Shadows On The Cross

At one point in Shadows on the Cross, a bizarre image is seen on the TV screen: a German church service, circa WWII, where on the draped cloths, crosses share space with swastikas. This intriguing documentary examines the history of Christian-Jewish relations, and, in particular, compares the treatment of Jews by the Nazis, to the treatment from the Church. Beginning with the well known, but little reflected upon, historical detail that Jesus Christ was a Jew, the program examines the writings of the early Christian fathers (which contained a virulent streak of anti-Semitism), and posits the claim that, perhaps, more than anything else, anti-Semitism is a product of Christianity. An amazing assertion, to be sure, but borne out by the evidence which Shadows on the Cross presents. How many Protestants, for instance, are aware of Martin Luther's written assessment of the Jewish people: "we are at fault in not slaying them..."? Amazingly, the Nazi treatment of the Jews (the wearing of distinctive marks, the separation into ghettos, etc.) is pre-dated by the Christian Church's in almost every particular--with the exception of murder. The program concludes with discussions among Jewish and Christian scholars laying out the hope that Christianity will realize its responsibility in the sufferings of the Jewish people, and adjust its teachings accordingly. An intriguing and unusual program, highly recommended for those libraries who can afford it. (Available from: Landmark Films, 3450 Slade Run Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042; 1-800-342-4336.)