Buddy Christ
Buddy Christ is a satirical prop depicting Jesus Christ as a cheerful, anthropomorphic figure winking and offering a thumbs-up gesture, originating from the 1999 comedy film Dogma directed by Kevin Smith.[1]
In the film, the statue is introduced by the character Cardinal Glick as part of the fictional "Catholicism: WOW!" campaign aimed at revitalizing the Catholic Church's public image by supplanting the traditional crucifix—deemed "wholly depressing"—with more approachable, consumer-friendly iconography.[2][3]
The icon serves as a vehicle for the film's broader critique of organized religion's efforts to adapt to modern sensibilities, highlighting tensions between theological depth and superficial marketing.[3]
Beyond the movie, Buddy Christ has endured as a pop culture emblem, inspiring merchandise replicas and online memes that evoke ironic commentary on religious representation, while eliciting varied responses from amusement to theological critique among viewers and religious commentators.[2][3]