Wednesday, March 10, 2004

open letter to mel gibson

Dear Mel

I went to your film today. I am a Christian and so want to be part of the Kingdom extended. I am a pastor and so have a certain interest in Jesus. I am a theologian, who did a Masters on the atonement in contemporary culture, and so have a certain professional interest in how Jesus death is portrayed.

So today I went to your film …letter continues under headings of
my movie of disbelief
the framing
the framing of violence
the over-hyped
evangelism by art

I would love feedback;

PS I have taken the article down. Reality magazine want to print my Open Letter to Mel. Due to the legalities of print vs www, I have taken the letter of this website. The Reality issue is due out April 19, and at that time you can read it.

Posted by steve at 05:26 PM

3 Comments

  1. As always Steve, very thoughful and considered. Thanks for capturing so clearly your sense of the movie. There is much for us who read it to ponder, to honour, to stretch our own understanding of Jesus and the gospel of which he is at the heart.

    Comment by Paul — March 11, 2004 @ 12:00 am

  2. the point about ‘suffering’ is spot on…

    and theres all the difference in the world between – passive aquiescence in the face of abuse by others/self and active resistance ‘adult’ choice to step in between abuser and abused /tormentor and slave- after every other avenue has been exhausted… continental and uk theology has got this real confused.. for a long time! Christ – in the gospels – in his classic comic style – seems to spend a lot of time – trying to teach people – many who were cut out of priveleged temple system HOW to ‘stand up’ and ‘resist’ – dehumanization in all its forms – phys/soc/econom/spiritual in their own roman occupied back yards (non-violently – but active in the extreme)
    perhaps Jesus dilemma (incarnationally) took on our BIGGEST struggle – is in ‘not knowing’ !

    even at the end – if it really is God who demands – our sacrifice/our stepping in with our own body – in this situation of abuse – or the humanity… we have lived with and been nourished by since we were born? what ‘awful’ thing was Jesus struggling with in the garden before the soldiers came?

    thanks steve – it really makes you think… and i still haven’t even seen it yet

    Comment by paul T — March 11, 2004 @ 5:14 am

  3. Open Letter to Steve Taylor

    Dear Steve,

    I understand why you are disappointed that people have been cutting, pasting and emailing your letter to Mel Gibson to others. I understand why you are cross with the Internet. I understand why the magazine that is publishing your art…

    Comment by Dave the Rave — March 12, 2004 @ 2:50 pm

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