A Suit, A Schema, And A Saint: Jordan Peterson And The Legend Of St. Christopher

Last weekend at Jonathan Pageau’s Symbolic World Summit, Dr. Jordan Peterson sent the online Orthodox Christian community into the high fantods by wearing a suit jacket with the Calvary Cross and the precious name of Jesus Christ on the back. The argument was that this design is used on the Holy Schema, a vestment given to monks, which is related to certain vows or accomplishments depending on the tradition.  Internet Orthodoxy saw it as mocking or disrespectful because Jordan Peterson is not a monk, and is chary about expressing his Christian faith. 

Jonathan Pageau himself wrote a beautiful exposition explaining that his friend’s sartorial choice signifies his desire to associate himself with ancient Christian traditions, and I cannot improve upon Jonathan’s words. But the moment I saw Dr. Peterson wearing the suit jacket with the Name which is above all Names on the back, right across the shoulder blades, my first thought was of another ancient Christian tradition and story, and it is such a beautiful one that I would like to share it with you. 

I have thought for some time that Dr. Peterson is the embodiment of St. Christopher, who carried the Christ child across the dark river. So I looked up the legend of St. Christopher to clarify some details, and I found some stunning similarities between Dr. Peterson’s story and St. Christopher’s. 

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, St. Christopher is pictured as a beast; this corresponds to Dr. Peterson’s middle name, “Berndt,” and the image of the bear that his friend and brother Charles Joseph made for him. In Western Catholic tradition, St. Christopher is pictured as a monster; this corresponds with what Dr. Peterson is always saying, that a man should be a monster. 

St. Christopher’s given name was Reprobus, from which root we have the word “reprobate.” He allied himself with the devil because he believed that the Adversary was the most powerful king in the world, and so he is, the Prince of the Power of the Air. But one day, the devil and Reprobus happened across a Cross at the crossroads, and the devil trembled. Reprobus knew that he had found a power greater than the devil in the symbol of the Christians. And that power was the great paradox of the Christian faith: he who loses his life will find it again to eternal life. The first shall be last, and the last, first. Christ’s strength is made perfect in weakness. 

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Reprobus wanted to join himself with the Christians, who at that time were a persecuted minority and not a moral majority of people who named the name of Christ for political and cultural power, as would happen later. But the Christians would not receive him into their midst because he was so monstrous, and he found in himself great doubt that he could carry out Christian practices.

This certainly corresponds to the attitudes many professing Christians have expressed toward Dr. Peterson. Reprobus met a holy man in a small village who suggested that he become a ferryman to help the villagers cross the dangerous river. Reprobus did so, and  he became well-known and well-loved as a friend and helper. Dr. Peterson has been helping atheists skeptics and seekers cross over from unbelief to faith for some years. 

One night a small boy came to Reprobus and asked to be carried across. It was a bitter cold and stormy night and Reprobus was reluctant. But he could not refuse the boys’ pleading eyes.

Halfway across the river with the child on his back, Reprobus became convinced that he wasn’t going to make it. The child was heavier than he could bear. Surely he would meet the same fate as so many other travelers and would be swept away in the river. And the child grew heavier and heavier. 

When he finally staggered onto the opposite shore with the child on his back, safe and sound and nearly frozen, he looked at the child whom he had carried.

“How can a small child be so heavy?” 

And then his eyes were opened, and he knew that the child he had carried was Jesus Christ, Who bore the entire world on His back. 

And Reprobus was converted at that moment and given a new name, Christopher, which means “Christ bearer.” He became a holy man and converted many to the faith, and died a martyr. 

And when I saw Dr. Peterson’s suit coat, it all seemed clear to me that he, too, has been carrying the Christ child on his shoulders unaware, and with Him the weight of the world. The name of Christ on Dr. Peterson’s jacket is a symbol of that old story, a story based not on verifiable historical record but on the eternal verities, and this is truer than true. 

Jonathan Pageau, as a father figure and wise elder in the Orthodox community, used his position to quite rightly rebuke, exhort, and instruct with all authority the need for Christians to refrain from judging the thoughts and intents of the heart of Jordan Peterson. But I would like to add to that exhortation, encouragement to my fellow Christians.

So many times, ancient patterns are unfolding before our eyes, ancient stories are being retold before us, and if our first instinct is to impute wrong motives and vent Holy Rage on those who are standing in the way with us and asking for the old paths, that we are going to miss the sheer beauty of those patterns and stories, and we will not find rest for our souls (Jeremiah 6:16). 

As Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes,

Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush aflame with God;
But only he who sees takes off his shoes,
All the rest sit round and pluck blackberries.

May we be counted amongst those who see. 

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