The passion of the cinema

Like many people, film is a hobby of mine, so I naturally consider it

an excellent forum for communication at all levels. I have not been

impressed by movies that tell religious stories too literally. I

think “Red Beard” by Kurosawa better conveys Buddhist themes through

its study of the gradual awakening of a young doctor than “The Little

Buddha,” starring Keanu Reeves.

A recent Korean film, “The Way Home,” introduces us to the

spiritual power of a rural grandmother who cannot speak but whose

steady kindness eventually softens her spoiled grandson. She is a

Bodhisattva, a person hearing the suffering of others and responding

by acts instead of words. Film versions of “Our Town” express

universal religious themes, ones relevant to Zen: “Do any human

beings ever realize life while they live it? -- Every, every minute?”

Classic films like “Gentleman’s Agreement,” as well as the recent

“Focus” with William Macy, explore themes of anti-Semitism in the

U.S. Last summer, the First Annual International Film Festival

Promoting Understanding and Inclusion of People with Developmental

Disabilities showcased films with important spiritual and humanistic

messages; for example, “Door to Door” and “How’s Your News.”

At our Zen Center, we often share film recommendations during our

social times. Movies we have discussed recently are “Rabbit Proof

Fence,” “Whale Rider,” “Magnolia,” “The Hours,” and “Ground Hog Day.”

In the more traditionally religious sense, I like “Damien,”

“Shadowlands,” “Wit” and “Babette’s Feast.” In the spirit of

Aristotle, I believe films should teach, whatever their topic and

approach. If a film is poor, I don’t want my money back: I want my

time back.

THE REV. DEBORAH BARRETT

Zen Center of Orange County

Costa Mesa

From its beginnings, “the silver screen” has joined other art

forms in showing images and telling tales based on religion. More

than 100 films have tried to depict Jesus’ life; I have seen (too)

many of them.

Music and painting have been based in Biblical tales for

millenniums; I have yet to hear and see enough! Medieval “Passion

Plays” edified populations centuries ago by dramatizing the same

aspects of Jesus’ sacrificial self-giving addressed by “The Passion

of the Christ.” A plethora of books and television programs have

focused on gospel incidents and characters; presently, people seem

intrigued by deeper levels of biblical realities.

No work of art should pretend to portray the full story. Some do

what they do wonderfully well; some are terrible. We should think

about why we want to see/read/hear what we want to, then think again

about what we do experience and share our thoughts and feelings with

one another.

Mel Gibson, a devout and traditionalist Roman Catholic, has said

that his intent is to tell the story of the conclusion of Jesus’

life, drawing from many reliable resources with as much historical

and textual truthfulness as probable, including the graphic violence

of scourging and crucifixion and anti-authority polemics in gospel

texts. Gibson has said that few viewers could stand seeing all of

what he thinks really happened; I don’t expect his film to be too

long.

Surely, Jesus’ life from betrayal to death was intensely painful,

ugly, heart-and-gut-wrenching. I read Holy Scriptures and meditate on

art like Caravaggio’s “Deposition from the Cross” to learn what

God-in-Christ has done (and continues to do) for me and for us; I

will see “The Passion of the Christ” hoping for accurate insights.

I have already agreed to see “The Passion of the Christ” twice. I

will go with Jewish friends to confront any material anti-Semites

might try to find in it to support their hate-mongering. And I will

do what I did in 1988 when Martin Scorsese’s film of Nikos

Kazantazakis’ “The Last Temptation of Christ” was released: I will

let Christian colleagues know when and where I intend to see “The

Passion of the Christ,” invite them to join me and find ways to talk

about it together as soon as possible thereafter.

For helping us reflect on events and persons central to our faith,

“Hooray for Hollywood!”

THE VERY REV. CANON

PETER D. HAYNES

St. Michael & All Angels

Episcopal Parish Church

Corona del Mar

Given that the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ last hours are so varied

in their descriptions and understandings, it is impossible to offer

an account that harmonizes the different perspectives in the

cinematic equivalent of a Reader’s Digest version.

A deep and nuanced understanding of the “Passion” narratives is

necessary from the Jewish viewpoint since the accusation of

“Christ-killer” has been directed by some Christians at Jews. There

are still those who find fulfillment in blaming Jews of two

millenniums ago and transmitting that blame to their descendants of

today.

The majority of Christians, though, acknowledge that the

anti-Jewish impression offered by the New Testament is the product of

a certain time and set of conditions. They note the evolving shifting

of blame from the Romans to the Jews and conclude that it reflects

two necessities: to escape persecution by mollifying the Romans and

to separate from the parent religion of Judaism. They are willing to

ponder the notion that the early church and evangelists, seeing

themselves as having superceded Israel in God’s affections,

retrojected a malicious and premeditated Jewish responsibility for

Jesus’ death to justify that displacement.

While some Jewish people may have been implicated in Jesus’ death,

the presentation of opponents to Jesus as “The Jews,” as an

undifferentiated body unanimously committed to executing Jesus,

conveys a powerful and lingering negative image. To portray the

Jewish people as the dark foil to Jesus’ purity is an assault on the

integrity of Judaism.

A constructive approach to the texts has been urged by many church

leaders and New Testament scholars as well as lay people. In the

hours available to Mel Gibson to present his particular

understanding, colored by his particular strain of beliefs, there is

no opportunity to explore the multiple approaches that the text has

long attracted and, which it richly deserves.

RABBI MARK MILLER

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach

We are a visual culture. The ad companies know that all-too well.

Jesus taught using the genre of his time -- parables. Movies are the

parables of our times. They all have messages, whether funny,

redemptive, political, etc. For the church, the main objective is to

be like Jesus and communicate in a way that is relevant to the

culture we are trying to reach.

A new cultural mind-set has come that isn’t so interested in

keeping religion “in its corner.” Religion plays a keystone role in

the lives of most people, and for them to see it represented in a

culturally relevant (as compared to irrelevant or worse irreverent)

way is affirming. The silver screen can draw them back into the

community of faith from a culture of isolation.

As to the length, the writer of the fourth gospel, John, wrote,

“Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in

this book. These are written down so you will believe.”

If an eyewitness could not contain it all in a book, then how much

more difficult would it be for a movie. Mel Gibson spends two hours

on the last 18 hours of Christ’s life. During that two hours he tells

a series of powerful parables. The key is telling one story at a

time.

SENIOR ASSOCIATE

PASTOR RIC OLSEN

Harbor Trinity Church

Costa Mesa

If Mel Gibson claims that his movie, “The Passion of the Christ,”

recounts historical facts, then the issue is not one of appropriate

forum, but rather one of content. Independent and intellectual

thinkers would far surpass the elementary time to fully digest a

“story” (as a matter of fact, the human body requires at least a

three-hour period to digest its energy source). Nonetheless, the time

frame and content of the movie could serve as a stepping-stone to

further address the historical points being depicted.

IMAM SAYED

MOUSTAFA AL-QAZWINI

Islamic Educational Center

of Orange County

Costa Mesa