After last Friday’s post about Jesus, All About Life failing to get a place in the Sydney Royal Easter Show, here’s a report about a crucifixion re-enactment that was halted by the police in Geelong.
An Australian Broadcasting Corporation report.
A report from Melbourne’s Age newspaper.
So, there are two issues here, I suppose.
The first is whether people are free to do this sort of thing. If they want to claim religious freedom, I think they need to demonstrate some proof that doing this sort of thing in a public space is an essential part of their obedience to God. Just because they read that it happened in the Bible is not a mandate to repeat a dramatised performance of it. Lacking a specific mandate from God, they follow the same rules as everyone else.
The second is whether this is a wise thing to do. On one level, that is a question for these folk to determine. Certainly there are many parts of the world where these sort of re-enactments occur. Sometimes actual crucifixions take place.
Mark Driscoll’s Mars Hill churches were going to show a thirty minute video of the crucifixion account last Friday that was graphic enough for Driscoll to advise parents not to allow their young children to remain in the service and watch it.
Personally I’m growing a bit wary of the emphasis on the physical suffering that Christ underwent on the cross. I’m not certain that the emphasis on a painful death takes into account that the important thing was that Christ suffered a cursed death. I don’t want to detract from his physical suffering, but the essence of His travail was the spiritual torment that Jesus experienced as He suffered the eternal penalty due for humanity’s sin. The two cannot be separated, but the physical suffering was not the greatest element in His redemptive work.
Bearing the curse of our sin was.
No re-enactment can convey that.
mgpcpastor's blog 
Hi Gary –
I had a fantastic Easter weekend and I hope you did too. If the Hawks had only held on yesterday it would have been perfect.
I would like the police’s claim that the re-enactment was creating a breach of the peace to be tested. The church group is from one of the more poor and nasty parts of Geelong, and they were probably completed intimidated by the threat of fines and charges – they’re not the sort of people who would relish the chance to run a test case. In an age where young people can walk around unchallenged with strong obscenities written on their t-shirts, what qualifies as public behaviour offensive enough to merit police harrassment? Apparently re-enacting the crucifixion does…
I only wish that the police were so vigilent about breaches of the peace when it comes to hippies “blockading” the entrances to the office buildings of companies with which they disagree, or trying to “shut down” conferences they disapprove of. Stopping people going about their private lawful business is a violent act in my opinion.
But on the question of passion re-enactments, isn’t it interesting that many non-RC church groups that don’t have a distinctly Reformed confession are starting to recover medieval practices like the passion play, and other things that tend to emphasise images (eg powerpoint shows) rather than the written Word of God and that Word preached.
There doesn’t seem to be much doubt that the police over-reacted.
But as I always say: if it’s a choice between conspiracy or stuff up, it’s usually a stuff up.
Perhaps not specific religious persecution, or evev persecution of any type, just over zealous and self-important officiating that those of us from churches may have some experience with.
Geelong Sin City
I feel obliged to write about the article last week in the paper regarding the re-enactment of Good Friday, being stopped by Geelong Police.
When I read this, I immediately felt ashamed to be part of Geelong. I recall in the weeks leading up to Halloween, I saw many shops displaying horrifying images on their front windows. Ghosts, Witches and bloodied chopped off heads just to name a few.
I wonder if those who complained about Jesus on the cross, also complained about the equally (if not worse) images of Halloween?
Would the Police have stepped in?
Should other shop owners have complained because people were busy looking at Halloween images rather than spending money?
I wonder if the shop owners, who were more concerned with greed on a holy day, now face greater quite times as a backlash of their complaints, for the measly 45 minutes they claim they were affected?
If people are more interested in watching a FREE re-enactment of good Friday rather than spending money, isn’t that their choice?
The complaints are that this was too confronting for some. But this is real life. Parents take their kids to watch violent sports like AFL. The foul language and obscene gestures that come from these matches is disgusting. Not to mention the fights. But the AFL is allowed to continue in Geelong and is encouraged.
Images of the crucifixion are usually surrounded by Roman soldiers and those who condemned Jesus. But the images in Geelong show the Geelong Victoria Police surrounding Jesus. Surely the Police had other things to do. Have they not already had enough allegations of Racism and corruption against them, and now this!
The next time I read stories of people trying to contact the Geelong Police with serious matters, but are unable to get help because Geelong apparently does not have enough Police officers, I will now know they have their hands full with complaints about a Crucifixion re-enactment.
I think the re – enactment should have been allowed to stay. After all, I think it is the Geelong Police who need Jesus most. They should apologise to everyone who believes in freedom, and ask Jesus for forgiveness. The same goes to those who made complaints. Take a good look at your own lives, if you think you are perfect, you can throw the first stone!
In closing, I would like to congratulate the Church of Heaven on Earth for the courage shown. The effort they went to far outweighs those of the bigger richer Churches. WELL DONE
Passion for Christ (Norlane)