I wont even go into the idea that in statements Dallas Jenkins doesn't know the difference between the Mormon Jesus and the Christian Jesus....
Ya know - anytime exposure is made to the life of Christ it is a good thing. More people truly trusting in Christ would be a game changer for this world.
That being said - the Chosen has its issues - most of which is that it does not have anywhere near the level of care for staying true to the gospels. Matthew as Autistic? A ripped Peter? Christ practicing the Sermon on the Mount? Mary Magdalene returning to sin after being freed from demons? Christ getting help from Matthew for a sermon? Nicodemus almost following Christ? John the Baptist critical of Christ? Christ saying "I am the law of Moses"? Women as active participants with the Disciples? Down playing of Roman violence and harshness?
I just shudder to think that some people think this is a fair rendition of the Bible and that this is actually in the Bible. I think this is the point most missed - the Bible doesn't need extra drama - it already depicts the most dramatic moment in history when the Creator of the Universe stepped out of time and glory and took on human form - living among us without sin, dying as a substitution for us, defeating death, and ascending into heaven. Why on earth is anything else even needed?
Women have been active participants in the Gospel since the woman at the well, who could be considered the first evangelist. The first witnesses of Christ's resurrection were also women.
I totally agree - but the point is that most of the interaction between the Disciples and the women in the Chosen are extra-Scriptural and not really representative of the customs of the time in the first century middle-east culture. There is this compelling need to modernize the story which is really quite offensive.
Bennett Boyle
Wish this show stuck closer to the Bible. Have tried multiple times to give it a watch but too many extra biblical things being said by Jesus. Him asking Nicodemus "What does your heart tell you?" when Nicodemus asks how he is to know what Jesus says is true really sums up where this show seems to go astray. That sounds warm and Disney-like, but the problem is its not theologically sound ("The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick") and Jesus never said anything remotely close to this to Nicodemus. Also, in a scene with Judas this past season, Jesus tells Judas "I want your heart and I've had it before." This is a very problematic and unscriptural view of the situation with Judas and salvation in general. John 17:12 ("which calls Judas a son of perdition" and "doomed to destruction") which tell us that Judas was predestined to betray Jesus, Jesus never had his heart. If he did have it and lost it what does that say about our own assurance of salvation?
Dallas Jenkins said this: "It's a dangerous proposition, You're walking a fine line, especially as someone like myself who loves the Bible, and I know that people who watch it, the majority of people who watch it, are going to be wanting us to remain faithful to the scriptures as much as possible. We operate from this question: Is this plausible? Whatever we write, if it didn't come from Scripture — is this plausible, culturally, historically? And does it fit within the character and intentions of Jesus and in the Gospels, even if it's not directly from them, or even if we don't know if it's fact or not?" Jenkins is failing to uphold this standard and proving that without very careful theological consideration, walking this fine line is a fools errand. The show's theological advisors includes protestants, Catholics, Rabbis and its main source of crowdfunding is a Mormon platform. This is far too many people to please and far too pluralistic of an approach to be able to to state hardline theological truths and walk that fine line of theological accuracy without falling into a ditch. Wanting to reach this large of audience has a tendency to water down theological precision.
Jenkins also stresses that the show "isn't pretending to be the Bible" and says they have not claimed to be the Bible. This may be literally true, but they have marketed themselves as a ministry (creating outreach and devotional materials, Bible-study tie ins). If this show wishes to function as a para-church ministry its standard cannot be "what is plausible, historically" and if that is its standard then I would reckon it's not much of a ministry at all. It seems to me that Jenkins and The Chosen would like to have it both ways, existing in a gray area between entertainment and ministry, so that they can get funding/support but also have maximum creative freedom. This is a dangerous combination that could lead the unsuspecting consumer astray spiritually.
I thought the same thing in the scene where Jesus asks Nicodemus "What does your heart tell you?" Of course, the only person who could know for sure at that moment what was in Nicodemus's heart WOULD have been Jesus, and obviously if what was in Nicodemus's heart was not true and good, Jesus would never have asked him about what was in his heart. Hypothetically. ;)
(But yes, I'm also tired of hearing the cliched "follow your heart" admonitions, as if the heart is just naturally full of good and true things.)
CHUR8560
Oh wow! Now that’s exciting.
If i understand right, there will be 3 feature length films with the episodes divided between them? Or will each episode have 3 parts?
With Season 4, they made episodes 1-2-3 into a movie, and episodes 4-5-6 into another movie released a week later, and then episodes 7-8 into a third movie. No doubt they're doing about the same this time.
I wont even go into the idea that in statements Dallas Jenkins doesn't know the difference between the Mormon Jesus and the Christian Jesus....
Ya know - anytime exposure is made to the life of Christ it is a good thing. More people truly trusting in Christ would be a game changer for this world.
That being said - the Chosen has its issues - most of which is that it does not have anywhere near the level of care for staying true to the gospels. Matthew as Autistic? A ripped Peter? Christ practicing the Sermon on the Mount? Mary Magdalene returning to sin after being freed from demons? Christ getting help from Matthew for a sermon? Nicodemus almost following Christ? John the Baptist critical of Christ? Christ saying "I am the law of Moses"? Women as active participants with the Disciples? Down playing of Roman violence and harshness?
I just shudder to think that some people think this is a fair rendition of the Bible and that this is actually in the Bible. I think this is the point most missed - the Bible doesn't need extra drama - it already depicts the most dramatic moment in history when the Creator of the Universe stepped out of time and glory and took on human form - living among us without sin, dying as a substitution for us, defeating death, and ascending into heaven. Why on earth is anything else even needed?
Women have been active participants in the Gospel since the woman at the well, who could be considered the first evangelist. The first witnesses of Christ's resurrection were also women.
I totally agree - but the point is that most of the interaction between the Disciples and the women in the Chosen are extra-Scriptural and not really representative of the customs of the time in the first century middle-east culture. There is this compelling need to modernize the story which is really quite offensive.
Wish this show stuck closer to the Bible. Have tried multiple times to give it a watch but too many extra biblical things being said by Jesus. Him asking Nicodemus "What does your heart tell you?" when Nicodemus asks how he is to know what Jesus says is true really sums up where this show seems to go astray. That sounds warm and Disney-like, but the problem is its not theologically sound ("The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick") and Jesus never said anything remotely close to this to Nicodemus. Also, in a scene with Judas this past season, Jesus tells Judas "I want your heart and I've had it before." This is a very problematic and unscriptural view of the situation with Judas and salvation in general. John 17:12 ("which calls Judas a son of perdition" and "doomed to destruction") which tell us that Judas was predestined to betray Jesus, Jesus never had his heart. If he did have it and lost it what does that say about our own assurance of salvation?
Dallas Jenkins said this: "It's a dangerous proposition, You're walking a fine line, especially as someone like myself who loves the Bible, and I know that people who watch it, the majority of people who watch it, are going to be wanting us to remain faithful to the scriptures as much as possible. We operate from this question: Is this plausible? Whatever we write, if it didn't come from Scripture — is this plausible, culturally, historically? And does it fit within the character and intentions of Jesus and in the Gospels, even if it's not directly from them, or even if we don't know if it's fact or not?" Jenkins is failing to uphold this standard and proving that without very careful theological consideration, walking this fine line is a fools errand. The show's theological advisors includes protestants, Catholics, Rabbis and its main source of crowdfunding is a Mormon platform. This is far too many people to please and far too pluralistic of an approach to be able to to state hardline theological truths and walk that fine line of theological accuracy without falling into a ditch. Wanting to reach this large of audience has a tendency to water down theological precision.
Jenkins also stresses that the show "isn't pretending to be the Bible" and says they have not claimed to be the Bible. This may be literally true, but they have marketed themselves as a ministry (creating outreach and devotional materials, Bible-study tie ins). If this show wishes to function as a para-church ministry its standard cannot be "what is plausible, historically" and if that is its standard then I would reckon it's not much of a ministry at all. It seems to me that Jenkins and The Chosen would like to have it both ways, existing in a gray area between entertainment and ministry, so that they can get funding/support but also have maximum creative freedom. This is a dangerous combination that could lead the unsuspecting consumer astray spiritually.
I thought the same thing in the scene where Jesus asks Nicodemus "What does your heart tell you?" Of course, the only person who could know for sure at that moment what was in Nicodemus's heart WOULD have been Jesus, and obviously if what was in Nicodemus's heart was not true and good, Jesus would never have asked him about what was in his heart. Hypothetically. ;)
(But yes, I'm also tired of hearing the cliched "follow your heart" admonitions, as if the heart is just naturally full of good and true things.)
Oh wow! Now that’s exciting.
If i understand right, there will be 3 feature length films with the episodes divided between them? Or will each episode have 3 parts?
With Season 4, they made episodes 1-2-3 into a movie, and episodes 4-5-6 into another movie released a week later, and then episodes 7-8 into a third movie. No doubt they're doing about the same this time.