Suffering for a Worthy Cause?: The Misplaced Focus of Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ

Abstract

This contribution offers an ideological criticism of Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ from the perspective of historical Jesus studies. It is argued that Gibson’s funda-mentalistic hermeneutics gives rise to at least two ethical concerns that need critical reflection: the charge of anti-Semitism and the problematic doctrine of vicarious suffering. A social-historical paradigm, informed by the humanities, is offered as an alternative.

Opsomming

Hierdie bydrae lewer 'n ideologiese kritiek op Gibson se The Passion of the Christ vanuit die perspektief van historiese Jesus-studies. Daar word geredeneer dat Gibson se fundamentalistiese hermeneutiek ten minste twee etiese probleme na vore bring waaroor krities nagedink behoort te word: die aanklag van anti-Semitisme en die problematiese leerstelling van plaasvervangende lyding. 'n Sosiaal-historiese para-digma vanuit die menswetenskappe word as alternatief aangebied.