Passion Politics
It's been sort of interesting the way some evangelicals are reacting to the new movie "The Passion". Our local anti-Catholic minister has been of a 'wait and see' attitude, saying that the gospel accounts are sufficient but if this leads some to Christ, then so be it. On the other hand the author Lee Strobel is enthusiastically full-bore, prepared to maximize its evangelistic effect, not appearing to care in the least that Mel Gibson is a Catlicker. An evangelical acquaintance mentioned in regard to the movie: "I heard the actor who played Christ say that he was a Roman Catholic and that they had Mass on the set every morning." It sounds so formal to hear the "Roman" in front of Catholic, doesn't it?
The pounding Gibson is getting by secularist media types like Frank Rich eases intramural difficulties. All Christians have tremendously more in common than uncommon, and so there's a natural alliance formed when any of us are attacked by outsiders.
But even some Catholics are suspicious of the movie because they say Gibson isn't Catholic enough for them, that he's in schism. What resonates with me is the beauty of Mel Gibson's reply when asked why he wasn't in the movie. "I am in the movie - playing the only part I could. My hands pound the nails...".
No comments:
Post a Comment