Perspectives on the Passion of the Christ : Religious Thinkers and Writers Explore the Issues Raised by the Controversial Movie

Rating:
Summary: Progressive and probably right, but one-sided
Review: As an active Protestant who went to see "The Passion," I found myself having quite an unexpected reaction. I'd assumed that I'd find the violence too much to bear, and that I'd walk out of the theater angry with Mel Gibson for trying to strengthen my faith (or convert me) by making me feel guilty about my sinfulness. However, I actually walked away from the movie primarily with a desire to do more research into the relationship between Jesus' human and divine characteristics. Jesus' suffering was something I'd never before contemplated; the movie helped remind me that Christ was indeed human and suffer like a human (regardless of the disputed nature of the extent of that suffering). I also found the resurrection scene, which critics have described as brief and depicting a "war-like" Jesus marching off (to fight his "killers," whomever they may be, suggests one "Perspectives" author), to be succinct, yes, but incredibly powerful, and contrary to the reviewer who saw a warrior-like grimace on Christ's face, I saw a smile. However, despite my gut reactions to the film's message and images, I intellectually had problems with the historical depictions of times, places and people.

That being said, I felt conflicted as I read "Perspectives." As much as I agreed intellectually with the authors' concerns about the historical accuracy about the nature of the suffering, the comparative roles of Pilate and Caiaphas in Jesus' sentencing, and the depictions of the Jews as a blood-thirsty crowd, I couldn't help but feel that essays that failed to see ANYTHING positive in the movie were somehow attacking Christianity. I know that's a ridiculous sentiment seeing as how many of the authors were actually Catholic theologians (priests, etc.), and the unspoken emphasis was on how horrified these Christians were to see Christ's message distorted (or ignored) by Gibson, but I still think it says something about the book.

Overall, I think that the book is a thought-provoking collection of essays that emphasize history over religiosity and take issue mainly with Gibson's depictions of "the Jews" and of Pilate's queasiness (historically inaccurate) to execute Jesus. What these scholars fail to take into account, however, is that Pilate may have in fact recognized, in some capacity, that he was dealing with no ordinary rabble-rouser. I would have enjoyed reading an essay or two by someone who completely supported Gibson's effort (though I would not necessarily have agreed with it). A fine book, but not one that can be called unbiased.

Rating:
Summary: Sample proves tempting
Review: I picked up this book a Barnes & Noble today and flipped it open to the essay by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite. This was a fantastic quick read. She critiques both the movie and the theology behind the movie. If the rest of the essays in this book are half as thought provoking as this one, it will be a real find for those interested in exploring the polemics between modern, progressive theological thinking and the more orthodox, fundamentalist point of view.

Rating:
Summary: Needs a Bit More Perspective
Review: The film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST has certainly caused a stir in the United States and abroad. The film has its defenders as well as its critics and has been labeled a Godsend by some and controversial by others. It has also led to many discussions. To aid in discussion of the film, a book PERSPECTIVES ON THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST has been published. The book is a collection of essays which talk about significant concerns of the movie. The contributors are from a variety of backgrounds, both Christian and Jewish, and do their best to point out the problems and difficulties in this film. Many of the contributors were advisors on the Gibson project, and we learn as we read that some of their concerns were well received, and other concerns ignored. There are essays which state the concerns that the movie could be interpreted in anti-Semitic ways. Given the fact that there are people who still use the scriptures as a basis for anti-Semitism and extremist groups love food for fodder in their atrocious activities, concerns about the film are justified and necessary. There are also essays regarding the ways Catholics view the film as opposed to Evangelical Christians and discussions about Jesus Christ in America today. There is even a tongue-in-cheek essay about the movie industry by comic Steve Martin. All of these essays are well written and give the reader something to ponder, and religious educators points which should be covered if the film is used in an educational setting.

While I do appreciate the points of view of many of the contributors of this volume, I do not believe it really gives the reader, for lack of a better word, perspective. Perhaps this is the reason, I found the book lacking. While critical essays are important, we also need essays by people who actually liked the film. As someone who saw the film, appreciated its merits while agreeing with some of the criticisms, I saw something else going on in the minds and hearts of most people I know who have viewed the film. The movie touched people in a way that very few films do, at least films that are as mass-marketed as THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. If we really want a book that gives perspective, we need to read about the ways that this film moved people and what it says about faith in America. We need essays which tell us why more people saw the film than attend Church on a regular Sunday and what churches are doing right and wrong when it comes to evangelization. How do people of different cultures view this film? What doe this film tell us about suffering and injustice? When people I know talk about this film, these are the issues that arise.

If there is one thing that THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST succeeded in doing, it is getting people to talk about Jesus' death on the cross. In America, we like our Jesus to be the guy in sandals preaching love and justifying our points of view. We only look at part of Jesus. "The Passion" made us look at the part we like to ignore, but cannot ignore. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST has made people look at faith once again, and wrestle with ancient texts in a modern world. Regardless of how one feels about the actual film, this new discussion is a good thing, and perhaps a second volume of perspectives, which highlights some of the positive ways the film has impacted Christians would be helpful.