Photo of actor Jonathan Roumie in his role as Jesus Christ in The Chosen, a historical drama about the life of Jesus Christ and his followers. thechosen.lingoapp.com

Abstract: This article explores the impact of the television series The Chosen through the lens of Latter-day Saint theology, education, and interfaith connection. Highlighting its unprecedented global reach, the article examines how the series can deepen viewers’ understanding of Jesus Christ. It recounts the miraculous circumstances through which The Chosen gained access to the Church’s Jerusalem set in Goshen, Utah, and underscores the production’s ecumenical spirit, involving Evangelical, Catholic, and Latter-day Saint collaborators. The article further outlines how The Chosen can strengthen interfaith dialogue and be used in gospel classrooms and homes as a tool for spiritual growth.

Keywords: interfaith efforts, Jesus Christ, New Testament, teaching the gospel

Film depictions of Jesus Christ have influenced both individuals and gospel classrooms for more than a century. The first film about Jesus Christ was an eleven-minute silent film released in 1898, and the first major Hollywood production featuring the Savior’s life was Cecil DeMille’s The King of Kings (1927).[1] Since that time, hundreds of movies and related media like television programs have been made about the life of Jesus Christ.[2] In addition to movies that follow the biblical story of Jesus Christ, many fictional movies have been created about characters who make a minor appearance in the life of Christ (e.g., Ben-Hur, Salome, Barabbas).

In recent years, the most prominent cinematic depiction of Jesus Christ is the historical drama television series The Chosen. The first episode of season 1 was released in April 2019, and as of 2024, a reported two hundred million viewers had logged over 770 million episode views.[3] It has been dubbed or subtitled in more than fifty languages, setting a new world record for the most-translated television show.[4]

For Latter-day Saints, The Chosen presents tremendous opportunities both for learning more about Jesus Christ and for building bridges with other Christians. In this article we address the following four key questions about the television series to provide insights for Latter-day Saints: What is The Chosen? What connections exist between The Chosen and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?How can The Chosen be a vehicle to strengthen interfaith relationships? How can The Chosen be used as a learning and teaching tool in the home and classroom? We will show that unlike traditional portrayals confined to single films or miniseries, The Chosen presents a dynamic, character-driven narrative that spans several years, offering significant staying power. The Chosen not only enhances our understanding of Jesus Christ but also serves as a powerful tool for fostering interfaith dialogue and deepening religious education within the Christian community.

What is The Chosen?

The Chosen is a historical drama about the life of Jesus Christ and his followers. Director Dallas Jenkins sought to bring the story of Jesus Christ to life in a fresh and innovative way that would resonate with contemporary audiences while remaining faithful to the biblical narrative. He and his producers envisioned a multiseason television series that would allow for an in-depth exploration of the lives of Jesus and his followers.[5]

When Jenkins first set out to create what would become The Chosen, he had no idea that it would become a global phenomenon. In January 2017 he released a film called The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, which performed poorly at the box office. He describes that moment as “a huge career failure” and “one of the lowest moments of [his] life.” But it was out of that failure that The Chosen was born. Jenkins said, “In that moment, I was met by God more than any other moment in my life. God laid it on my heart so strongly and so powerfully and so clearly and explicitly that I needed to give my career to him.”[6]

He started shooting a short film called The Shepherd for the Christmas Eve celebration of his church. The film portrays Christ’s birth through the eyes of local shepherds and was the spark for the idea to do a multiseason cinematic portrayal of Christ’s life. Jenkins sent the film to his friend Matthew Faraci, who shared it with Jeffrey and Neal Harmon, cofounders of Angel Studios.[7] They were moved by the power of the short film and worked with Jenkins and his business partner Derral Eves to launch the film as a pilot on Facebook in a crowdfunding campaign that would give the public the opportunity to back the production of the show as investors.[8] Despite his skepticism with the funding model, Jenkins agreed to move forward, feeling like all he could do was bring his “loaves and fish” to the Lord, and turn them over to him for a miracle.[9] In 2017 The Shepherd went viral, and the crowdfunding effort succeeded in raising a record-breaking ten million dollars from sixteen thousand backers who invested in the first season of what would come to be known as The Chosen.[10]

With funding materializing, it was time to decide on a title for the series and begin casting. The title, The Chosen, was selected after Jenkins and a member of his marketing team recognized its relevance to three important aspects of the show: Jesus as the Chosen One, the Jews as God’s chosen people, and those individuals whom Jesus chose to follow him.[11] One of the most distinctive features of The Chosen is its character-driven approach to storytelling. Unlike traditional biblical adaptations that tend to focus solely on the central figure of Jesus, The Chosen explores the lives of the people who surrounded him.

By humanizing these characters and portraying their struggles, doubts, and triumphs, The Chosen makes the biblical narrative more relatable and accessible to contemporary audiences. For example, the character of Matthew, played by Paras Patel, is depicted as a socially awkward tax collector on the autism spectrum. Apostle “Little James” is played by Jordan Walker Ross, an actor with severe scoliosis and minor cerebral palsy.[12] Jenkins embraced Ross’s disability and wrote it into his character in an act Ross described as “another level of inclusion and visibility” for actors with disabilities.[13] With depth and complexity, the series also portrays many of the women mentioned only briefly in the biblical narrative, including Peter’s wife (played by Lara Silva), Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish), and Joanna (Amy Bailey). This diverse array of characters enhances the relatability of the themes explored in The Chosen.

The multiseason nature of this show is significant because, unlike a single film that might receive attention for a few months prior to and immediately after release, The Chosen is expected to release a new season in 2025, as well as in 2027 and 2028, making it a feature of the Christian religious landscape for years to come. This ongoing influence naturally raises questions about the show’s connections to various religious traditions, including its surprising ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

What Connections Exist Between The Chosen and the Church?

Although The Chosen maintains its independence from any specific religious denomination, its production has been significantly shaped by contributions from devout individuals from a variety of faith traditions. Jenkins is an evangelical Christian, and Jonathan Roumie, the actor who portrays Jesus, is Catholic.[14] Angel Studios cofounders Jeffrey and Neal Harmon, as well as executive producers Brad Pelo and Derral Eves, are Latter-day Saints. While The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not formally endorsed the show and does not contribute financially or ideologically to its production, it is commonly known that beginning in season 2 (and every season since that time), many scenes from The Chosen have been filmed on the Church’s Jerusalem set, the LDS Motion Picture Studio South Campus in Goshen, Utah. What is not commonly known are the miraculous details of how The Chosen obtained permission to use this set.

The Jerusalem set in Goshen features an authentic recreation of important sites in first-century Jerusalem, including sections of the temple, the pool of Bethesda, and the Court of the Women. The topography surrounding the set on the 830 acres of church-owned property is remarkably similar to the Holy Land, characterized by rolling hills, small groves of trees, sand dunes, and plains.[15] The set was originally built to shoot films such as the New Testament Bible videos that would be utilized in many aspects of the Church’s work, from religious education to missionary efforts.[16]

Allowing members of other faiths to use the set was an explicit part of the site’s purpose. In the dedicatory prayer offered on August 2, 2011, Elder David A. Bednar specifically petitioned the Lord to touch the hearts of other film producers, praying: “We also ask Thee to bless other believers in the film industry that they will be touched and influenced to inquire how this set might be used to further goodness and righteousness throughout the earth.”[17]

Dallas Jenkins was one of the believers in the film industry who felt drawn to this set. As the producers of The Chosen prepared to shoot season 2, including the first of many scenes set in Jerusalem, it became critical to find a set that would authentically portray first-century Jerusalem. The high cost and logistical complications of building a set from scratch led Jenkins to explore alternative options—including international locations that soon proved to be impossible with the onset of COVID-19.

Before the start of COVID-19, leaders at Angel Studios had explored the possibility of The Chosen using the Church’s Goshen set, but as with attempts to identify international filming locations, the COVID-19 pandemic brought progress to a halt. On June 1, 2020, Brad Pelo woke up with a clear impression to ask one of his friends who was a member of the Angel Studios Board if they had succeeded in acquiring use of the Goshen set.[18]

Pelo’s company had recently been purchased by Bonneville Corporation, which is owned by the Church and had stewardship over the Goshen set. Pelo had previously communicated with this board member about The Chosen’s request to use the site. After talking with his friend, Pelo learned that the Church wasn’t accepting requests from any organization to use the Goshen site because of the pandemic.

Although there were no guarantees that he would be successful, Pelo began discussions with Bonneville executives about the possibility that an exception could be made for The Chosen. On June 5, 2024, Dallas Jenkins and Derral Eves were in Utah, and Jenkins visited Jerusalemset in Goshen for the first time. While on the set, Jenkins recorded some personal impressions stating that he felt The Chosen would be allowed to film on that location and that it would change the world. Jenkins later recalled, “It was the greatest set I’d ever seen. I felt God pressing on my heart, telling me that lives are going to be changed because of the work that you will do on this set.”[19]

But despite these feelings and multiple attempts by various individuals to see if The Chosen could use the Goshen set despite the COVID restrictions, permission for an exception was not granted. It looked like production of The Chosen would be delayed, perhaps by multiple years, while they worked to raise funds to build a Jerusalem set in Texas. Although Jenkins was deflated, his wife Amanda did not waver. Jenkins recalled, “My wife is very in tune with the Spirit, and she said that God had put it on her heart that we will be working on the [Goshen] set. God is taking us to the edge of the Red Sea.”[20]

Jenkins was not the only one who was discouraged. Neal Harmon recalled, “We were getting noes from everyone. I knelt down and prayed, ‘God, this is not happening. We need Your help. What more can I do?’ And the answer was, ‘There’s nothing more you can do. I need Dallas to do one more thing.’”[21]

Jenkins did not know anything about Harmon’s impression. In response to his difficult circumstances, Jenkins had gone to the place where he filmed The Shepherd to find solace in prayer. On July 5, 2020, Jenkins released a video explaining to fans about the lack of a set that was stymieing the filming of season 2.[22] The video, which received over half a million views, garnered thousands of supportive comments and inspired a flood of prayers.[23] Jenkins identifies that moment of unified prayer as the turning point for the future of The Chosen, saying that “things started happening that were unexplainable. . . . So many windows opened and noes became yeses.”[24]

The next day, on July 6, 2024, one of the Harmons’ friends was pondering on the situation with The Chosen and the Goshen set. This person had been working with the Harmon brothers to publicize The Chosen and investigate the possibility of The Chosen using the Goshen site. At this point, it seemed very unlikely that approval would be granted, given the fact that the filming deadline required a final decision on set location by mid-July, and any General Authorities who could approve an exception to the COVID-19 policy were not available (General Authorities typically reserve the month of July for personal and family matters).

This individual had recently been involved in some meetings with Elder M. Russell Ballard and had given both Elder Ballard and Suzanne Drysdale (Elder Ballard’s secretary) copies of season 1 of The Chosen.[25] On the morning of July 6, the man felt multiple strong impressions to call Elder Ballard’s office. He first talked with Drysdale, who was enthusiastic about The Chosen. She had watched every episode and noted some of her favorite scenes. When he told her that he was calling regarding The Chosen and the Goshen set, she connected him to Elder Ballard, who in spite of the aforementioned personal time given to General Authorities in July was in his office that morning (in fact, Elder Ballard was leaving for Alaska the next day, so this timing was very fortuitous).[26]

After their conversation, Elder Ballard agreed to watch some clips from The Chosen that morning; a few hours later, Elder Ballard said he was impressed with The Chosen and wanted to see if he could help arrange for an exception to the COVID-19 policies to allow The Chosen to film in Goshen.[27]

Elder Ballard contacted Sheri Dew, the executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation, and asked her to see what would need to happen for an exception to be made.[28] Dew tasked Pelo with drafting a proposal that she could take to some members of the Quorum of the Twelve. He did so, but on July 8, Pelo received the disappointing news that only the First Presidency could approve exceptions for the use of the Goshen site and they would not be available for the remainder of the month.

Pelo, who had been encouraging Jenkins not to lose hope that the Goshen site would be made available, did not tell Jenkins that a decision could not be made in July. Instead, he encouraged Jenkins to visit him in Utah so that they could discuss things further. When Jenkins arrived on Monday, July 13, Pelo told Jenkins that only the First Presidency could make the exception and that they wouldn’t meet until early August. Because the timing was so crucial, Jenkins was very upset and responded that he couldn’t bear to tell his wife this news, because he had taken time away from the family to make this trip. He felt as though he might as well get back on the plane and head home.

Pelo later recounted, “I told Dallas that I felt this was a time where we needed to exercise greater faith. We needed to step into the sea, expecting it would part. That rather than run from a lack of clarity, we needed to remember what we had both felt when we were first on the set and trust the Lord would make a way.”

The following day, Pelo and Jenkins had a Zoom meeting with Elders Jeffrey R. Holland and David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve. In this meeting, Jenkins shared his vision for the series and his desire to tell Jesus’s story in an authentic and impactful way. His heartfelt pitch resonated with the Church leaders, who saw the potential for The Chosen to bring people closer to Jesus Christ despite denominational differences. “We found that we had the same goal in mind, which was to make Jesus known around the world,” Jenkins recalled.[29]

Elder Holland asked when The Chosen would need to know about permission to use the set in order to film there. Jenkins responded, “Yesterday.” Elder Holland suggested that in that case, they should try to get the First Presidency to make a decision during the July break. Jenkins joked, “You’re the best door-knocking church in the world—you can knock on their door, right?” Elder Holland asked Jenkins and Pelo to prepare a brief presentation for the First Presidency and said that he and Elder Bednar would handle its delivery, together with their own recommendation. After the meeting ended, Jenkins and Pelo created the presentation and sent it to Sheri Dew for her review.

On Wednesday, July 15, Pelo and Jenkins, along with Jeff and Neal Harmon and Jeff’s wife Anniele, gathered at the Goshen set before sunrise to pray together. The sun seemed to take forever to rise over the horizon, and Anniele remarked that it was a “reminder of the process we go through as we wait on the Lord, seeing evidence of his presence, but having to patiently wait for outcomes.”[30] When Jenkins asked Pelo his feelings, Pelo said that he believed they would make many happy memories together on the site.[31]

Jenkins returned home, and the next morning (Thursday, July 16) Pelo received the following email from Sheri Dew: “The First Presidency of the Church has indicated they have no objection to using the Goshen set to film the next season of The Chosen. This, of course, is an amazing development and in record time.”[32] Amanda Jenkins was not surprised, but Dallas was overjoyed and later reflected, “It was within ten days of posting the video that I was in Utah. I remember people saying after I had posted the video that they started praying and instantly it was as if God was saying, ‘I was just waiting for you to surrender. I will part the Red Sea and you will know that it’s Me.’”[33]

Part of the miracle of The Chosen’s use of the Goshen set is how it was foreshadowed by Elder Bednar nearly a decade earlier. In his brief remarks prior to offering the dedicatory prayer for the Jerusalem Set in 2011, Elder Bednar was inspired to state, “I feel to say that we seated in this tent today have no more idea about the influence for good that will come from the work that is conducted on this set than a babe that sits upon its mother’s lap. This work will influence the world in a remarkable way, in ways we cannot possibly imagine now. There are elements of this set that will be used for purposes we do not yet know, and we will all stand amazed remembering this tent, this day, this occasion. There is an influence for good that will go forth from this place that will be remarkable.”[34]

The connection between The Chosen and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can serve as a valuable example for Latter-day Saints as they seek to work in harmony with faithful believers of a variety of different faith traditions.

How Can The Chosen Strengthen Interfaith Relationships?

Perhaps surprisingly, the fact that people from multiple Christian faiths are working on the film has led some people to be suspicious of The Chosen. In an LDS Living podcast episode, Jenkins states, “I’ve gotten criticism from the LDS Church people who are uncomfortable with a show done by an evangelical; I’ve gotten criticism for evangelicals for working with people in the LDS community. So it has gone both ways.”[35] Similar criticism has been leveled by some Catholics.[36]

While it is valuable for individuals to identify which cinematic depictions resonate with their theological tradition and which do not, The Chosen does not need to cause dissension among Christians. On the contrary, it is full of Gospel-centered content that can be the foundation for interfaith connection. This can be seen in several recent events that have taken place. On March 2, 2022, Jenkins spoke to a large audience in Logan, Utah, at an event hosted by the Arrington Lecture Series, the religious studies program, and the Logan Institute of Religion on Utah State University campus. Patrick Mason, who serves as the Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture and was moderating the Q&A session, said of the event: “One of the main themes that I think emerged tonight was the ways that we can maybe drop our guard a little bit, that we can listen to other people, that we can be interested in what they care about, and we can come together around areas of shared interest, . . . and certainly the story of Jesus is hopefully one of those things that people can come around.”[37] During the event, Jenkins described “one of the joys of this project” as “seeing the religious walls that come down when we’re focused on Jesus himself.”[38]

On February 10, 2024, more than sixteen thousand people gathered in Nampa, Idaho, for an interfaith celebration centered on The Chosen. Multiple churches and interfaith organizations worked together to organize this event that hosted four actors from the television series. Actors were invited to share behind-the-scenes insights into the series and to discuss their own faith journeys.[39] Members of these different denominations also worked together at the event to collect food items for local food pantries, using The Chosen as the foundation for service as well as faith-building conversation.[40]

Just five weeks later, on March 14–15, 2024, scholars from around the United States gathered at Brigham Young University for “The Chosen Conference,” the first academic conference on The Chosen. These academics not only spoke to their peers but also to hundreds of people from the community who attended the conference. The conference provided powerful opportunities for academics from a variety of faith traditions to connect over their shared appreciation for The Chosen.

One conference participant wrote:

As a theologian with family ties and a personal history in Catholicism, Evangelical Protestantism, and the Latter-day Saints, I was incredibly pleased to discover the new avenues for interfaith conversation that an artistically driven show like The Chosen and events like this conference make possible. There were, of course, deep and significant theological differences present among the conference’s many participants. But this conference made it possible for us to establish new relationships around a common appreciation of The Chosen wherein genuinely fruitful dialogue about those differences might begin. In a time and culture wherein so many people are looking for reasons to argue and separate, it was nice to participate in something that was so clearly striving for a collective appreciation of something truly beautiful.[41]

Because of the prominence of The Chosen, many future interdenominational opportunities will likely be created for individuals to connect over shared faith in Jesus Christ.

Bridge-building experiences between members of different denominations are not limited to this type of public event. They can happen on a personal level in everyday conversation. The series can foster a space for individuals to reflect on common values and shared experiences as followers of Christ. Members of the Church could consider holding “watch parties” with Christian friends or asking friends who are fans of the show questions such as, “Which character’s story do you resonate the most with?” or “Which scenes have strengthened your faith in Christ the most, and why?” and then listen sincerely, sharing in turn their own faith-promoting experiences with the show. This mutual exploration of faith facilitated by The Chosen can promote empathy and unity among members of different Christian denominations. As Derral Eves expressed, “This project is unifying people of different religions and backgrounds who can agree upon one thing, which is what Jesus taught, what he actually stood for, what he actually went and did in his ministry.”[42] Church members can not only utilize The Chosen in interfaith settings, but also in the home and other teaching settings.

How Can The Chosen Be Used in the Home and Classroom?[43]

Many people are naturally drawn to visual media, a trend that has accelerated over the last few decades with the ubiquity of computer and laptop screens in virtually every area of life. Teachers and parents often find that visual media holds learners’ attention when focus lags during discussions of biblical text. The engaging nature of film can be used to help draw learners into the biblical world and increase their interest in learning more from the text of the scriptures—and this is certainly true of The Chosen.

Although some people might object to using The Chosen when teaching the Bible, given that it invents a significant amount of backstory and dialogue, this doesn’t need to detract from its utility as an educational tool. Instead, as Matthew Grey (professor of ancient scripture at BYU) has shared, movies can be a catalyst for learning about the Savior. He said,

For me, placing Jesus films, the New Testament text, and historical sources into thoughtful conversation has prompted valuable questions that I might not otherwise have asked about a wide range of issues, including Jesus’s appearance, personality, teachings, and ongoing social relevance, as well as the nature of scriptural writings. Often these questions come as I find myself wondering why film directors made certain decisions, how I might have presented things differently as a believing historian, and what the implications of those decisions might be for the spiritual experience of the viewers. I often find that asking those type of questions facilitates richer inspiration as a teacher, academic insights as a scholar, and spiritual experiences as a believer, all of which have been a great blessing in my personal efforts to get to know Jesus better.[44]

One possible approach for teaching with The Chosen is to (1) isolate specific sections of an episode that are scripturally based, (2) invite learners to read the passage(s) on which that scene is based, (3) watch the scene, and then (4) either individually or in small groups discuss questions such as the following:

• Which elements of this portrayal are drawn directly from the scripture passage?
• What artistic license was taken in this portrayal?
• Is there anything from the biblical text that this film omits from its portrayal?
• Is there anything about the biblical text that this film helps you see that you did not see or appreciate previously?
• What feelings, questions, or insights arise as you contemplate this passage and its accompanying video?

For example, if the topic of family or class study was John 5, parents or teachers might first invite learners to read verses 1–9 and show the scene in which Jesus heals the man at the Pool of Bethesda (season 2, episode 4). They could then discuss some of the questions listed above. Although the year in which the New Testament is the focus of Come, Follow Me study is the most natural time to use these clips, they can also be used when teaching topically. For example, a principle from this passage is that Jesus Christ is the source of healing. Thus John 5:1–9 and this clip could be used to support teaching that principle.

An obvious challenge to this approach is the difficulty of identifying which scenes from The Chosen are directly drawn from scripture. But gospel learners and teachers (including parents) can easily identify material from The Chosen that is based on scripture by consulting a curated collection of video clips that are publicly available online and can legally be used in home and classroom settings.[45]

Although movies can draw people into the scriptures, they can also create false understandings. In fact, this challenge exists not just with movies about Jesus Christ but movies about any historical event.[46] Keeping in mind that we have fewer than one hundred recorded days from the life of Jesus Christ in scripture, Jenkins was, in a sense, forced to add many details that are not scripturally accurate.

Jenkins said, “Movie Bible projects are usually stiff, formal—they go from Bible verse to Bible verse, and everything is very, very black and white. I think we have to round the edges a little bit, making this show feel a lot more human [by adding backstories, humor, and human interactions].”[47] The challenge occurs when individuals start to believe that, because something was portrayed in The Chosen, it must be historically accurate. For example, prior to The Chosen, most seminary teachers never had a student ask whether Matthew was on the autism spectrum. In coming years, that question will likely be a frequent one. Similar challenges exist with historical details that are inaccurately presented in The Chosen.[48]

Latter-day Saints should know that, at the very beginning of the first episode in The Chosen, a disclaimer states: “The Chosen is based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ. Some locations and timelines have been combined or condensed. Backstories and some characters or dialogue have been added. However, all biblical and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures. Viewers are encouraged to read the gospels.”[49] In other words, The Chosen should drive us to the scriptures (and therefore to Jesus Christ) and not replace a careful study of the scriptures.

Throughout the production of The Chosen,Jenkins and his team have made concerted efforts to present an accurate and respectful depiction of biblical history, working closely with an advisory board of three biblical consultants, including Catholic priest Father David Guffey, CSC; Messianic Jewish Rabbi Jason Sobel of Fusion Global Ministries; and Dr. Doug Huffman, an evangelical scholar at the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University.

Huffman has stated that The Chosen strives to balance “authenticity, plausibility and relatability.”[50] When providing large expansions on biblical characters, striking this balance can be difficult. For example, scripture makes it clear that Peter was married (Mark 1:30). But other than this fact, we know nothing about Peter’s wife. In The Chosen she is given a name, Eden, and there is a large backstory created about her relationship with Peter and their hopes to have a child. This backstory is plausible, and certainly increases relatability, but it is not backed by any biblical evidence.

Latter-day Saints have several resources at their disposal for learning which aspects of The Chosen are specifically drawn from scripture and which are merely plausible (or in some cases not-so-plausible) additions. Each episode of The Chosen has an associated “Scripture Roundtable Discussion,” which is a conversation between Jenkins, Guffey, Sobel, and Huffman. Many of the scriptural additions or changes are noted in these discussions. Most importantly, Latter-day Saints can deepen their personal study of the Bible so that they can know for themselves what the text actually says. When used appropriately, The Chosen can enhance our learning and teaching and help lead us back to the scriptures with a desire for deeper study.

Conclusion

Cinematic portrayals of Jesus Christ have long served as a powerful medium for shaping religious understanding and devotion. Over a century of film history reveals a diverse array of approaches to depicting the life of Christ, from early silent films to modern, expansive series like The Chosen. This series in particular has captured the attention of millions worldwide, not only for its innovative storytelling but also for its capacity to bring the gospel narrative to life in a deeply personal and relatable way.

The ecumenical spirit of The Chosen, shaped by contributions from various Christian denominations, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, beautifully illustrates how a shared faith in Jesus Christ can bring believers together across different traditions. Moreover, the miraculous story of how the Goshen set came to be used in the series underscores the powerful outcomes that can arise from exercising faith in Jesus Christ.

The Chosen has proven to be a valuable tool for promoting interfaith relationships both in communities and between individuals. By focusing on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the series provides common ground for believers from various backgrounds to connect, discuss, and serve together. Events and conferences centered on The Chosen have demonstrated the potential for this series to bring people together, breaking down barriers and building bridges of understanding and mutual respect.

In addition to its role in interfaith dialogue, The Chosen offers significant potential as an educational resource in the home and classroom. Its character-driven narrative and thoughtful engagement with scripture make it a compelling tool for teaching and learning about the life of Jesus Christ. While it is important to recognize the creative liberties taken in the series, these do not diminish the value it brings as a tool for religious education and spiritual reflection. When used in conjunction with careful scriptural study, The Chosen, particularly those sections that are drawn directly from scripture, can enhance understanding and inspire deeper reflection on the Savior’s life and teachings.

As The Chosen continues to unfold over the coming years, its impact on both individual faith journeys and broader religious communities is likely to grow. By remaining rooted in the scriptures while embracing creative storytelling, The Chosen not only enriches our understanding of Jesus Christ but also serves as a catalyst for unity among believers. It stands as a reminder of the power of media to bring the gospel to life and to inspire us to live more fully in the light of Christ’s teachings.

Notes

[1] Freek L. Bakker, The Challenge of the Silver Screen: An Analysis of the Cinematic Portraits of Jesus, Rama, Buddha, and Muhammad (Brill, 2009), 13.

[2] For a list of the major Jesus films, see Peter Malone, Screen Jesus: Portrayals of Christ in Television and Film (Scarecrow Press, 2012), 271–74.

[3] “Press Center,” The Chosen (website), www.lingoapp.com/107055/k/Press-Center-Pwy6xQ.

[4] Adam Macinnis, “‘The Chosen’ Breaks Record for Most-Translated TV Show,” Christianity Today, May 13, 2024, www.christianitytoday.com.

[5] Dallas Jenkins, “The Story Behind the Chosen,” posted September 15, 2018, by The Chosen, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-fxe-4fvlc, 8:58.

[6] Trent Troone, “‘The Chosen’ Creator in Utah: What Latter-day Saints Asked Dallas Jenkins About His Popular Show,” Deseret News, March 3, 2022, www.deseret.com.

[7] At the time, Angel Studios was the streaming platform VidAngel. For simplicity, in the present study this company is referred to as “Angel Studios.”

[8] See “The Chosen’s Incredible Origin Story with Producer Derral Eves!,” posted March 12, 2025, by Movieguide, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEYtmt7mVRY.

[9] Jenkins, “The Story Behind the Chosen,” 7:41–8:06.

[10] Josh Shepherd, “Jesus’ Life Chosen for Two Very Different TV Series,” Christianity Today, March 29, 2019, www.christianitytoday.com. Following the release of season 1, the show was funded by donations for the subsequent three seasons and premiered some episodes of seasons 2, 3, and 4 in theaters, raising somewhere near an estimated one hundred million dollars as of January 2024. In 2024, The Chosen ended its relationship with Angel Studios and has continued collecting donations via its Come and See Foundation. This model has enabled the producers to make the show available for free on The Chosen app. See Emma Jones, “The Chosen: The Christian-Funded Hit About Jesus Taking the US by Storm,” BBC, January 24, 2024, www.bbc.com.

[11] Jim Halterman and Emily Aslanian, “‘The Chosen’: An Oral History of the Now-Worldwide Phenomenon,” TV Insider, February 6, 2024, www.tvinsider.com.

[12] “Actor in ‘The Chosen’ Praises Show’s Message for People with Disabilities,” Catholic News Agency, April 28, 2021, https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/247435/actor-in-the-chosen-praises-shows-message-for-people-with-disabilities.

[13] “Actor in ‘The Chosen.’”

[14] Hanna Seariac, “Before Jonathan Roumie Was Cast in ‘The Chosen,’ He Was Broke and Praying to God for Help,” Deseret News, October 5, 2023, www.deseret.com.

[15] Scott Taylor, “Biblical Scenes Emerging in Utah’s Own Land of Goshen,” Church News, January 8, 2011, www.thechurchnews.com/2011/1/8/23227437/biblical-scenes-emerging-in-utahs-own-land-of-goshen.

[16] Taylor, “Biblical Scenes.”

[17] David A. Bednar, Remarks and Dedicatory Prayer, Jerusalem Set, Goshen, Utah, August 2, 2011, CR 1038 1, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, UT.

[18] Unless otherwise cited, this paragraph and the two that follow are based on an oral interview between the author and Brade Pelo on July 17, 2024. Pelo based his recollections on journal entries that were written on July 20, 2020.

[19] Dallas Jenkins, interview by James V. D’Arc, June 16, 2023, as cited in D’Arc, When Hollywood Came to Utah, Centennial Edition (Gibbs Smith, 2024), 294–95.

[20] D’Arc, When Hollywood Came to Utah, 295.

[21] Jeff Harmon and Neal Harmon, interview by James V. D’Arc, June 9, 2023, as cited in D’Arc, When Hollywood Came to Utah, 295.

[22] Dallas Jenkins, “‘I’m in a tough spot,’ 2020 Chosen update,” posted July 5, 2020, by The Chosen, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px-FPr--nRQ, 8:27.

[23] Dallas Jenkins, “You prayed. THIS happened!,” Facebook, August 18, 2020, video, 1:40 to 2:00, https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=737910337061597.

[24] Jenkins, “You prayed,” 2:00 to 3:43.

[25] D’Arc, When Hollywood, 295.

[26] Brad Pelo, in discussion with the author, July 17, 2024.

[27] D’Arc, When Hollywood Came to Utah, 295.

[28] Unless otherwise cited, this paragraph and the seven that follow are drawn from discussion between Pelo and the author.

[29] Trent Toone, “Why Cast and Crew of ‘The Chosen’ Love Filming in Utah’s Version of the Holy Land,” Deseret News, October 18, 2020, www.deseret.com.

[30] Pelo, discussion.

[31] Pelo, discussion.

[32] Pelo, discussion.

[33] D’Arc, When Hollywood, 296.

[34] Bednar, Remarks and Dedicatory Prayer, emphasis added.

[35] Morgan Jones, host, All In, podcast, produced by LDS Living, “Dallas Jenkins: Behind the Scenes of ‘The Chosen,’” July 29, 2020, 4:27 to 4:40, www.ldsliving.com.

[36] For example, Leila Miller, in an opinion piece published by Crisis Magazine, wrote, “The Chosen [is] a wildly popular TV soap opera created by Mormons and Protestants who admit that it is a fictionalized Gospel with fictionalized characters. . . . General modernism and anti-Catholicism . . . pervade . . . the show and the set.” Miller, “The False Christ of The Chosen,” Crisis Magazine, February 19, 2024, https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/the-false-christ-of-the-chosen.

[37] Toone, “‘The Chosen’ Creator in Utah.”

[38] Toone, “‘The Chosen’ Creator in Utah.”

[39] Kevin Miller, “Boise Area Prepares for Idaho’s Largest Faith Based Experience,” KIDO Talk Radio, February 8, 2024, https://kidotalkradio.com/boise-area-prepares-for-idahos-largest-faith-based-experience.

[40] Savannah Hankard, “Interfaith Celebration Features ‘The Chosen’ Actors at Ford Idaho Center This Saturday,” IdahoNews, February 9, 2024, https://idahonews.com/news/local/interfaith-celebration.

[41] Personal communication to author, May 9, 2024.

[42] Trent Toone, “How ‘The Chosen’ Is Unifying People of Different Faiths and Backgrounds,” Deseret News, January 7, 2023, www.deseret.com.

[43] Much of this section is drawn from John Hilton III, “Teaching with The Chosen,” in Watching The Chosen: History, Faith, and Interpretation, ed. Robert K. Garcia et al. (Eerdmans, forthcoming 2025), 81–92.

[44] Scott C. Esplin and Matthew J. Grey, “From Scripture to Screen: Films Depicting Jesus and the World of the New Testament,” BYU Religious Education Review, Winter 2021, 12–19.

[45] This archive is available at johnhiltoniii.com/thechosen.

[46] For example, although the movie Selma was acclaimed by viewers and critics alike, Ava DuVernay, the director, received criticism regarding some perceived historical inaccuracies in the film. In response to this analysis she said, “This is a film. I’m not a historian. I’m not a documentarian. I am an artist who explored history. And what I found, the questions that I have, the ideas that I have about history, I have put into this project that I have made. I understand people wanting to see history through their own gaze, through their own lens, and this is the way that I see it. This is the way that I interpret it.” “Director Ava DuVernay on Sharing the Story of ‘Selma’ and Deconstructing American Heroes,” PBS News Hour, January 8, 2015, www.pbs.org.

[47] Julia Duin, “Who Is Jesus? How Pop Culture and Makers of ‘The Chosen’ Help Define His Life Amid Few Biographical Details,” Newsweek, April 15, 2022, www.newsweek.com.

[48] For example, in season 1, Jesus meets with Nicodemus in Capernaum, rather than Jerusalem. Moreover, throughout The Chosen, Capernaum is portrayed as a larger and more developed city than archeological remains indicate. See Matthew J. Grey, “Simon Peter in Capernaum: An Archaeological Survey of the First-Century Village,” in The Ministry of Peter, the Chief Apostle, ed. Frank F. Judd Jr. et al. (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Deseret Book, 2014), 27–66.

[49] The Chosen, season 1, episode 1, “I Have Called You by Name,” directed by Dallas Jenkins, aired April 21, 2019, on VidAngel, https://watch.thechosen.tv/video/184683594334.

[50] Douglas Huffman, “Authenticity, Plausibility, and Relatability,” in The Chosen: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Interfaith Reflections, ed. Patrick Gray et al. (Eerdmans, in press).