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Passion plays depict the crucifixion, trials,
and resurrection of Jesus. These plays are created according to
accounts of the passion found in the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke
and John. Historically, passion plays have blamed Jews for the death
of Jesus. The killing of God is deicide. “His blood be
on us and on our children.” (Matthew 27:25) insinuates that
Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus and bear collective
guilt.
Deicide, and the
idea of Jewish collective guilt, have led to mass amounts of hatred and
abuse towards Jews and are considered underlying causes of the Holocaust.
Since the gospels are a historic document, the opinions of Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John about Jewish involvement in the death of Jesus
do not necessarily reflect modern day thinking. In 1965, during the
Second Vatican Council the Roman Catholic Church issued Nostra Aetate
which
among
other statements officially absolved the Jews of deicide and forming
a clear stance against acts of antisemitism. Following the Second Vatican
Council most other Christian dominations issued similar opinions. In
1988,
the Catholic United States Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious
Affairs issued criteria for the presentation of the passion, stating
that presentations should not portray Jewish characters in a negative
tone,
nor imply Jewish responsibility for the death of Jesus.
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Image:Antisemitic pamphlet
with illustration of ritual murder of a christian boy by a Jew. |
Today,
passion plays are performed all over the world and throughout the United
States.
The most famous of all plays is performed in Oberammergau in Bavaria
every ten years. This play began in 1634 and has continued to be performed
today by the residents for millions of visitors. Until recent changes were
enacted in 1990, and again in 2000, the Oberammergau Passion Play included
large amounts of antisemitism. For example, Jewish characters used to appear
in horned hats suggesting a link between Jews and the Devil, and Jewish
religious officials were portrayed as evil and sadistic.
When Adolf Hitler
went to
see the play in 1934, he considered it a “precious tool” for
his fight against Judaism. To further remove antisemitism, the play
in Oberammergau has
made acknowledgement of Jesus and his disciples’ Jewish roots, Jesus now appears as a member of the Jewish community. However, the line
from the Gospel of Matthew remains with insinuation of deicide intact.
While the
Oberammergau Passion Play, is biblically accurate to the Gospels, it is
still antisemitic in its rendering of deicide contrary to the opinions
of churches
today.
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Photo: Jesus in Mel Gibson's
"The Passion." Courtesy of Scott Menchin, New York Times. |
Another controversial portrayal of the passion occurs in Mel Gibson’s
movie, The Passion.
Jewish and Catholic
scholars express concern over the portrayal of Jews in the film
due
to Mel Gibson’s
affiliation with a section of the Roman Catholic Church that rejects
the Second Vatican Council. After obtaining an early script, a coalition
of
Jewish and
Catholic scholars formed by the Anti-Defamation League and the Secretariat
of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference
of Bishops determined the script contained elements of antisemitism.
Scholars worry that Jews are portrayed in a negative light and may be
held responsible again for deicide.
Mel Gibson who has denied the existence
of antisemitism in the film,
based his script on
the Gospels and on the writings of two nuns, Mary of Agreda, and Anne
Catherine
Emmerich.
Both nuns have antisemitism in their writings even alluding to blood
libel. Is the power
of Hollywood
and a declaration of “historical accuracy” encouraging a
resurgence of antisemitism and the blaming of Jews for deicide?
With antisemitism
already on
the rise around the world, a breakdown in Jewish Christian relations
may increase violence.
As evidence of a further divide between Judaism
and Christianity a recent cartoon in the Italian Newspaper La Stampa included
an Israeli tank with a baby Jesus asking “Do you want to kill
me once more?” Before the release of The Passion,
Anti-Defamation League National Director, Abraham Foxman, stated
about Mel Gibson: “Here’s
a man who appeals to the mass audience, but feels he has to surround
himself with a cordon sanitarie of people who back him theologically
and maybe
ideologically and will stand up and be supportive when the time comes.
My request still stands:
I would like to see the movie, if it turns out I was wrong, I’ll
be the first to say so.”
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Image: Courtesy of Scott Menchin, New York Times. |
With the famous Oberammergau Passion Play
toning down antisemitism, it is unfortunate that Hollywood may be encouraging
its return.
Corliss, Richard, Jeff Israely, and Jeffrey Ressner, “The Passion
of Mel Gibson: His Jesus film is bloody, bold—and in Aramaic,” Time,
January 27, 2003, 54-54.
Walsh, Michael, “Oberammergau’s
Blood Curse,” Time,
June 4, 1990, 89.
Topics for Discussion:
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Should the line from Matthew
remain in the Oberammergau Passion Play? Why or why not?
Explain how
keeping the line from Matthew in the Oberammergau Passion Play
forces antisemitism to always be present.
-
What damaging affects has blaming
the Jews for deicide had for Jews and Judaism throughout history?
-
Why
do people continue to believe in Jewish responsibility for the
death of Jesus after Christian organizations have officially
absolved the
Jews?
-
Is Mel Gibson’s “The Passion” damaging relations between
Christians and Jews? Why or why not?
-
Why are gruesome violent scenes emphasized by Mel Gibson's movie
and is this focus on violence increasing violence towards Jews? Given
the movie's portrayal of the cruel behavior by Romans, are
people likely to be angry with Italians? Why or why not?
—Originally written by Caroline Cobb, Intern
Education Department, Florida Holocaust Museum
The American Jewish Committee provides a resource guide regarding passion
plays:
http://www.ajc.org/upload/pdf/AJC_The_Passion_A_Resource_Manual.pdf
Links for Oberammergau Passion Play:
http://www.thelutheran.org/0006/page23.html
http://www.adl.org/Interfaith/Oberammergau/Intro.asp
http://www.passionsspiele2000.de/passnet/english/index_e.html
http://dev.adl.org/Interfaith/passion_theology.asp
Links for articles regarding Mel Gibson’s movie "The
Passion":
Note: Some of the following articles are available as Adobe Acrobat
PDF files. You will need the free
Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print the articles. New York Times reviews of "The Passion":
 Good
and Evil Locked in Violent Showdown By A. O. Scott
Published: February 25, 2004. This article discusses the effectiveness
of using
violence in Mel Gibson's movie.
Passion'
Disturbs a Panel of Religious Leaders by Laurie Goodstein, New York
Times, February 25, 2004. An interfaith panel of eight Christian and
Jewish clergy members and laypeople who gathered to watch "The
Passion of the Christ" on Monday night admitted they had very
different expectations [and different responses] for it.
American Jewish Committee News:
Gibson
Film "A Disturbing Setback to Christian-Jewish Relations" February
12, 2004, New York. The AJC's response to Mel Gibson's movie.
ADL's position regarding Mel Gibson's movie The Passion:
New
York Times 8/12/2003 article, "ADL
Voices Concerns on Gibson's 'Passion'" by Lukas I. Alpert,
Associated Press.
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) 8/11/2003 press release:"ADL
Concerned Mel Gibson's 'Passion' Will Fuel Anti-Semitism if Released
in Present Form"
Mel Gibson’s Washington
Power Play by Lloyd Growe
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26264-2003Jul22.html
Mel
Gibson’s Martyrdom Complex by Frank Rich
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/arts/03RICH.html
Mel
Gibson's Father Says Holocaust Exaggerated by Entertainment AFP,
Wednesday, February 18, 2004.
Mel
Gibson Defends Passion of the Christ by Associated Press. Article regarding
PrimeTime's interview with Mel Gibson during which the director admits
he wanted movie to be shocking and extreme.
Months before Debut,
Movie on Death of Jesus Causes Stir by Laura Goodstein
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/02/national/02GIBS.html
http://www.adl.org/Interfaith/gibson_oped.asp
http://www.wiesenthal.com/social/press/pr_item.cfm?itemID=7820
http://www.wiesenthal.com/social/press/pr_item.cfm?itemID=7306
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