'THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST'

February 2004
		Mel Gibson's controversial movie, "The Passion of the Christ," opened Ash Wednesday to mixed reviews. Two theology professors take your questions on the religious and philosophical questions surrounding the film.

Forum Introduction What viewpoint does the Vatican have on Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich? Why would her book on the Passion be or why should it not be a source for depicting the story on film? I am confused about the movie's depiction of the central idea of Christianity as the crucifixion of Jesus. Do you recognize modern-day movies as the new art form in the 21st century in communicating religious messages/themes and specifically the Christian message? If Mel Gibson is in a conservative movement within Catholism that rejects the reforms of Vatican II, wouldn't it follow that he would reject the declaration of that body that Jews were not responsible for Jesus' death? What evidence would you give that Protestant theology has minimized the crucifixion; and would it therefore follow that Catholic theology has minimized the resurrection? Mel Gibson claims the movie is historically accurate but in actuality, isn't the story of Jesus' crucifixion portrayed in the Gospels? So aren't there 6 or so different versions of the story? Where is he getting his historical evidence? Do you feel comfortable with the artistic license Mel Gibson exercised in the dialogue, and a number of events, not found in the Gospels, both personally and theologically?	Fran Pollack of Southfield, Michigan asks: What viewpoint does the Vatican have on Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich? Why would her book on the Passion be or why should it not be a source for depicting the story on film? Dr. Robert Johnston responds: Gibson used her writings to help imagine the "rest" of the story. The Gospels themselves do not have sufficient material to tell a story - they are summative. So, just as artists have for centuries, he tried to imagine dialogue and events that would be consistent with what the Bible does tell. For example, Gibson got the idea of Claudia, Pilate's wife, being a secret believer of Jesus from these extra-biblical sources. Dr. Philip Cunningham responds: The published visions attributed to Anne Catherine Emmerich fall under the Catholic category of "private revelation." That means that their appropriateness for preaching or educational purposes, or for informing a screenplay of the passion of Jesus, must be measured in terms of their conformity to the Church's biblical and doctrinal teachings. Emmerich's narrations conflict with such authoritative documents as the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation and its Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions and so would be disallowed as source material for passion dramas according to Catholic teaching. For further details see my detailed analysis of the Gibson movie, including its use of materials from Emmerich, at http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/reviews/gibson_cunningham.htm .