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We already possess the 'image of God' today in the church in preaching and in the sacraments.

That subtitle says it all.

At first I wasn't sure whether it would be permissible for me to see The Passion. But over the past few months, after reading a number of articles and reviews, I have come to the conclusion that I will not see it. Everything I have read about it is focused on the "emotional impact" or the "visual artistry," not Scripture.

Here are a couple reviews that I've come across. I'll highlight some quotes from each.

1. Review by Douglas TenNapel. [Note: There is objectionable content on this website, but I haven't found the same review anywhere else. The reveiwer, by the way, professes to be a Christian.]

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"It feels like you’re sitting there watching the real deal. Of course, my religion warns us of graven images, and I have to keep thinking to myself, 'these are actors, that’s not the Christ.' It’s that realistic and engaging."

"He’s not shackled to the scriptures, because he boldly throws in details here and there that blend with the original story."

"Skip the rest of this paragraph if you don’t want to hear about the scariest thing I’ve ever seen depicted on celluloid… when Jesus is being whipped, he is in agony. The devil floats among the guards in slo-mo, seemingly invisible to them…and what’s that in her arms? A baby. She cradles the baby like it is her own, yet she is clearly mocking the imagery we’ve seen of Mary holding her child. Jesus looks up at her, delirious from pain and the baby…slowly turns to us…and it has a horrifying blasphemous-psycho smile. My wife turned her head, 'Oh stop!' I got a chill up my spine that would rival the scariest moments in The Exorcist. I’m not kidding, that image is burned in my brain forever and I’ll never forget that. It’s delicious. I’m getting nauseated thinking about it right now."

"I’m DYING to see this thing without the subtitles as Gibson intended. I’m glad I got to read this one but it would be an even more emotionally immersive experience to just watch as a cultural outsider. But still, it’s rich to hear the characters speak ancient, beautiful poetic languages as well as the Roman guards laying down mockery in Latin." [Seeking experience, but not understanding!]

2. A Tie-In Made in Heaven.

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"On a page linked to 'The Passion's' website, Outreach founder Scott Evans, who quit a job with a high-tech company a decade ago to become a missionary, encourages churches to exploit 'perhaps the best outreach opportunity in 2,000 years…. [!!!] I encourage you to prayerfully consider how to make the most of this moment. Ask God: How will we as a church encourage people to experience this film?'"

"'It blew me away,' said Michael Pierpoint, pastor of evangelism at Magnolia Avenue Baptist Church in Riverside, whose church bought seats for two screenings and purchased the 'You've-got-questions' ad at a local multiplex. 'I'm not an easy believer … but to watch it depict the crucifixion so clearly — it brought a new level of my understanding the depths God was willing to go to have a relationship with me.'" [This man is a PASTOR???]

"'This is a life-altering movie, and I think that when Hollywood sees people coming to this movie in this volume … they'll see a gigantic marketplace looking for real meaning in life,' he said."

Kyle

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.