Vicar promotes Passion of Christ

The church hopes showing the film will attract new followers

A church in Liverpool has paid to put on two screenings of Mel Gibson's controversial new film, The Passion of the Christ, at a local cinema.

The movie has come under fire for its graphic violence and its portrayal of the Jews.

But the Frontline Church, in Wavertree, has reserved two screens for showings of the film at Liverpool's UCG multiplex on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Senior Pastor Nick Harding hopes the move will attract new churchgoers.

Fantastic opportunity

Rev Harding said: "We're here as a church for 'the un-churched'.

"We desperately want people who don't know Jesus to come to know him.

"We felt it was such a fantastic opportunity both to promote the story of Christ's death and resurrection that we wanted to make a special event of it for our church."

He added that the biggest benefit would come if regular churchgoers took friends who did not attend.