Christ! They’re expensive!

By Charlie Sear, Hannah Montgomery & Kaye Levell 

Are you a Christian? Do you want to express your faith through fashion? Do you find the priestly robes and Mitre a bit to old fashion? Well turns out there is a product for you. For the low low price of a few thousand dollars (as well as the price of disrespecting a 2000-year-old Tradition with Billions of followers around the globe) you can own your very own pair of Jesus shoes. Filled with blessed water from the river Jordan these shoes are only the latest in ways in which corporations exploit your beliefs in order to make some profit. 

It is clear that these shoes are in high demand, selling out in under two minutes at the retail price of $1425 and are now on resale websites for an eye-watering $4000, however, this begs the question of what makes these shoes worth such a staggering value? The shoes in question are Nike Air Max 97 sneakers which typically retail at $160. However, MSCHF have revamped these trainers and given them a Holy significance. The shoes have been inscripted with MT 14:25 which is the passage in the Bible which states Jesus walked on water. These shoes further this notion of walking on water, by including 60cc of apparent Holy Water from the River Jordan. Water from the River Jordan is considered especially Holy due to the fact that Jesus was Baptised in it. This water has even further religious significance as it has also apparently been blessed by an unidentified Brooklyn priest. However, what is really at play here is the ability of capitalism to commodify religion, as well as make these “holy” shoes something that should be consumed. 

Within this case “Religion” is being exploited in numerous ways. One such way is the exploitation of the miracle discussed in Matthew 14:22-33 in which Jesus famously walks on water. To many this miracle along with others is sacred and to use such a miracle in order to promote the sale of a shoe can be seen as deeply disrespectful and exploitative as it belittles the miracle and, in a way, parodies it. Furthermore, the advertising itself can be seen as exploitative which is most clearly shown in the website itself for the shoes (found at https://jesus.shoes/ ). When the website is first opened up you are shown the message “walk on water” which already conjures up images of Christ and becoming like him. This idea that you can walk on water much like Jesus is also exploitative as it suggests that in some way you can become a divine figure like him, which to many can be seen as disrespectful, narcissistic and certainly not in line with Christian beliefs. Finally the website itself is also full of images significance to the Christian faith such as groups of priests praying, images of the cross and even the pope making an appearance, this in turn creates the image that these are “holy shoes” and in turn this may lead to some Christians into buying the shoes, believing that in some strange way these shoes will bring them closer to God.

Consumerism is founded on the understanding that a persons’ wellbeing and happiness is fundamentally dependent on buying certain consumer goods and material possessions. Therefore, it is considered desirable to increase the consumption of goods purchased in the market. In order to do this, producers will often advertise their product as the central component for a particular lifestyle that may be desired by their target audience. The Nike Air Max 97 “walk on water” trainers are a good example of producers supposedly utilising Christianity as a means to gain profit by targeting a specific audience. The emphasis on the ability of the shoe to allow people to “walk on water” allows people to feel as though they can be elevated to the status of Jesus. This cross over from consumerism, in the secular sphere, into the religious sphere can be seen as an example of selling spirituality, which is increasingly common in today’s consumer culture. Many people are drawn to items which may be considered ‘religious’ for a number of reasons: they may genuinely hold these beliefs and understand this significance, or it may be just because they are considered fashionable and exclusive. Regardless of the motive, in this case, MSCHF have arguably used Christianity as a justification for selling trainers for an incredibly high price, which one may argue is an exploitation of Religion for profit.  

In conclusion, whether it is a parody or truly a holy relic is irrelevant, as the product itself is seen as legitimate. Subsequently, this leads to the exploitation of peoples’ religious beliefs in favour of profit. The shoes are a powerful example of how religion can be commodified and emphasises the idea that religion sells, whether or not it is coming from a traditionally religious source. 

So, if owning a snazzy pair of shoes is more important to you than the exploitation of the beliefs of billions, then you better act fast and text 917-540-3113 to get MSCHF drop #8 before the public.