Dear Mr. Allen,
My church rented out a local movie theater to show The Passion of The Christ. The tickets were given as a gift of love to the people of our community, and I gave away approximately 30 tickets to my co-workers. That night my co-workers and I were deeply moved and forever changed by this movie. The next day at work Jesus Christ was the only topic of discussion, so naturally several of us had questions. One of my co-workers found your book online and drove all over town looking for it.
I eagerly awaited my copy, and rushed home when it came in to begin reading it. What a shame that your book missed a wonderful opportunity to be a bridge between the Protestant and Catholic Christian faiths! Of course, I know Mel Gibson is a Catholic, and I expected much of the materials related to the movie to be Catholic in nature, but I did NOT expect to encounter a personal attack after reading your book. This movie is a chance for Christians of all denominations to concentrate on what we have in common, namely Jesus Christ. I have read your book from cover to cover — by the time I was done I was feeling hurt and anger.
On page two of your book you state, “…the irony is that our Protestant brothers and sisters cannot adequately speak to many of the issues and questions the film evokes because the film is so distinctly Marian, so obviously Eucharistic, so quintessentially Catholic — as is the New Testament itself.”
I must beg to differ. Your Protestant brothers and sisters are well versed and immersed in the Word of God — we are absolutely able to speak of the issues and questions evoked by the movie. This movie is not “distinctly Marian” as you call it — this movie is distinctly Christian. It is the actions and teachings of Jesus that inspire all of us Christians.
Also on page two you ask, “But can their theology adequately or honestly mine such cinematic gems as the Last Supper flashbacks?” What exactly do you mean by “their theology?” The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John have always been and will always be Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John no matter if you are sitting in a Catholic or a Protestant church. You also write, “And without an understanding of Mary as our model in true Christian faith, one cannot begin to understand her significant role in the film.”
Are you kidding? That statement is ludicrous. Mary's role in the movie is important, but by far the most significant role in the movie belongs to Jesus Christ. I do not have to have Mary as a role model to understand, appreciate, and be humbled by the fact that my Lord and Savior became a man, was persecuted, beaten, whipped, and nailed to a cross to cleanse me and all of mankind of sin.
I do not need Mary as a model to be filled with love and adoration for the Son of God. Jesus gives instruction in the Bible about how to be a true Christian, and I resent the insinuation that I am not a true Christian because I don't look to Mary. All that is needed is the Word of God and a deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
On page 78 you state, “The Catholic church has been given the authority by Jesus to teach in His name.” As a proud Protestant purchaser of your book (not a non-Catholic as you call me), I have a few comments to make. Yes, Jesus did tell Peter to build His church upon this rock – which would be a Christian church (rather than a Jewish one). Like you said in your book, the word “Catholic” is not in the Bible. You are making a mistake by saying that only the Catholic Church has authority to teach. Jesus says that when two or more of us are gathered in His name He is there. So when my Protestant pastor reads from the Word of God and teaches the 700+ Christians gathered at my church on a typical Sunday JESUS IS THERE because we are gathered in His name and thus my pastor has the authority to preach!
You write that the Resurrection is one of the most important dogmas of the Catholic faith. Guess what? The mercy and grace received by all of God's children through the Resurrection is an important dogma of the Christian faith. Again, why focus on being divisive when this is clearly an issue that all Christians agree on? Protestants and Catholics in Ireland are killing each other over religion. This movie is a wonderful opportunity for us to bond in common faith of Jesus Christ, and your book focuses on offending Protestants.
I am not writing this letter to debate Protestantism and Catholicism with you. I took most offense to the anti-Protestant comments made in your book. I'm not going to go question by question and discuss the Protestant views on subjects such as Mary, communion, the rosary, intercessory prayer, etc…. I felt I must write to you in my own defense.
The movie is a work of art that will be in our world for a long time. This movie has the power to change the course of our country in a positive direction. I was so excited to read your book when I ordered it — and utterly offended after I'd read it. All of the Protestant and Catholic leaders are finally in accord with each other, so why does your book take away from that?
In His Name,
Gretchen Leger
Dear Ms. Leger:
I am very sorry if what I have written has hurt you in any way. It was not my intention. Having been involved in the marketing and distribution of the film, I am acutely aware of the critical role that non-Catholic Christians have played in helping this vital film reach the wider public and I am especially aware of the fine work they have done in presenting Jesus Christ to the world. I esteem them for this.
At the same time, I am also aware that the film is a deeply Catholic film. That's not a value judgement on Protestants. That is simply a statement of fact. It is a film made by a filmmaker who, for instance, venerates Mary as both Mother of God and Mother of the Church and who believes, as the Catholic Church always has, that Mary is the model disciple who shows us what it looks like to have a heart completely bonded in love to Christ's heart. The simple fact is that many Protestants are deeply uncomfortable with this sort of devotion to Mary and so, for all the truly great work they do in discussing other aspects of the film, they tend to shy away from this.
Again, that's not an insult: it's simply a fact. So a Catholic is in a better position to discuss these aspects of the film (which are really there because Gibson deliberately put them there).
Likewise, Gibson is a Catholic who believes with all his heart that the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist are, in very truth, the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ Himself, not merely symbols or reminders of what He did long ago on Calvary. And he professes this faith in very clear terms via the medium of film. Many (not all) Protestants either actively deny or are completely unaware of this way of regarding Communion. Consequently, they will either downplay or simply not notice the very clear connections Gibson is making between the crucified body of Jesus and the bread at the Last Supper. A Catholic, sharing Gibson's faith in the Eucharist as being Jesus Christ Himself, really present under the appearance of bread and wine, is in a unique position to be able to speak to what Gibson is really trying to say. That, again, is not intended as a denigration of Protestants. It's simply a statement of fact about what the filmmaker is saying.
As a Catholic I have a high regard for my Protestant brothers and sisters. On most points, we agree. On some points we don't and we should not pretend we do. Disagreements about doctrine do not necessarily constitute judgments about anybody's standing before God. I would rather have a faithful Protestant who obeys Christ but holds a few ideas I believe to be mistaken, than (as is often the case) a faithless Catholic who sinfully brings shame to the name of Catholicism by ignoring the Lord Jesus who bought him with His blood.
None of what I wrote should be taken as a judgment on Protestants or their worthiness to bear the name of Christian. The Church definitively teaches that Protestants are my brothers and sisters in Christ. At the same time, both Protestants and Catholics must coolly and without undue passion (pardon the pun) also face the fact there are some points about which we really disagree. Here at Catholic Exchange we welcome discussion of these differences so that we can come to greater unity. The Guide to the Passion was written in the hope that it would contribute to that ongoing conversation. I hope you will take it in that spirit, should you re-read it, and find in it what we were able to give in order to try to illuminate what Gibson saying through his very great film.
May God bless your continuing work in the vineyard of the Lord, and may He use you to bring many people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, who alone is Lord — your Lord as well as ours.
Tom Allen
Editor & President
Catholic Exchange
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