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Subject: How will 'Passion' affect Holy Week?

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How will 'Passion' affect Holy Week?

'I'm taking this much more personally,' says one moviegoer
Monday, April 5, 2004

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana- The most important stretch of the liturgical calendar began Sunday for Christians, and throughout America, this year's observances of Holy Week will feel more somber than usual.

Mel Gibson's blockbuster hit "The Passion of the Christ" is prompting Christians to consider Jesus' suffering as they recall his entry into Jerusalem at Palm Sunday services, mark the Crucifixion on Good Friday and celebrate Easter a week from Sunday.

"It's given me a whole other perspective on the season," said Jill Burns, a 46-year-old dentist from Indianapolis.

A member of Geist Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which -- like other congregations around the country -- built its Lenten programs around the Gibson film, Burns said her Protestant upbringing put little emphasis on the events at Golgotha. But this year is different.

"I'm taking this much more personally," said Burns, who saw the Gibson film with her two teenage sons. "I am preparing myself for the agony of Good Friday."

Gibson has said his epic is a deeply personal meditation on Christ's last hours and the sacrifice of his life, through which Christians believe they are reconciled with God despite their sinfulness.

Some theologians, however, have said his vision crosses into anti-Semitism, blaming the Jewish people for Jesus' death -- which Gibson denies. Other critics say the film is so blood-soaked that any other message is lost. The New Yorker magazine dubbed it "a sickening death trip."

Despite the controversy, the film has been a blockbuster, earning more than $300 million and putting the Crucifixion front and center for Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and Protestants of all types.

"The one thing Mel has done for us is he's reminded us of what he (Jesus) did for us on the cross," said the Rev. Elmer Goodeill, an evangelical minister in Centralia, Wash. "He has reminded us of the passion and love that Jesus Christ had for us, to go through the humiliation, the whipping."

Sparking evangelism

Members of Geist Christian Church talk about movies that feature Jesus in advance of Holy Week.
"The Passion" also has sparked one of the most fervent, broad-based bursts of evangelism in recent U.S. history, with this week as the natural climax. The movie has inspired Bible studies, sermon series and other teaching techniques at churches spanning the theological spectrum.

The groundwork for such a campaign began well before the film's opening on Ash Wednesday.

Gibson held advance screenings for evangelicals and like-minded conservatives, and the movie was promoted through Web sites such as www.thepassionoutreach.com. Congregations invited neighbors who skip church to watch the movie with them. Study guides and other movie-related books have filled Christian bookstore shelves.

Geist Christian scheduled two private screenings for 900 members and guests. It designed its entire Lenten program around the film, encouraging members to write essays on Jesus and using sermons to examine such themes as Christ the teacher, social prophet and suffering servant.

"When people watched 'The Passion of the Christ,' they would have questions. I wanted to create an environment in the church where their questions would be answered," said the Rev. Randy Spleth, senior minister of the 2,300-member church.

Another component of the Lenten program was a film festival that presented alternative cinematic images of Jesus, in movies such as "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "Godspell."

"We wanted to create an opportunity for people to see it ("The Passion") in that context -- just one viewpoint of who Jesus was. The movie is a devotional piece: Gibson's artistic perspective on the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ," Spleth said. "You can turn a prism and see other colors."

Coming into conversation

"Passion" has become a worldwide phenomenon: More than $300 million in ticket sales in the U.S., and showings around the world -- including this one, at a theater in Damascus, Syria.
On a recent Sunday evening, while Geist bustled with classes, meetings and youth activities, about 25 people gathered to watch "The Last Temptation of Christ," the Martin Scorsese film in which Satan tempts Jesus to come down from the cross and live out a fully human life. Its nudity and exploration of Jesus' sexuality met pickets during its 1988 release, and many cinemas wouldn't show it.

"In some ways, this film is a litmus test," the Rev. Edward McNulty, a Presbyterian minister and film critic, told participants before showing the movie on a screen above the altar in Geist's round, modern sanctuary. "Can we have a Jesus who was tempted in every way?"

It became clear that the notion troubled some, as they discussed "The Last Temptation" after the film. "He was really presented as a weak personality," said Burns' husband, Chris, a 44-year-old oral surgeon.

But, eventually, images of "The Passion" worked their way into the conversation.

When someone suggested their denomination "hops" past Good Friday to concentrate on Easter, Rick Ruppert, 42-year-old architect, replied: "This is the first Easter I'm going to have trouble hopping, because I want to focus on the suffering."

Across the country in Centralia, Washington, about 70 miles southwest of Seattle, Goodeill watched "The Passion" four times and had a similar reaction. Like Burns, he said the Crucifixion has become "more personal."

"We see the blood differently, we see the blood of Jesus Christ. We have an image that is going to be forever in our mind," Goodeill said. "It's running on our behalf."

The Church of God congregation where Goodeill is associate pastor purchased blocks of tickets to the film for members and guests, and distributed booklets as evangelism tools.

So-called "megachurches" have created more extensive ministries around the film. Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago, one site where Gibson held advance screenings, drew 22,000 people the weekend after the movie with its pitch that it would be focusing on "The Man Behind the Movie" (Jesus, not Gibson), spokeswoman Cally Parkinson said.

Robert Miclean, an Eastern Orthodox sub-deacon in the Baltimore suburb of Linthicum, braced his youth groups for questions the movie might raise. He reinforced Orthodox teaching that Christ was not the victim in the Crucifixion, but the victor. He explained the transformative effect Christ has on those he encounters in the movie.

"They're eager to talk about it. It's evocative. It has moved them. It is so bloody -- that is disturbing to some of them, and that's not where our focus is as Orthodox. Victory over sin and death that results in Resurrection, being able to talk about it has aided the youth," Miclean said.

Susan Tullington of rural Warrenton, Virginia, about 50 miles west of Washington, D.C., organized a series of talks at her Roman Catholic parish discussing the movie's depiction of Mary's obedience to God and Christ's self-sacrificial love and freedom. Members of the group used a Catholic study guide to the movie to deepen their understanding of their faith.

Tullington said the movie inspired her to put her "faith in action."

"I had a feeling, a gut feeling -- no other good reason -- that this movie was meant to draw people back to church," she said. "Sometimes you have to hook them with things that are trendy."

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>How will 'Passion' affect Holy Week? > >'I'm taking this much more personally,' says one >moviegoer >Monday, April 5, 2004 > >INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana- The most important stretch of >the liturgical calendar began Sunday for Christians, >and throughout America, this year's observances of >Holy Week will feel more somber than usual. > >Mel Gibson's blockbuster hit "The Passion of the >Christ" is prompting Christians to consider Jesus' >suffering as they recall his entry into Jerusalem at >Palm Sunday services, mark the Crucifixion on Good >Friday and celebrate Easter a week from Sunday. > >"It's given me a whole other perspective on the >season," said Jill Burns, a 46-year-old dentist from >Indianapolis. > >A member of Geist Christian Church (Disciples of >Christ), which -- like other congregations around the >country -- built its Lenten programs around the Gibson >film, Burns said her Protestant upbringing put little >emphasis on the events at Golgotha. But this year is >different. > >"I'm taking this much more personally," said Burns, >who saw the Gibson film with her two teenage sons. "I >am preparing myself for the agony of Good Friday." > >Gibson has said his epic is a deeply personal >meditation on Christ's last hours and the sacrifice of >his life, through which Christians believe they are >reconciled with God despite their sinfulness. > >Some theologians, however, have said his vision >crosses into anti-Semitism, blaming the Jewish people >for Jesus' death -- which Gibson denies. Other critics >say the film is so blood-soaked that any other message >is lost. The New Yorker magazine dubbed it "a >sickening death trip." > >Despite the controversy, the film has been a >blockbuster, earning more than $300 million and >putting the Crucifixion front and center for Orthodox >Christians, Roman Catholics and Protestants of all >types. > >"The one thing Mel has done for us is he's reminded us >of what he (Jesus) did for us on the cross," said the >Rev. Elmer Goodeill, an evangelical minister in >Centralia, Wash. "He has reminded us of the passion >and love that Jesus Christ had for us, to go through >the humiliation, the whipping." > >Sparking evangelism > >Members of Geist Christian Church talk about movies >that feature Jesus in advance of Holy Week. >"The Passion" also has sparked one of the most >fervent, broad-based bursts of evangelism in recent >U.S. history, with this week as the natural climax. >The movie has inspired Bible studies, sermon series >and other teaching techniques at churches spanning the >theological spectrum. > >The groundwork for such a campaign began well before >the film's opening on Ash Wednesday. > >Gibson held advance screenings for evangelicals and >like-minded conservatives, and the movie was promoted >through Web sites such as www.thepassionoutreach.com. >Congregations invited neighbors who skip church to >watch the movie with them. Study guides and other >movie-related books have filled Christian bookstore >shelves. > >Geist Christian scheduled two private screenings for >900 members and guests. It designed its entire Lenten >program around the film, encouraging members to write >essays on Jesus and using sermons to examine such >themes as Christ the teacher, social prophet and >suffering servant. > >"When people watched 'The Passion of the Christ,' they >would have questions. I wanted to create an >environment in the church where their questions would >be answered," said the Rev. Randy Spleth, senior >minister of the 2,300-member church. > >Another component of the Lenten program was a film >festival that presented alternative cinematic images >of Jesus, in movies such as "The Greatest Story Ever >Told" and "Godspell." > >"We wanted to create an opportunity for people to see >it ("The Passion") in that context -- just one >viewpoint of who Jesus was. The movie is a devotional >piece: Gibson's artistic perspective on the last 12 >hours of Jesus Christ," Spleth said. "You can turn a >prism and see other colors." > >Coming into conversation > >"Passion" has become a worldwide phenomenon: More than >$300 million in ticket sales in the U.S., and showings >around the world -- including this one, at a theater >in Damascus, Syria. >On a recent Sunday evening, while Geist bustled with >classes, meetings and youth activities, about 25 >people gathered to watch "The Last Temptation of >Christ," the Martin Scorsese film in which Satan >tempts Jesus to come down from the cross and live out >a fully human life. Its nudity and exploration of >Jesus' sexuality met pickets during its 1988 release, >and many cinemas wouldn't show it. > >"In some ways, this film is a litmus test," the Rev. >Edward McNulty, a Presbyterian minister and film >critic, told participants before showing the movie on >a screen above the altar in Geist's round, modern >sanctuary. "Can we have a Jesus who was tempted in >every way?" > >It became clear that the notion troubled some, as they >discussed "The Last Temptation" after the film. "He >was really presented as a weak personality," said >Burns' husband, Chris, a 44-year-old oral surgeon. > >But, eventually, images of "The Passion" worked their >way into the conversation. > >When someone suggested their denomination "hops" past >Good Friday to concentrate on Easter, Rick Ruppert, >42-year-old architect, replied: "This is the first >Easter I'm going to have trouble hopping, because I >want to focus on the suffering." > >Across the country in Centralia, Washington, about 70 >miles southwest of Seattle, Goodeill watched "The >Passion" four times and had a similar reaction. Like >Burns, he said the Crucifixion has become "more >personal." > >"We see the blood differently, we see the blood of >Jesus Christ. We have an image that is going to be >forever in our mind," Goodeill said. "It's running on >our behalf." > >The Church of God congregation where Goodeill is >associate pastor purchased blocks of tickets to the >film for members and guests, and distributed booklets >as evangelism tools. > >So-called "megachurches" have created more extensive >ministries around the film. Willow Creek Community >Church in suburban Chicago, one site where Gibson held >advance screenings, drew 22,000 people the weekend >after the movie with its pitch that it would be >focusing on "The Man Behind the Movie" (Jesus, not >Gibson), spokeswoman Cally Parkinson said. > >Robert Miclean, an Eastern Orthodox sub-deacon in the >Baltimore suburb of Linthicum, braced his youth groups >for questions the movie might raise. He reinforced >Orthodox teaching that Christ was not the victim in >the Crucifixion, but the victor. He explained the >transformative effect Christ has on those he >encounters in the movie. > >"They're eager to talk about it. It's evocative. It >has moved them. It is so bloody -- that is disturbing >to some of them, and that's not where our focus is as >Orthodox. Victory over sin and death that results in >Resurrection, being able to talk about it has aided >the youth," Miclean said. > >Susan Tullington of rural Warrenton, Virginia, about >50 miles west of Washington, D.C., organized a series >of talks at her Roman Catholic parish discussing the >movie's depiction of Mary's obedience to God and >Christ's self-sacrificial love and freedom. Members of >the group used a Catholic study guide to the movie to >deepen their understanding of their faith. > >Tullington said the movie inspired her to put her >"faith in action." > >"I had a feeling, a gut feeling -- no other good >reason -- that this movie was meant to draw people >back to church," she said. "Sometimes you have to hook >them with things that are trendy."
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