DAWN Fridayfax 2004 #12

World

The Passion of the Christ

Seldom has a film caused so much furore before its release as Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". The movie, filmed in Latin and Aramaic, depicts the last 12 hours in Jesus' life. The controversies centre on Gibson's claim to have filmed Jesus' suffering exactly according to the Biblical accounts. "The Passion of the Christ" has caused a global media response and heated discussions in many nations.

"Jesus beats Frodo"

The release was sensational: an audience of 2.5 million in 4,000 cinemas, which are booked weeks in advance. In the first five days, audiences paid US$125 million to see "The Passion of the Christ", beating the recent record Oscar winner "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King", which chalked up 'only' US$124 million in the same period. Film industry experts believe the film could total US$650 million, earning Mel Gibson US$250 million or more. That's quite a profit margin, considering the investment of US$30 million in production costs and US$15 million in marketing.

"My fingers trembled"

Theologian and Reuters journalist Uwe-Simon Netto watched the film. He writes "Two hours after watching the crucifixion scene, my fingers are trembling uncontrollably on my keyboard. My wife dare not speak with me. My pulse is probably still as fast as during the whole showing of Mel Gibson's film 'The Passion of the Christ'. If this film doesn't have lasting consequences for our declining Western society, woe is us! I hope that the millions who will follow me into the cinemas will, like me, sit trembling for hours, realising that after this film, only one thing helps: prayer."

Film crew members came to faith

Mel Gibson says that the Holy Spirit worked on the film through him: "Some agnostics and Muslims in the very mixed film crew came to faith in Christ through their work on the film." The filming left nobody untouched; James Caviezel, who plays Jesus, had the hardest job, but never complained - even when they forgot his back protection in the flogging scene.

Saddleback: 2,500 new members

Willow Creek's Bill Hybels and Saddleback Church pastor and author Rick Warren are enthusiastic. Morris H. Chapman, Baptist pastor in Nashville and chairman of the Southern Baptists' Executive Committee, says "It seems that God has dropped something in our laps which could be the catalyst for a spiritual revival in our nation." Rick Warren reports that the Saddleback Church gained 2,500 new members in the few days after the film's release. Warren, along with many pastors in the USA, held church services in rented cinemas. Many cinemagoers remained weeping in their seats, and needed to talk. Robby Dobbs of the Second Baptist Church in Houston, speaks of 'hundreds of conversions'. The church had not only reserved several thousand cinema tickets, but also started a series of three sermons about the Passion of Christ, entitled "Who, Why, What?" Churches in other nations are picking up on this style of evangelism. In Essen, Germany, the owners of Germany's largest cinema allowed churches to speak for 20 minutes after each showing. Christian Alliance groups in various cities are planning how they can evangelise with the film, reports Swiss missiologist Dr. Marco Gmür.

Evangelical approval

Following a private viewing, the Pope apparently said "it is as it was". The film also finds broad approval in Evangelical churches. In February 2004, Mel Gibson spoke before 5,000 evangelical and charismatic pastors in a Calvary Assembly of God church: "Carrying the sins of the whole world - that is simply unimaginable! Christ could have just cut his finger, but he did not. He paid the price in full. You see, I am neither a preacher nor a pastor, but I sense that my career brought me to this place. The Holy Spirit did something through me; I just directed the traffic. I hope that the film has the power to evangelise." "I've been pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, USA, for 18 years," says Ted Haggard. "I can't remember having anyone on stage who had such respect for God as Mel."

This Web version of the DAWN Fridayfax is maintained by the Jesus Fellowship Church (Jesus Army) as a service to the Christian church. Please visit our web pages which feature the e-zine Streetpaper and its special Revival section.