Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 8/4/2004

Question
Hi Pastor Carpenter,

Recently I saw "The Passion of the Christ." I was born and raised a Catholic and my wife Jewish. We have various discussions about Christianity. My wife is does not take the Bible in a literal way. She believes many things are taken out of context (like the "parting of the Red Sea, Noah's Arc-How can all the animal species fit on a boat?, etc.). She also questions why there aren't any female prophets that played a part in the writings of the Bible. She has read where parts of the Bible that included women in larger roles have been taken out. I've got 2 questions:

1. What is your opinion of "The Passion?" Is it truthful and would you allow your children to see it?

2. Why is just about everything that pertains to the writings of the Bible by male prophets? In the Catholic faith, men are priests and women only nuns. It seems women don't play a role in religious writings. Does that mean, in God's eyes, they have a lower "ranking?" Thanks for your opinions.

Answer
Hi Dan

I think that the passion was the closest thing to a Biblical account that has ever come out of Hollywood....not I would never go to Hollywood for a correct interpretation of scriptures...but I think this is OK...  I did let my teen children go to it, but not my younger children because of the violence.

I think that women did not play a larger role because men were designed to be leaders, and when women were in leadership it was because of a lack of good male leaders.  This does not mean women are lower, just not used in the same way.

In Christ,
Pastor Don