The Death of God

JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS is the most visible symbol of Christianity. In the Philippines, the crucifix can be seen not only in the Roman Catholic churches but also among the protestant churches. Cross pins and pendants are commonly used by Catholic and non-Catholics. The non-Catholics preferably use crucifix without the image of the crucified Christ probably because of their prohibition of any carved images of God. It is not surprising that some Catholics are quick to respond, when attacked about carved images of God, to better have a cross with Christ hanging on it rather than have a cross without Christ.

The crucifixion of the living person was not a Jewish form of death penalty; death by stoning was the practice. It was used by the Roman empire to punish all those who opposed their rule. During the first uprising of the freedom movement in Palestine, no fewer than two thousands Zealots (the Romans called them bandits) were crucified to warn the public. The death by crucifixion was the most brutal form of capital punishment for slaves and subversives.

Some Christians were offended by the brutal depiction of crucifixion in the recent film of Mel Gibson, The Passion of the Christ (2004), and considered its extreme violence offensive and obscuring the real message of the crucifixion of Christ. The movie was heavily criticized for historical and biblical inaccuracy, anti-semitic theme, and excessive violence. When it was reported that Pope John Paul II commented on the film as "It is as it was", it became controversial that prompted Vatican to deny the statement attributed to the Pope.

Closer to home, I recall how speakers of the "seven last words" of Jesus during the Lent graphically described the brutality in the death of Christ. The "Pasyon", the epic narrative of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, survives among the popular religious practices during the Spanish era. It is one of the most popular devotions of the Filipino Catholics. 

(to be continued)