The Making of Ben Hur
LEW WALLACE, American author, soldier, governor and diplomat, best known for his historical novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Wallace had an interest in religion and history, which was evident in his copious works. However, an encounter with a noted atheist, Robert Ingersoll, helped spur Wallace from dilettante religionist to ardent witness for Jesus Christ. Wallace used fiction to articulate the fact, the absolute verity, that became most precious to him: his new (or renewed) and profoundly held faith in Jesus Christ. ¶
The Beginning of a Spiritual Journey: an Encounter with Robert Ingersoll
The triggering episode in Wallace’s life for the great transition from maybe Christ to definitely Christ, is said — by Wallace — to have occurred on a post-Civil War train ride. On that train ride, Wallace encountered an eminent author, speaker, and militant atheist, Robert Green Ingersoll.
Ingersoll has often been referred to as the “Great Agnostic.” He was a prominent American orator, lawyer, and political leader during the 19th century, best known for his advocacy of free thought and secularism. Born on August 11, 1833, in Dresden, New York, Ingersoll was a critical figure in the so-called Golden Age of Freethought — a period roughly from the end of the American Civil War through the First World War.
Ingersoll was a powerful and captivating speaker. Trained as a lawyer, he had a successful legal career, and was known for his defense of civil liberties and his involvement in several notable legal cases. Also involved in politics, he was a member of the Republican Party and participated in various political campaigns, using his oratory skills to support candidates. He was a forerunner in many areas, advocating for women’s rights - including suffrage, and opposing slavery and racial discrimination. Ingersoll’s speeches even touched on the importance of technological and scientific advancements.
Despite his somewhat altruistic efforts, Ingersoll’s worldview was deeply humanistic. He was highly critical of the Bible and Christian doctrines, especially those related to eternal damnation and the concept of hell, and his speeches and writings were filled with satire and criticism directed towards what he called religious superstitions. In addition to his speeches, Ingersoll wrote various essays and works that were critical of religion and promoted rationalism and humanism. Some Mistakes of Moses and Why I Am an Agnostic are among his notable writings. He played a significant role in challenging the dominance of religious thought in public life during his time. Ingersoll’s ability to communicate complex ideas with charisma and clarity made him a notable figure in American history, contributing to the intellectual currents of the 19th century and leaving a lasting impact on the secular movement.
Before the reported encounter with Ingersoll, Wallace had been indifferent to religion. According to Wallace’s own report, Ingersoll had challenged Wallace by questioning the validity of Christian beliefs and the historical accuracy of the Bible. Regardless of the actual nature of that triggering event (Ingersoll doesn’t recall the encounter), Wallace most certainly became stimulated to embark on a journey of historical and Biblical research, exploring the authenticity of the Christian narrative and the life of Jesus Christ. Perhaps Ingersoll’s writing or lecturing caused Wallace to reflect on his own reasoning. In any event, like Ingersoll, Wallace also became a notable public figure in America. However, their fame arose from opposite ends of the theological spectrum.
A Brief Biography
LEW WALLACE was born April 10, 1827, in Brookville, Indiana, USA, was married to Susan Arnold Elston, and they had one son. Lew Wallace died on February 15, 1905, at the age of 78 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Though he had little formal education and was largely self-taught, he developed a love for reading and writing at an early age. He was a multi-talented individual who made significant contributions in various fields such as military, politics, diplomacy, and literature, authoring seven major works.
In military life Wallace served as a Second Lieutenant in the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), and later rose to the rank of Union General under Ulysses S. Grant. During the Civil War he had significant roles in several of the major battles, including the Battle of Monocacy, the “Battle that Saved Washington.”
After the Civil War, he served as Governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1878 to 1881. It was during this period that he became a prolific author. His subsequent appointment was to the post of U.S. Minister to the Ottoman Empire (1881–1885), serving under President James A. Garfield and President Chester A. Arthur.
In addition to his autobiography, Wallace’s major works include The Fair God (1873), a novel about the Spanish conquest of Mexico, and The Prince of India (1893) concerning the fall of Constantinople. Wallace’s most notable work was Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880), which became a bestseller that has been adapted into films and other media numerous times and in numerous languages.
From Question to Research to Conviction
Lew Wallace used the process of researching and writing Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ as a means to explore, research, and ultimately validate his Christian faith. It is curious to observe how Ingersoll’s influence and legacy diminished — he is little known in today’s America — while Wallace’s legacy continues to live in the constant renewal of interest in Ben Hur. 1
The research and writing of Ben Hur took approximately seven years. Wallace undertook extensive research into the historical and cultural context of the Biblical era. He studied the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, along with the politics, geography, customs, and religious practices of the time. Through this exploration, Wallace aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the Christian faith and the authenticity of the Biblical narratives. It is awing how detailed and vivid Wallace’s knowledge and descriptions became, given that he did not ever visit the Holy Land until some time after the publishing of Ben Hur. A witness to truths that are recognized by hundreds of millions of people globally since its printing, his geographic and spiritual narrative have both withstood the tests of time. The novel, filled with vivid historical details, and richly developed characters, allowed Wallace to delve into Christian themes, and present them in an engaging and accessible way.
Ultimately, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ became the canvas where Wallace painted his newfound understanding and appreciation of Christianity. Through the character of Judah Ben-Hur and his life journey — one intertwined with the life of Christ — Wallace explored and expressed various aspects of faith, redemption, and the human experience in relation to divine encounters. By the time the novel was completed, it seems that Wallace’s exploration had led him to a place of personal faith and unshakable conviction regarding the verity of the Christian faith.
The portrait of the famous chariot race, Ben Hur’s seven year enslavement as a chained oarsman on a Roman galley, his betrayal by a close Roman friend, his rescue from slavery and elevation to wealth by another Roman citizen, the deplorable treatment of Ben Hur’s mother and sister, the faithfulness of a slave woman to the Hur family, encounters with the Wise Men of the East, and many other scenes, devices and characters, all the results of years of effort, were simply the means to a singular end for Lew Wallace. They transmit his personal faith in the transformative power of the person, Jesus Christ.
Though there are other characters Wallace utilizes, like the Wiseman, Balthazar, to deliver companion messages, there is a most poignant moment in the novel that encapsulates Wallace’s once tested, and now fully affirmed witness of Jesus Christ, through the principal character, Ben-Hur. This moment occurs during the crucifixion of Christ, where Ben-Hur witnesses the demeanor and words of Jesus as He is being nailed to a Roman cross —
“It is done,” said Ben-Hur. The voice was as one of the people from the Gates of Huldah far round on the north to the Hill of Evil Counsel on the south.
“It is done,” said Ben-Hur, again, this time in a loud voice, as if to call all the world to hear;
“It is done, and the world is saved; and there is to be no more war; and in all the earth one Shepherd and one Fold. Lo, the Lion and the Lamb shall lie down together, and God shall wipe away all tears, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for the former things are passed away.”
In this passage, Ben-Hur recognizes and expresses the transmuting and universal significance of Christ’s sacrifice. He understands it as a moment of salvation, peace, and ultimate reconciliation, embodying the hope and promise of a new era where suffering, war, and death will be no more, after Christ returns.
As with most screenplays adapted from books, much (most) is lost in translation from book to script to movie. The various Ben Hur movie drama iterations are no exception. Though still portraying a riveting tale of adventure, bravery, and pathos, the screen versions almost entirely miss the primary objective of Wallace’s writing.
The movies fail to include Wallace’s newly embraced witness found in the voices of Ben Hur’s fictional characters. Wallace himself, through Ben-Hur the book, portrays a personal witness of Jesus Christ’s divine mission and the profound impact of His teachings and sacrifice. Through the fictional narrative, Ben Hur’s character journeys from youthful innocence, to trapped hate and lust for revenge, to doubtful temperance, to complete faith in the redemptive power of Christ’s love and sacrifice. Thus, Ben Hur, the novel, fully reflects Wallace’s own spiritual journey and exploration, writ large for all readers to see, of his ultimate belief in the Biblical Christian narrative, and in the person of Jesus Christ. For those who have eyes to see, let them see! §
Approximately 50 million copies of the Wallace book, Ben Hur, have been printed; it has never been out of print since its first edition; more than twenty million people saw Ben-Hur on stage between 1899 and 1920, complete with live horses running on hidden treadmills to recreate the chariot race (according to the National Endowment for the Humanities); whereas Ingersoll’s works are mostly relegated to collections in museums and libraries.