The moving and restoration of a giant decades-old painting of Jesus by U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) could potentially be met with legal action for violating the separation of church and state.
On Monday, Duffy celebrated the restoration of the “Christ on the Water” painting being moved back to USMMA’s Elliot M. See Room of Wiley Hall after the Biden administration had relocated it in 2023 to the basement of the academy’s chapel.
“Burying this historic painting in the basement wasn’t just a mistake—it was an insult to the faith and legacy of service that built this Academy and our nation,” Duffy said at the unveiling. “By restoring ‘Christ on the Water’ to its rightful place, we sent a clear message to our midshipmen: their Christian faith is a virtue to be proud of, not something to be censored.”
The moving of the painting, which depicts Jesus guiding sailors through stormy seas, “symbolizes President Trump and Secretary Duffy’s commitment to protecting expressions of faith,” per the DOT.
Duffy initially teased the announcement in May, when he told members, "We are moving Jesus out of the basement."
‘Christian Exhibitionism’
This isn’t sitting well with the nonprofit Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), which discourages the advancement of a particular religion or religious philosophy by the United States Armed Forces over any other.
“Transportation secretary and lickspittle Christian nationalist Trump sycophant Sean Duffy’s effectuating of the illicit, unethical and iniquitous return of the giant Jesus painting at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy to its original unconstitutional place of disgusting Christian supremacist exhibitionism in an ornate, mandatory academy meeting room is completely cowardly, atrocious and vindictive," MRFF founder and president Mikey Weinstein said.
“It is absolutely akin to a stray dog urinating on a neighborhood tree to mark its territory. Duffy is making sure to brand the academy as conquered Christian nationalist territory. All others are not wanted and need not apply.”
Weinstein told Military.com that MRFF is hearing from some minority USMMA members, notably Jewish ones, who have reached out with concerns regarding the painting and pushing Christian ideology.
MRFF is considering aggressive federal litigation to combat what it describes as “despicable outrage of dominionist Christian supremacy, primacy, exceptionalism and tyranny.”
But that would likely require plaintiffs, including academy members, to be part of litigation and have their names attached to a lawsuit–which could potentially impact their military careers. Another option could involve plaintiffs remaining anonymous by way of being called John or Jane Doe in court documents.
Some personnel are caucusing with their families to determine whether they want to make formal complaints.
Both the Department of Transportation and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy referred Military.com to an official press release. They did not comment on threats of potential litigation.
History Of The Painting
Prior to the Biden administration’s relocation, the painting–also known as “Jesus and Lifeboat”--had hung in the Elliot M. See Room of Wiley Hall for almost 80 years.
In 1944, artist LT Hunter Wood painted the portrayal of merchant seamen adrift in a lifeboat, presumably after being torpedoed. Wood painted it for the chapel being built at the U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Basic School in San Mateo, California, described as a tribute to all merchant seamen who had been torpedoed during World War II.
The figure holding the tiller wears a midshipman’s combination cover (hat) with its distinctive anchor device. Other notable details include the tattoos on the arms of one seafarer.
When the San Mateo campus closed in 1947 due to budgetary constraints, the painting came to Kings Point where it was installed in the chapel in Wiley Hall–which served as the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s interfaith chapel from 1942 to 1961.
The artwork remained there until it was moved to the lower level of the Mariners’ Memorial Chapel in 2023.
