These are the religious commercials that aired during the 2024 Super Bowl
Amidst the glitz and glamour of the Super Bowl spectacle, some unlikely contenders took center stage with messages of faith. As millions tuned in for touchdowns and halftime shows, they were also met with moments of spiritual reflection, as religious commercials made a surprising appearance during the biggest night in American sports.
Sunday's game had at least five offerings from religious organizations. "He Gets Us" scored two ads during the game, joined by Hallow, a Catholic app.
The first ad, entitled "Foot Washing" aired during the first quarter of the game. It showed different images of people, including a woman outside a family planning clinic, having her feet washed. The commercial ended with the slogan, "Jesus didn't teach hate. He washed feet."
The campaign's second commercial, "Know Your Neighbor," aired during the second quarter. According to the "He Gets Us," campaign, the ad represented Jesus' belief - everyone is a neighbor.
"Everyone in every sense of the word, not just the people in our orbit whom we have something in common with but also the ones we don’t notice, the people we don’t value, and those we don’t welcome," their website explains. "Each one of us is a part of one larger community. Jesus knew that all too well. It’s why he wanted us to use our differences as a catalyst for conversations that can lead us to invite each other in rather than keeping one another at bay."
Following "He Gets Us," Hallow - a Catholic meditation app also aired a commercial during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Mark Wahlberg called for a collective prayer alongside Jonathan Roumie. In the 30-second ad, Wahlberg says a prayer of thanks to God, over shots of people praying. A little later, a man with a beard and long hair, has a cross of ashes on his forehead which represents Ash Wednesday and starts the season of Lent.
The ad ends with Wahlberg asking viewers to “join us in prayer this Lent.”
"Stay prayed up, " he concludes.
The Church of Scientology also aired a 60-second commercial called "Decide for Yourself."
Lastly, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft teamed up with Dr. Clarence B. Jones to Combat Antisemitism. The message of the ad is to encourage people to stand up to Jewish hate and all forms of hate.
What is the 'He Gets Us' campaign?
The "He Gets Us" website says the ad campaign is a movement not "affiliated with any single individual, political position, church, or faith denomination."
"The campaign exists to remind us of the example that Jesus set while inviting all to explore his teachings so we can all follow his example of confounding, unconditional love," the website says.
The "He Gets Us" campaign was started by Servant Foundation in 2022 – but this year is managed by the newly-formed nonprofit Come Near. The nonprofit's stated goal is "sharing the life and love of Jesus in thought-provoking new ways."
CNN also reported that, "Some of the campaign’s major donors, and its holding company, have ties to conservative political aims and far-right ideologies that appear at odds with the campaign’s inclusive messaging."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Super Bowl commercials featured a number of religious messages
