Jean-Paul Sartre, a prominent 20th-century philosopher known for his staunch atheism and groundbreaking contributions to existentialist thought, is an unconventional figure to consider when reflecting on the themes surrounding Christmas. Traditionally viewed as a celebration of the birth of Christ, the season embodies a rich tapestry of religious and cultural significance. However, Sartre's perspectives challenge the conventional narratives of meaning and purpose, encouraging a deeper examination of individual existence, freedom, and choice. This juxtaposition invites a thought-provoking exploration of how Christmas can be perceived beyond its spiritual dimensions, potentially as a moment for introspection and recognition of the human experience in a secular context.
In September 1939, Sartre joined the French army, but he was captured by German forces in June 1940 as his unit withdrew, leading to his imprisonment. During his time in prison, Sartre gave lectures to fellow inmates, mostly priests, focused on authenticity, freedom, and hope. He wrote a play titled Bariona or The Sons of Thunder for these priests to perform on Christmas Eve in 1940.
Bariona, the leader of a struggling village, protests the increasing taxes from Rome by declaring that no more children should be born there. However, upon hearing of the birth of a messiah destined to be a man of peace, he becomes furious, longing instead for a leader who will challenge the Roman rule. He journeys to Bethlehem with the intent to kill the infant. Yet, upon arriving at the stable, he is moved by the look on Joseph’s face and completely alters his intentions. Rather than harm Jesus, Bariona chooses to sacrifice himself, rallying his men to face a futile battle against Herod’s soldiers, who aim to eliminate the newborn child.
A standout moment in the play occurs when Sartre seeks to understand Mary’s perspective. He offers a remarkably human depiction of her bond with Jesus:
“And no other woman has had God just for herself in that way. A very tiny God whom she can take in her arms and cover with kisses, a warm-bodied God who smiles and breathes, a God she can touch, a God who is alive. And if I were a painter, it is at a moment like this that I would paint Mary. I would try to capture the air of affectionate daring and delicate shyness with which she puts out her finger to touch the soft little skin of this baby God whose warm weight she feels on her lap and who smiles at her.”
This is not the same nihilistic Sartre. He is a different person, a man touched by the beauty of life, and by the hope of new birth. He can do nothing but be in awe of Mary:
“She looks at him and thinks: ‘This God is my child, this divine flesh is my flesh. He is made of me, he has my eyes and the shape of his mouth is the shape of mine . . . He is my God and he looks like me!’”
Sartre’s unusually positive view of Christmas was so uncharacteristic that years later, his partner Simone de Beauvoir asserted he hadn’t actually penned this play. Consequently, Sartre had to publicly affirm that he was indeed the author.
The Nativity was more than just a convenient, audience-pleasing topic. Sartre interpreted the story of Christ’s birth through the lens of his existentialist themes: death was pervasive, and individuals faced the daily dilemma of either succumbing to fascist authority or standing up against it. Consequently, the play presented a form of Christian existentialism that resonated with a broader audience. The play integrated a key aspect of Sartre’s philosophy: individuals find themselves in a reality not of their choosing, yet they can shape their existence through the power of choice. As Sartre writes in Being and Nothingness:
“He (man or human life) materialises in the world, encounters himself, and only afterwards defines himself.”
According to Sartre, by choosing our reality, we demonstrate the power and agency to shape our world. Sartre argued that with each passing year, the world grows increasingly disillusioned with the concept of God. He believed that hope is present regardless of God's existence since human reality embodies “a doctrine of action.”
While Sartre maintained his atheism and claimed his views on Christianity were consistent, his thoughts had evolved, at least to some degree, by the time of his death in 1980.Around the same time, Sartre confessed to Simone de Beauvoir:
“there are elements of the idea of God that remain in us and that cause us to see the world with some divine aspects.”
In 1940, when the play was staged, Sartre’s Nazi captors had compelled others to die. Through his play, Sartre urged his audience to understand their existence as a means to affirm their own lives and those of others. In Sartre’s narrative, God chooses to become human, presenting the same choice available to all. The marvel of the Incarnation, according to Sartre, lies in God's decision to exist. The existence of God is dependent upon God's deliberate choice to exist.
According to Sartre's existentialism, Christmas signifies a divine choice to enter a messy, broken, and fragile world out of love and devotion. God embraces existence by becoming one of us. The essence of Christmas lies in the moment when history shifts at the birth of a child, where the Divine interacts with the human, making God a tangible reality. In blood, sweat, tears, and struggles, God chooses to exist.
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