Pondering the Passion explores how the story of the death of Jesus has been imagined and portrayed over the centuries. In the shadow of the Holocaust and under the eye of contemporary scrutiny, the varied and often conflicting depictions of the Passion of Christ raise questions lying at the heart of both the Jewish and the Christian faiths.

Part 2 Introduction: The Passion-"What's at Stake for Christians and Jews?" Part 3 First-Century History Chapter 4 The Jews Under Roman Rule Chapter 5 The Problem of Jewish Jurisprudence and the Trial of Jesus Chapter 6 Why was Jesus Executed?: History and Faith Part 7 The Bible Chapter 8 Separating the True from the Historical: A Catholic Approach to the Passion Narratives Chapter 8 Protestant Understandings of the Passion Part 10 The Arts Chapter 11 The Depiction of Jews in Early Passion Iconography Chapter 12 The Passion in Music: Bach's Settings of the Matthew and John Passions Chapter 13 Oberammegau: A Case Study of Passion Plays Chapter 14 Celluloid Passions Part 15 Theology Chapter 16 What Does it Mean to be Saved? Chapter 17 Why is the Death of Jesus Redemptive? Part 18 The Passion of Christ Chapter 19 A Challenge to Catholic Teaching Chapter 20 Gibson's Passion in the Face of the Shoah's Ethical Considerations Chapter 20 Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? The Psychological Risks of "Witnessing" the Passion Chapter 22 Educating for a Faith that Feels and Thinks