You might know him as the full-throated, bulked-up, and kilt-wearing fighter in Braveheart or as the vengeful Australian policeman named Max in the Mad Max series – Mel Gibson has been in the film industry for a very, very long time. However, his career has been plagued with controversy, with his religion and church having some heads turning. But why is this so, and what is even his religion? Let’s find out here.
Mel Gibson is a traditional Catholic. This means that he adheres to the old ways, specifically the Roman Catholic faith before the modernization of the Second Vatican Council of 1962-1965. This entails attending a Latin Mass and not recognizing the authority of the Pope. He also built his own church.
Continue reading to learn more about traditional Catholicism and Mel Gibson’s life.
Who Is Mel Gibson?
Mel Gibson is a US-born Australian actor who received international success with a series of action-adventure movies throughout the 80s. Aside from acting, he also tried directing and producing – in which he found immense success.
Gibson’s career spans decades. He made his film debut in 1977, playing a surfer in the low-budget film “Summer City” while enrolled in the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. In the same year, he graduated and joined the State Theatre Company of South Australia where he appeared in classical productions such as Henry IV and Oedipus.
After acting on stage, Gibson shifted to television. He got his first role in the Australian series “The Sullivans”. In 1979, he finally got his big break and entered mainstream cinema when he was cast in George Miller’s futuristic film “Mad Max”, which was a big commercial success worldwide.
In 1981, Gibson appeared in “Gallipoli” a World War I drama, which earned him his second Australian Film Institute award for Best Actor. That same year, he reprised his role in “ Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior”. It was an immediate success upon its release in the US in 1982, fully establishing him as an international star. He then landed roles one after another. By 1985, he was featured on the cover of People Magazine as its very first “Sexiest Man Alive”, further confirming his popularity.
Aside from being an actor, Mel Gibson is also a known director and producer. In 1990, he starred and produced the film “Hamlet”. He then made his directorial debut in 1993 through the movie “The Man Without a Face”, in which he also starred. Then in 1995, he directed and starred in “Braveheart”, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director.
Mel Gibson and The Passion of the Christ
After “Braveheart”, Gibson continued to star in a string of successful films. His directing career, however, took the back seat. He returned only in 2004 with the film “The Passion of the Christ”, which was an account of Jesus Christ’s final hours and his Crucifixion.
Essentially, the movie was based on the Gospels of the Bible. It was a tribute and testimony to Gibson’s religious upbringing and his belief system. During an interview with ABC News, he admitted that he was inspired to direct “The Passion of the Christ” because it was a difficult time for him. It was at the “height of spiritual bankruptcy” when he was abusing drugs and alcohol. He even got to a point when he thought about throwing himself out a window.
But before finally losing himself, Gibson turned to the Bible. According to him, he tried his best to interpret the Gospels in his movie – which, by the way, he didn’t receive any cash compensation for even though he was already earning more than $20 million for every movie he starred in. Not only that, he even put millions of his own money into this project.
Before its release, however, “The Passion of the Christ” faced many criticisms and controversies. The movie was said to be anti-Semitic, which Gibson categorically denied. Some also accuse the movie of being too violent, fueling hatred, being full of bigotry, and being historically inaccurate.
One of the biggest controversies thrown at Gibson was his narrative that the Jews were Jesus’ enemies, depicting them as angry and bloodthirsty people who were determined to make Christ suffer. This is contrary to what the Catholic Church teaches and what most Christians believe.
That said, with such negative things thrown at it, you’d think that the movie would just crash and burn, right? Well, to the surprise of many, “The Passion of the Christ” actually became such a huge hit. According to Box Office Mojo, the movie earned more than $611,000,000 worldwide. Plus, it was nominated by a bunch of awarding bodies, including the Oscars.
What Is Mel Gibson’s Religion?
So what does the movie “The Passion of the Christ” have to do with Gibson’s faith and belief? What is even his religion?
Mel Gibson is a traditional Catholic. This makes him part of a movement that adheres to the practices, customs, beliefs, traditions, and liturgical forms of the Catholic Church before it was modernized by the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965). Such a group is also more conservative in its philosophy and view of the world, encouraging its members to be more modest in not only dressing but in their roles in society as well.
Now, among traditionalists, there’s an even more extreme group with more conservative beliefs. This is called “Sedevacantism”, which translates to “the seat (of the papacy) is empty”. This is why members of such a group believe that there hasn’t been a legitimate pope since 1958.
It should be noted that Gibson has never said that he was a Sedevacant Traditional Catholic. However, his father, Hutton Gibson, was a well-known activist against Vatican II and even authored the book “Is the Pope Catholic?” Moreover, Mel Gibson has his own chapel called the Church of the Holy Family, which is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese. It’s a rustic church, tucked away in the mountains of Agoura Hills in Malibu, California, complete with a crucifix, an altar, and a priest. The difference is that masses are performed in Latin and women are required to wear head coverings.
