Christian View on Violent Media Consumption
The Christian view on violent media consumption is not explicitly detailed in scripture, as modern forms of media did not exist in biblical times. However, Christian thinkers across different eras have addressed the broader principles of entertainment, the nature of violence, and the impact of external influences on the believer's spiritual life. These principles provide a framework for understanding how Christians might approach violent media today.
Early Christian writers, such as Tertullian, frequently warned against participation in public spectacles, which often included gladiatorial contests and other forms of violence. Tertullian argued that Christians should abstain from "the pleasures of the public shows," viewing them as incompatible with the "condition of faith" and "laws of Christian Discipline" [7]. He contrasted the fleeting, earthly pleasures of such spectacles with the deeper, more enduring joy found in peace with God, revelation of truth, and a pure conscience [4]. For Tertullian, these public shows were not merely entertainment but were associated with the "sins of the world" and could lead to "sinning whether through real or wilful ignorance" [7]. Similarly, other patristic writers like Lactantius advised Christians to "avoid also indecent spectacles: I mean the theatres and the pomps of the heathens" [8]. These early warnings were rooted in a concern for the spiritual purity of believers and the avoidance of activities that fostered pagan idolatry or cruelty.
The patristic emphasis on avoiding public spectacles was not solely about the direct act of violence, but also about the broader moral environment and the potential for such entertainment to corrupt the soul. Christians were seen as a distinct "body knit together as such by a common religious profession, by unity of discipline, and by the bond of a common hope" [2]. Participation in activities that contradicted this identity, particularly those involving violence or pagan rites, was discouraged. Augustine, for instance, discussed the concept of persecution, noting that true Christians "did not inflict, but suffered persecution" [1]. This distinction highlights a core Christian ethic of non-retaliation and suffering injustice rather than perpetrating it, a principle that could be extended to the consumption of media that glorifies inflicting harm. Augustine also acknowledged that even magistrates, in their role of correction, might act with "benevolent severity," but this was distinct from personal vengeance or gratuitous violence [10].
Reformed theology, particularly through figures like John Calvin, further developed the understanding of Christian liberty and the proper use of God's gifts. Calvin taught that Christians are to use God's gifts "without any scruple of conscience, without any perturbation of mind, for the purpose for which he gave them" [5]. This principle applies to all aspects of life, including entertainment. While Calvin affirmed that "ivory and gold, and riches, are the good creatures of God, permitted, nay destined, by divine providence for the use of man," and that it was not forbidden "to laugh, or to be full, or to add new to old and hereditary possessions, or to be delighted with music," he also stressed that such liberty must be exercised "subservient to edification" [6, 5]. This implies that entertainment, including media, should contribute positively to one's spiritual growth or at least not detract from it.
Calvin's teachings on revenge and justice also offer insight. He stated that Christians are "bound to refrain from revenge," a feeling that should be "far away from all Christian tribunals" [3]. When a Christian is wronged, the proper course is to commit the cause to a judge "without any thought of returning evil for evil" [3]. Even in cases of capital offense, the accuser should not be "carried away by a wish to hurt or take vengeance" [9]. This strong emphasis on avoiding vengeful attitudes suggests a critical stance toward media that promotes or glorifies revenge, gratuitous violence, or a desire to inflict harm. The Christian's role in society, even when seeking justice, is to do so "without bitterness, urge what he can in his defence, but only with the desire of justly maintaining his right" [9].
Therefore, while there is no direct biblical prohibition against "violent media," the underlying principles from both Patristic and Reformed traditions suggest a cautious approach. These principles include:
- Spiritual Purity: Avoiding entertainment that corrupts the soul or fosters ungodly attitudes [7, 4].
- Non-Retaliation and Love: Rejecting the glorification of revenge or the infliction of harm, consistent with the Christian ethic of suffering persecution rather than inflicting it [1, 3].
- Edification: Ensuring that entertainment, like all of God's gifts, is used in a way that is "subservient to edification" and contributes to spiritual well-being [5].
- Conscience: Exercising Christian liberty with a clear conscience, recognizing that some forms of entertainment may be permissible but not necessarily beneficial [5].
The concern is not merely with the depiction of violence itself, but with the attitudes and desires that such depictions might cultivate within the viewer. If violent media fosters a spirit of revenge, desensitizes individuals to suffering, or distracts from spiritual growth, then Christian principles would counsel against its consumption. The goal for the Christian is to cultivate a pure conscience and a mind focused on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable.
Sources
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 2.--6. I would add, moreover, that they themselves, by making it the subject of an accusation, referred the case of Caecilianus to the decision of the Emperor Constantine; and that, even after t (part 4): persecution, or for which he suffers it, but think that it is a sufficient sign of a true Christian that he does not 637 inflict persecution, but suffers it, then beyond all question they include Caecilianus in that definition, who did not inflict, but suffered persecution; and they equally exclude their own fathers from the defi”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXXIX. (part 1): I shall at once go on, then, to exhibit the peculiarities of the Christian society, that, as I have refuted the evil charged against it, I may point out its positive good.(1) We are a body knit together as such by a common religious profession, by unity of discipline, and by the bond of a common hope. We meet together as an assembly and congregation, that, offering up prayer to God as with united force, we may wrestle with Him in our supplications. This violence God delights in. We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in au”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 102: in the prohibition, which binds all Christians to refrain from revenge, a feeling which we drive far away from all Christian tribunals. For whether the action be of a civil nature, he only takes 2667 the right course who, with innocuous simplicity, commits his cause to the judge as the public protector, without any thought of returning evil for evil (which is the feeling of revenge); or whether the action is of a graver nature, directed against a capital offence, the accuser required is not one who comes into court, carried away b”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXIX.: Even as things are, if your thought is to spend this period of existence in enjoyments, how are you so ungrateful as to reckon insufficient, as not thankfully to recognize the many and exquisite pleasures God has bestowed upon you? For what more delightful 91 than to have God the Father and our Lord at peace with us, than revelation of the truth than confession of our errors, than pardon of the innumerable sins of our past life? What greater pleasure than distaste of pleasure itself, contempt of all that the world can give, true liberty, a pure conscience, ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 74: we see whither this liberty tends—viz. that we are to use the gifts of God without any scruple of conscience, without any perturbation of mind, for the purpose for which he gave them: in this way our souls may both have peace with him, and recognize his liberality towards us. For here are comprehended all ceremonies of free observance, so that while our consciences are not to be laid under the necessity of observing them, we are also to remember that, by the kindness of God, the use of them is made subservient to edification. 9. It”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 74: who are full, who laugh now, who “lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches;” “join house to house,” and “lay field to field;” “and the harp and the viol, the tablet and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts,” ( Amos 6:6 ; Isa. 5:8 , 10 ). Certainly ivory and gold, and riches, are the good creatures of God, permitted, nay destined, by divine providence for the use of man; nor was it ever forbidden to laugh, or to be full, or to add new to old and hereditary possessions, or to be delighted with music, or to drin”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. I.: Ye Servants of God, about to draw near to God. that you may make solemn consecration of yourselves to Him,(2) seek well to understand the condition of faith, the reasons of the Truth, the laws of Christian Discipline, which forbid among other sins of the world, the pleasures of the public shows. Ye who have testified and confessed(3) that you have done so already, review the subject, that there may be no sinning whether through real or wilful ignorance. For such is the power of earthly pleasures, that, to retain the opportunity of still partaking of them, it c”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 7: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius — THAT CHRISTIANS MUST ABSTAIN FROM ALL THE IMPIOUS PRACTICES OF THE HEATHENS.: LXII. Take heed, therefore, not to join yourselves in your worship with those that perish, which is the assembly of the Gentiles, to your deceit and destruction. For there is no fellowship between God and the devil; for he that assembles himself with those that favour the things of the devil, will be esteemed one of them, and will inherit a woe. Avoid also indecent spectacles: I mean the theatres and the pomps of the heathens; their enchantments, obs”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 102: use of them; and the right use, both for the pursuer and for the defender, is for the latter to sist himself on the day appointed, and, without bitterness, urge what he can in his defence, but only with the desire of justly maintaining his right; and for the pursuer, when undeservedly attacked in his life or fortunes, to throw himself upon the protection of the magistrate, state his complaint, and demand what is just and good; while, far from any wish to hurt or take vengeance—far from bitterness or hatred —far from the ardour of ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. II. -- 9. Let us now observed in the second place, what follows in your letter.6 You have added that they said that the Christian doctrine and preaching were in no way consistent with the dutie (part 5): with a certain benevolent severity, even against their own wishes, men whose welfare rather than their wishes it is our duty to consult and the Christian Scriptures have most unambiguously commended this virtue in a magistrate.' For in the correction of a so, even with some sternness, there is assuredly no diminution of a father's love; ye”