By Ed Vasicek on
Forum category
Society & Culture
Featured Poll

Whether in media (The Chosen) or in writing (like Max Lucado, for example), there seems to be a trend of blending fiction/speculation with Bible content. When this is done irreverently, I think we all agree it would be wrong. But, in the cases of the above, it is not. This is quite different from prophetic fiction (an attempt to create fiction within a theological frame but with the clear understand the story itself is fiction). How do you feel about that? What are the proper limits of imagination when dealing with Bible narrative?

Are (at least somewhat reverential) highly imaginative movies and books about Bible characters a good thing?

Yes, so long as they are respectful.
7% (1 vote)
Often but not always
13% (2 votes)
Sometimes but not usually
27% (4 votes)
No, not really
53% (8 votes)
Other
0% (0 votes)
Total votes: 15

Discussion

Tue, 12/03/24

My take on "creative" interepretations of Scripture is that with our distance from the ancient cultures, those who attempt this always seem to get something wrong, and that it can even introduce theological errors into the church.

OK, yes, I'm a fan of Veggie Tales--at least what it was 15-20 years back--so I'm not 100% there, but when one tries to do serious, adult versions, something is inevitably lost, or worse, added.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

Wed, 12/04/24

One of the reasons I have not watched the Chosen is because of what happened to me when I watched other Bible based movies as a kid. I became confused about what had happened in Bible and what had happened in the movie. I get a lot of questions about Jesus and want to be careful that what I tell people comes from scripture and not from a TV screen. I do not trust my memory enough to remember the difference.