The Trolley Problem and the Cross

Jesus didn’t die because God pulled a lever. He died because He saw the train coming and chose to stand in the way.

If you’re on a free Medium plan, click here to read.

You see a runaway trolley speeding down a track. Five people stand in its path, unaware of the impending disaster. You’re standing by a lever. If you pull it, the trolley will switch tracks – but there’s one person on the other track, and they’ll be hit instead.

This classic thought experiment forces us to ask difficult ethical questions. Is it better to act and sacrifice one life to save five? Or is it morally worse to intervene and make that choice? Now, let’s take this dilemma to an even bigger stage – one that stretches beyond philosophy into faith.

What if God faced this situation? Could we say that the crucifixion of Jesus was God’s version of pulling the lever? If so, does that mean Christianity is just divine utilitarianism – the idea that the greatest good for the greatest number justifies sacrifice? Or is there something deeper happening here?

Why Didn’t God Just Avoid the Problem?

A common question about Christianity is: if God is all-powerful, why didn’t He just prevent the need…