Supervised Reading Unit: Church History (CH9424M)

This essay will explore the history and reception of the Oberammergau Passion Play, its (real and alleged) perpetuation of Christian antisemitism, and its more recent attempts to rehabilitate its reputation. The essay will consider the extent to which the removal of explicit antisemitic tropes within this Passion Play over recent years has been successful. Finally, the essay will consider the function of the Oberammergau Passion Play as a site of pilgrimage. The essay will be written in conjunction with a) a critical engagement with relevant scholarly literature, and b) attendance at the 2022 performance of the Passion Play during second semester.

1. narrate the history of the OPP from its inception in the 17th century to today
2. describe the role played by the OPP in the evolution and perpetuation of (German) Christian antisemitism
3. valuate the scholarly and religious critiques of the OPP in the decades since the Holocaust
4. critically analyse the 2022 text of the OPP in relation to the 2010 text, and evaluate the significance of the differences, in the light of Jewish-Christian relations