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Christian
Jewish Dialogue in Montreal (CJDM) Statement
on Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ |
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Christian
Jewish Dialogue in Montreal (CJDM) Statement
on Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ |
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Like all art works based on
historical events, Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ may
create the illusion that it faithfully reproduces the details of Jesus’
Passion with its cruelty and violence. Viewers
may be left with the impression that without the Jews, these things never would
have happened. We, members of the
Christian Jewish Dialogue in Montreal, are concerned that this rendering of the
Passion may foster misunderstandings between Christians and Jews and nourish
anti-Semitism.
While the events in the Passion
are central to Christian faith, elements of their portrayal, particularly in
popular passion plays, have often been theologically and morally as well as
historically problematic. Whatever
the intentions of their producers, such plays have tended to portray Jews
collectively as killers of Christ. They
have fomented hatred and violence toward Jews. We hope this film will not leave
impressions supporting such attitudes.
In the wake of the Holocaust
(the Shoah), and in the light of scholarly research, the Roman Catholic Church
and all major Protestant denominations have officially rejected the accusation
of deicide and collective Jewish guilt for the death of Jesus.
Today, where there is ample evidence that anti-Semitism is on the rise,
these teachings take on new urgency.
We call on Christian leaders in
the Montreal area to affirm publicly their churches’ current teachings on
appropriate portrayals and interpretations of the Passion and to make these
teachings readily available to the general public. We
urge the film’s viewers to evaluate it as one perspective on the Passion, and
to form their own opinions based on study of the gospels enlightened by the
insights of biblical scholars today. We
encourage all people to recognize the concerns that this film raises, and to
respond with justice, honesty and compassion.
These attitudes have made possible the enormous progress in
Christian-Jewish relations over the past forty years.
Jean Duhaime, CJDM president, February 25, 2004
The Christian – Jewish
Dialogue of Montreal is a group of representatives of different sponsoring
organizations, duly incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation, who meet on a
regular basis in order to build and strengthen trust between Christian and
Jewish communities.
The following websites
provide useful information on this topic:
Canadian Jewish Congress:
