances of Batman fitting into the storyline of Jesus Christ and the larger storyline fitting into the story of my Christian faith.  I offer here just a few parallels, however imperfect they may be, to get you thinking on that level as you watch these films again.  At the bottom, I encourage you to discuss, disagree, and add your own.

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Jesus of Nazareth: Bruce Wayne
Jesus Christ: Batman
Taking up his cross: becoming Batman
Satan: Ducard/Ra’s al Ghul
The disciples: Alfred, Lucious, Rachel, John Blake
Judas: Miranda Tate/Talia al Ghul
Christ’s torture: Bane breaking Batman’s back and sending him away to die
Hell: The underground prison in TDKR
Note- When Bruce gets to the top of the pit, he throws down a rope.  Christian tradition holds that in death Jesus descended to hell and freed many people trapped there.
The cross: Batman’s willing sacrifice of himself with the nuclear bomb
Resurrection: Alfred seeing Bruce, along with Selina, at the café
Peter: John Blake who is set now to take up the mission where Bruce left off



Discuss: What parallels do you see, or not see, between the story of Batman and other faith stories?  ​