Still have not seen the Passion of the Christ. I actually heard a Jewish professor of New Testament Studies, Amy-Jill Levine, speak briefly about the film at Bangor Theological Seminary, Maine, in January. Levine served as a consultant for the film. She didn't elaborate much, but said, "Mr. Gibson did not follow all of my suggestions," when questioned regarding anti-Semitism. I might watch it when it comes to DVD - meantime, I'm counting down the days til I see Syracuse's annual production of Jesus Christ Superstar. I like it - it's powerful without beating you over the head with death and violence.
On that note, that's a question I have about Passion. Is Jesus' death meaningful because it was violent? Many, his contemporaries, and many many since then, have suffered horrible, terrible deaths. (Think of, for example, the death Gibson suffered in Braveheart. I don't follow Jesus because I think he died the worst death. Christians celebrate the death and resurrection because of an understanding of why Christ died - for others.
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