WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT....

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

 by Rev. Ian Brown, Londonderry Free Presbyterian Church  

Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion Of The Christ, has attracted glowing tributes from a host of evangelical leaders. They have described it as "brilliant, biblical—a masterpiece" and “one of the greatest opportunities for evangelism in 2000 years.”

 Though pleased with their praise, Gibson has been rather surprised by its generosity. He told Christianity Today: “I’ve been actually amazed at the way I would say the evangelical audience has—hands down—responded to this film more than any other Christian group.” What makes it so amazing, he says, is that “the film is so Marian.” 

While Gibson's film is billed as a portrayal of the last 12 hours of Christ's life (beginning in Gethsemane and ending at Golgotha), Mary appears in virtually every scene. Of course this tallies with Mel Gibson's religious convictions. He is a strict devotee of the Traditionalist wing of the Roman Catholic Church, and calls Mary “a tremendous co-redemptrix and mediatrix.” For Mary to be the co-Redemptrix, she must be pictured with Jesus, suffering all the way—and that is precisely the role Gibson affords her.

 Many other Romish dogmas and traditions are promoted through The Passion. The film rigidly follows the 14 Stations of the Cross and the 5 Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary—all familiar Catholic staging posts—as Gibson directs it to its brutal climax, the crucifixion. Mel is at his most dangerous when depicting Calvary. He alternates, in slow motion, between scenes of Christ hanging on the cross and raising the bread at the Last Supper—a calculated effort to propagate Catholic teaching that “the sacrifice of the cross” and “the sacrifice of the altar” are “the same thing.”

 The Passion Of The Christ has been accurately described as a "two-hour Catholic commercial and catechism." As such, no Bible believer can possibly support it.

 What You Need To Know About The Passion Of The Christ, a 96-page book by Rev. Ian Brown, is now available from

Rev. T. Murray,

61 Tandragee Road,

Markethill,

Co. Armagh,

N. Irealnd,

United Kingdom

BT601TQ

Price £6.89 – ( book -£4.99 + £1.90 postage & packing)

For multiple copies email us  Thomas.murray3@ntlworld.com