Satirical depiction of the Last Supper featuring drag queens and a nude man covered in blue paint have overshadowed the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic games.
Criticism of the Paris organizing committee for promoting an offensive performance has been widespread. Church and ministry leaders both in host country France and across the globe have criticized or condemned the depiction.
Among the first churches to demonstrate pushback was the Roman Catholic Church in France. Historically, France was a Catholic nation until the French Revolution. While the church has lost much of its influence, Catholicism remains the largest religious tradition in France. The French Bishops’ Conference lamented the opening ceremony, stating that it “unfortunately included scenes of mockery and derision of Christianity, which we deeply regret.”
Churches from several other nations disapproved of parts of the ceremony. Bishop Stefan Oster of the German Bishops’ Conference called the “queer Last Supper… a low point and completely superfluous in the staging.”
Similarly, the Irish Presbyterian Church criticized the ceremony, calling it a “sneer mockery” of Christ. Orthodox Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens stated that “All of this is worthy of contempt,” aligning with the view of the Church of England Bishop of Worcester who said it was “unnecessary and highly offensive.” The Presidency of the Protestant Church of Egypt found the ceremony highly inappropriate and warned that this controversy could undermine the legitimacy of the Olympic games.
Ecumenical organizations including the World Council of Churches and the World Evangelical Alliance were both vocal about the offense the opening ceremony caused. After the ceremony, the World Council of Churches sent a letter to both the French and International Olympic Committees demanding an explanation “in detail the use of [the] idea and whether it was intended in any way to refer to the Christian faith.” While Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps maintained that the intention of the performance was meant to showcase community and inclusivity, the World Evangelical Alliance reminded that “Only through the love of Christ will we be willing to lay down our self-interest for the other.”
It is important for church officials to speak on what transpired during the opening ceremony because it strikes at a core part of the faith: endurance. Imagery surrounding the opening ceremony has been described as pagan, demonic, or simply in bad taste, but the focal point in the controversy reminds Christians to be anchored in Jesus. God merits and demands respect. It is our duty as Christians to treat him honorably. Cultural jeers against Jesus are possible to withstand through the Church, Holy Spirit, and Scripture. It is hard to consistently stand for Christ and easy to remain quiet and not draw criticism from the surrounding culture.
Any quest to uphold the purity of the Church requires thoughtful navigation. As reminded in Matthew 10:16, we are to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Thankfully, when it came to the defense of Jesus Christ and his holy ordinances, Church leaders worldwide spoke up in a gospel critique of the culture.
Anytime that culture moves away from honoring Christ, mocks him, or distracts the body of believers, churches and their officials must lead the way back to him. While some churches’ responses were firmer than others, the one thing to take away is most churches and leaders respected Christ more than the cares of this world. This event united the Church to defend her groom.
Comment by David on August 2, 2024 at 2:52 pm
“It was not my inspiration, the Christian Last Supper,” Jolly said in French. “There is (Dionysus), who is at this table. He is there because he is the god of celebration in Greek mythology, the god of wine, who is one of the jewels of France.”
Jolly continued, describing the scene, “And the father of Sequana, the goddess who is related to the river, the Seine. The idea was to have a Pagan festival linked to the Gods of Olympus. You will never find in me a desire to mock and denigrate anyone.”
Of course, there is a connection between the cult of Dionysus and the Last Supper as discussed here.
https://skipmoen.com/2020/08/dionysus-and-communion/
Comment by MikeB on August 2, 2024 at 3:10 pm
David,
Do you care about truth?
“The Holy One, blessed be He, hates a person which says one thing with his mouth and another in his heart” Pesahim 113
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth” Zechariah 3:13
From the posts by one of the artists, to the medieval halo of the center figure. This was designed as a very French parody of Christianity. They are oddly afraid now and denying it, but that is… just sad.
They aren’t Christians and honestly I don’t care how little they think of me.
But truth is important. You and I both agree that you will stand before God one day, and unlike Islam, Judaism has no allowance for lying to someone of a different religion.
Comment by David on August 2, 2024 at 6:21 pm
As I mentioned earlier, it was said that the event was based on a painting called the Feast of the Gods which features Dionysus in the foreground. The central figure in this painting is Apollo, a solar deity, who has rays of light coming from his head. Da Vinci’s painting has no such rays coming from Jesus. Having a long table does not automatically make it the Da Vinci painting.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/historian-debunks-paris-olympics-act-not-last-supper-but-greek-gods-celebrating-olympics-see-similarities-101722240785363.html
“What is the truth?”—Pontius Pilate
Comment by MikeB on August 2, 2024 at 7:06 pm
David,
So the performer was just confused and made a totally unlikely assumption that a scene that was geometrically aligned to the vastly more famous painting while lacking in most of the elements of the Bijlert.
It was a clever artistic turn, but it was obviously a post modernist hedonistic interpretation designed for a decadent city hosting a neo-pagan ritual.
This is the annoying part, the very people who got the best chuckle are trying to defend something that doesn’t need to be defended.
Comment by John on August 5, 2024 at 12:59 am
MikeB,
Maybe she just said it to piss you off.
Comment by MikeB on August 6, 2024 at 7:37 pm
John,
So nice of her to apologize, but unnecessary as I’m not offended by non-Christians mocking me.
They mocked my savior on the Cross, and he loved them still.
Comment by retired backbencher on August 14, 2024 at 12:42 pm
David,
So sad for you, but it is now public knowledge that several people involved in the obscenity have publicly stated that it was a take off on Da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper.’
The painting of Dionysus supposed modeled is close to Da Vinci’s painting, a fig leaf by the group that planned and executed the strange show on the bridge during the ceremonies, and the headless Marie Antoinette ugliness.
As has been offered by both parties in the presidential election , started by Governor Walz and replied to by Senator Vance: The people who did this are weird, or more than likely warped. To open something like the Olympics with such a spectacle is obscene.