Jews and Christians plan lectures to mute film impact of Gibson’s ‘Passion of the Christ’

JEWS and Christians who fear Mel Gibson’s epic on the crucifixion of Jesus will fuel anti-Semitism are planning lecture series and other programmes to try to mute the film’s impact.

Gibson has insisted that The Passion of the Christ, set to be released Ash Wednesday, February 25, does not malign Jews.

But the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee, whose representatives saw a version the movie last week, said it contained destructive stereotypes about the Jewish role in Christ’s death.