Watching The Chosen
History, Faith, and Interpretation
- Arts & Literature
- Theology
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Published: 2025
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Publisher's Description
What makes The Chosen so popular, and how does it portray Jesus and his disciples? The Chosen is the first-ever multiple-season television show about Jesus Christ and his first followers. With over half a billion views on its free electronic media app, the show has amassed a worldwide following and has now become available on cable networks, streaming services, and broadcast television venues as well as making appearances in theatrical releases. But what, exactly, makes it so appealing to viewers? And how do its theology and storytelling technique compare with the biblical narratives? These and other questions are addressed in this fascinating collection of essays written by theologians, biblical scholars, and other academics from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. The authors discuss the theatrical portrayal of Jesus, the theological ideas and ideals represented in the program, and the ways it utilizes—and sometimes overutilizes—artistic license in bringing the stories from the Bible’s four canonical Gospels to the screen. Although approaching the television show as academics, the authors are sympathetic to the faith implications of The Chosen and are themselves writing from a range of theological perspectives. This thought-provoking volume will appeal to people interested in the intersection of theology and popular culture, church leaders seeking to utilize The Chosen in their ministries, and fans of the television show. Contributors: Daniel M. Garland Jr. Robert K. Garcia Paul Gondreau Patrick Gray Matthew Grey Kenneth Gumbert Liz Hall Todd Hall Jeannine Hanger John Hilton III Douglas S. Huffman James F. Keating David Kneip Dolores Morris Joy E. A. Qualls Deborah Savage Jesse Stone Gaye Strathearn T. Adam Van Wart
Endorsements (4)
“While reading this book, I was so enthralled by what I was learning about Christ and his Word that I forgot I’m the one who makes the show they’re referencing. Conversations like the ones in this fascinating book, even in the moments when I disagreed, are what I’ve always hoped the show would engender. We must go deeper in our relationship with and understanding of Christ, and this book is an essential tool in that pursuit.”
“The groundbreaking, provocative series The Chosen deserves groundbreaking, provocative analysis. The contributors to this volume have done just that. They have demonstrated how philosophy and theology can successfully enhance, enrich, and challenge us in our engaging this extraordinary series on Jesus of Nazareth. Essential reading.”
“The Chosen probably presents Jesus’s heart and life to more people in the world right now than any other medium. This book helps us understand and articulate in a more sophisticated way why that is the case. Granted, biblical scholars like myself will have quibbles here and there about some historical details (though overall The Chosen is careful); but had biblical scholars been in charge of the script, it would have been a different genre (documentary) with not a fraction of the impact! Like the ancient practice of lectio divina or medieval Corpus Christi plays, The Chosen engages our imaginations to enter the world of Jesus and invites us to consider for ourselves what it was like to be with our Lord in fully human form.”
“This volume features scholarly yet accessible essays on The Chosen, perhaps the most remarkable cinematic depiction of the life of Christ in American history. The essays, addressing topics from Jesus’s divinity to his interaction with women, demonstrate that the series stands alone not just because of its widespread popularity but also because of its theologically rich depiction of the life of Christ.”
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