Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education

Educational Resources

Bibliographies

A Selected Webography and Bibliography for

Mel Gibson's “The Passion of the Christ”

February 2004

by Nancy M. Messinger, Director of Educational Resources

Josey G. Fisher, Consultant for Holocaust Education

and Renée Feldstein Goldfarb, Consultant for Adolescent Education

Webography

http://www.passion-movie.com – a trailer of the movie and comments

http://www.adl.org – the Anti-Defamation League's FAQ's and more

http://www.ajc.org – the American Jewish Committee site – contains a 42-page resource manual

http://rj.org/interreligious/pub/passions.shtml - the Union of Reform Judaism's site, featuring background articles and opinions

http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/news/News_Jan2004.htm

contains an outline of The Bible, the Jews, and the Death of Jesus: A Collection of Catholic Documents, the January 2004 publication by the U.S. Catholic Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, and an order form

http://www.beliefnet.com – a selection of articles on the Passion from various sources

http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl/metaelements/texts/education/magisterium_crucifixion.htm - excerpts from Roman Catholic Magisterial Teaching Documents on the Crucifixion

http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl/metaelements/texts/documents/catholic/Passion_Play.htm -

U. S. Bishop's Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, “Criteria for the Evaluation of the Passion” (1988)

http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl/metaelements/partners/CBA_Sem/Passion_Narratives.htm - a comparison of the Passion narratives

http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl/metaelements/texts/news/dramatizing_the_death_of_jesus.htm - “Dramatizing the Death of Jesus: Issues that have Surfaced in Media Reports about the Upcoming Film, The Passion”

http://www.freeman.org/m_online/sep03/bridges.htm - “A Christian Response to the “The Passion” and Passion Plays, Bridges for Peace,” by JoAnn Magnuson, August 2003

Bibliography

The following materials are available in the Seidman Educational Resource Center .

Action Recommendations on Mel Gibson's “The Passion of the Christ” by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. New York, NY: The JCPA, 2004.   Suggestions for appropriate responses for the Jewish community.

ADL and Mel Gibson's “The Passion”: Frequently Asked Questions by the Anti-Defamation League from http://www.adl.org/interfaith/gibson_qa.asp , 2003.

  ADL's website answers to concerns about the film.  

Criteria for the Evaluation of Dramatizations of the Passion by the Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Washington , D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 1988.

This booklet aims to provide practical applications regarding the Second Vatican Council Notes of June 24, 1985 .

 

Facts, Faith and Film-Making: Jesus' Passion and Its Portrayal – A Study Guide for Viewers and Reviewers by Peter A. Pettit. Chestnut Hill, MA: The Christian Scholars Group on Christian-Jewish Relations, 2004. Available online at http://www.bc.edu/research/cjl.

A viewer's guide for understanding the background on the challenges of telling the Passion story as well as how to hear and watch it. Includes excellent “viewing hint” questions.

God's Mercy Endures Forever: Guidelines on the Presentation of Jews and Judaism in Catholic Preaching by the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy, National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 1999.

The aim of this booklet is to offer assistance to Catholic preachers so that they can have a better personal understanding of Jews and Judaism that can then be reflected in their preaching.

 

Mel Gibson's “The Passion of the Christ”: Some Need-to-Know Background by Carol Schersten LaHurd. New Rochelle, NY, 2004.

Preparation information for viewers and background questions and answers, from a Lutheran viewpoint.

 

Nostra Aetate – Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, The Second Vatican Council, Promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI, October 28, 1965.

This is the original papal decree which exonerated the Jews from collective guilt for the death of Jesus.

 

On the Death of Jesus: Jewish and Christian Interpretations by Eugene J. Fisher and Leon Klenicki. New York, NY: The Anti-Defamation League, 2001.

The authors, the Associate Director and Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Consultant for Interfaith Affairs, Anti-Defamation League, respectively, each offer their viewpoint on the “deicide.”

 

Passion Plays and Judaism edited by Leon Klenicki. New York, NY: The Anti-Defamation League, in cooperation with the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and the National Council of Churches, Interfaith Relations Commission, n.d.

This is an ADL publication, presented as a “healthy dialogue” between Catholic, Protestant and Jewish scholars and texts. It is designed to provide parish and congregational leaders with practical tools and educational materials to examine the issues inherent in Passion Plays.

 

Talking Points by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. New York, NY: The JCPA, 2004.

Suggested discussion guidelines for the Jewish community.

 

A Viewer's Guide to Contemporary Passion Plays compiled and edited Susan Paley and Adrian Gibbons Koesters, 2004.

The purpose of this guide is to provide important background information on Passion plays and to familiarize viewers with the difficult issues raised by the current film.

 

“Who Killed Jesus?” by Jon Meacham. Newsweek, 16 February 2004: pp. 44 – 53.

This article examines the making of the film and presents contrasts between the movie and the Gospels, background information, and an interview with the principal actor.

 

“Why Did He Die?” by Jefferey L. Sheler. U.S. News and World Report, 24 April 2000:

pp. 50 – 55.

The article examines why Jesus was killed, in light of new clues scholars have found about the Crucifixion.

 

 

 

 

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