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Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ"
Publication Date: January 2004
Publisher(s): Association for Jewish Studies; Association for Jewish Studies
Author(s): David Kraemer; David Kraemer
Series: AJS Perspectives: The Newsletter of the Association for Jewish Studies, Spring-Summer 2004, pp.14.
Special Collection: Berman Jewish Policy Archive
Topic: Culture and religion (Religion and religious groups)
Media, telecommunications, and information (Film and video)
Keywords: Film; Religion; Media; Antisemitism
Type: Other
Coverage: United States United States
Abstract:
The author discusses Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ." He notes that many Jewish sources have celebrated martyrdom and invited suffering Jews to identify with central figures in martyrdom tales. These sources, the author explains, have been introduced to audiences who were suffering similarly themselves. However, in a modern American context, argues the author, Gibson's portrayal is unlikely to prompt modern-day Jews or Christians to identify personally with the torture-enduring Jesus of the film.