Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy: The Cross, the Questions, the Controversy

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Summary: Helps dull the extremism...
Review: Mel Gibson's depiction of Christ's Passion has stirred a vertiginous array of reactions. Some lovingly praise the movie's moving depiction of Jesus' gift to humanity while others condemn it as a perversion of Christianity, a racist diatribe, or a form of [...]. Not only that, the film's influence, ubiquity, and controversy seem to preclude any rational discussion amongst its supporters and detractors. Film reviews supply the most salient evidence of this. Neutral or middle of the road reviews rarely appear, and most reviews get crammed with overbearing for or against hyperboles. This book, intended for the general reader, attempts to remedy this seemingly hopeless situation. It brings together the viewpoints of Christians (Roman Catholics, Evangelicals and Protestants), Jews, Mormons, and even Atheists into one non-inflammatory volume. It succeeds greatly in this task. The book does not sell or indoctrinate one viewpoint on Gibson's film. Nor does it ever try to impose on the reader a "correct" stance. Each of its 20 essays of course has a specific point of view on the film and the issues it raises, but the book as a whole is balanced. Some essays read like theology, others like Cultural Theory, even others like philosophy. A virtual salad of styles awaits.

The topics covered by the book are as diverse as the authors. Five main sections divide the essays. The first deals with the horrific violence portrayed in the film; the second with charges of anti-semitism; the third with the film's accuracy to scripture; the fourth with the "why?" of the passion; the fifth with ethical questions surrounding the Passion. Each section presents level headed for and against positions on the issues. Some of the issues discussed include: Is the violence justified? How does the movie deal with atonement? Does the movie distort Jesus and scripture? What motivated the making of the movie? How do Christians and Jews view the film differently? Can we forgive Judas, and if so, how? What influences did Gibson draw from in making the movie? Did Christ receive due process? What can the Passion teach us about our own mortality? How are women depicted in the film? How do Christ's and Socrates' deaths appear similar or different? Is the Passion anti-semitic? Could Jesus have chosen differently? What theory of nonviolence did Jesus subscribe to? The book also elucidates some of the devices and Biblical references Gibson utilized to make his point (and just what his point was gets debated throughout the book). Those who have seen the movie and are not familiar with scripture will learn a lot. Those seeking elucidation of the principles of Christianity portrayed in the film will also learn much. Open minded readers of any bend will likely finish the book with their extreme viewpoints dulled somewhat. The book simply does a great job of presenting the good arguments on all sides. If the book does have a unifying message it's that "I'm right, you're wrong" is not the best attitude to take towards this film. The book won't make one love the film if one hates it or hate the film if one loves it, but it will make one think more deeply about the issues it raises.

Along the way, many big names and concepts get introduced. Some are theological, some philosophical, some ethical. Apart from the obvious Biblical names that appear, many other big names appear, such as Aristotle, Plato, Nietzsche, Boethius, Augustine, Hegel, Aquinas, Heidegger, Socrates, C.S. Lewis, Buber, Tolkien, Elaine Pagels, and even Dan "The Da Vinci Code" Brown. Probably the best time to read this book is after seeing the movie at least once and before viewing it again. This book will open up new interpretations and perspectives on the movie whether it inspires or repulses. Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in any aspect of Mel Gibson's "Passion".

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Summary: Painless Way to Learn Philosophy
Review: This series of books, popular culture and philosophy is fantastic. It seems that any popular movie, or TV series immediately generates a backlash. Two recent examples include the Harry Potter books and movies, and Me. Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In the case of Harry Potter, fundamentalist Christians have lamented that the books are teaching witchcraft. In Passion, the movie is being charged as being anti-Semite.

In this series of books, prominent philosophers are being asked to comment on these charges and on the story contained in the movie. In contrast to the shrill, loud, emotionally loaded comments being made primarily to get attention to the commenter, here are thoughtful, reasoned essays that challenge the reader to think about and decide for himself about these charges.

These books make for absolutely delightful reading. It is a way to bring philosophy to the public in connection with a story that is familiar to a broad range of people.