The Chosen, Biblical Literacy, and the Danger of Filling in the Blanks
The Chosen, Biblical Literacy, and the Danger of Filling in the Blanks Are we getting to know the Jesus of Scripture, or the Jesus of someone else's imagination? I have watched The Chosen , and I will readily admit that, as a television drama, I think it is well done. The acting is compelling, the characters are engaging, and the writers have worked hard to bring the world of Jesus and His disciples to life. There are moments when the series genuinely moves me. I appreciate seeing the disciples portrayed as ordinary men and women with fears, weaknesses, personalities, and struggles. After all, these were real people whom Jesus called to follow Him. But as much as I appreciate the production, I have a growing concern. Sometimes I wonder whether The Chosen fills in too many blanks that Scripture has intentionally left unanswered. And my greater concern isn't necessarily with the writers themselves. It is with something much bigger: biblical literacy. When Imagination Begins to...