“A few years ago, I was a member of a small church. While we were studying Matthew 17:14-20 in Sunday School, one of the members asked, ‘Is this like when Nicodemus tried to cast the demons out of Mary Magdalene?’ I had to explain to my pastor, who looked incredibly confused, that what the individual was referring to was from The Chosen. I then had to explain to the other gentleman that the story he asked about is not from the Bible. That’s not all. One of the sisters of that same family said how she enjoyed watching The Chosen more than reading the Bible, because ‘it’s so much more real and impactful how they portray it.’ She’s not the only fan of the show I’ve heard say this. In fact, The Chosen’s social media shared a comment of a woman saying something similar.”
In 2024, Lighthouse Trails published The Chosen and the Bible: 20 Questions to Ask Yourself. Following is an excerpt:
“Author William Paul Young’s 2007 novel The Shack was a number one New York Times best-seller, selling over twenty million copies worldwide. The book has been read and loved by both Christians and the world as well. It eventually became a Hollywood movie and a twenty-week series on Christian television. For years, any criticism of The Shack was usually countered by Shack fans with—‘Hey, it’s just a novel!’ Yet in 2017, ten years after its original publication, and in the midst of his TV series, author William Paul Young openly declared what many had long-suspected—that he was a universalist. He had also gone on record stating that The Shack was more than ‘just a novel.’ He said, ‘The Shack is theology. But it is theology wrapped in story.’ Today, The Chosen TV series has been viewed by millions of people around the world. Its devoted fans have also donated millions of dollars to the series’ record-breaking crowdfunding campaign. Any biblical criticism of The Chosen is usually countered by Dallas Jenkins and Chosen fans with—“Hey, it’s just a TV show!” However, Jenkins seems to already be following William Paul Young’s Shack universalism path as he uses his highly visible Chosen platform to introduce mystical New Age Catholic universalists like Richard Rohr and Brother Lawrence to his ever-growing fan base. Obviously, the lesson Christians should have learned from The Shack has been lost amidst all The Chosen fanfare. And the lesson is that fictional false Christs can be used by our Spiritual Adversary to cleverly condition and deceive people. In short, what seems to be ‘just a novel’ or ‘just a TV show’ can turn out to be something else entirely. … Given that Dallas Jenkins admits that 95% of The Chosen’s content is not from the Bible, and you are told to watch the series as if the Bible didn’t exist–how much truth will you ever learn from this multi-season series? As one watches episode after episode, season after season, you are learning more about fictional backstories than anything that is actually true. You will be ever viewing, but never coming to a knowledge of the truth. The Bible warns about things that have ‘a form of godliness’ but lack the true power of God and His Word. It says, ‘from such, turn away.’” [2 TIMOTHY 3:5]
The incredibly popular series The Chosen is being described as a “global phenomenon” and growing “movement” that is creating the groundwork for world “revival.” However, there are some critical concerns about this series and where it is heading. The following are ten of these concerns
1) The Chosen and Its Mormon Influencers
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
The Chosen series was initiated and inspired from a partnership between Dallas Jenkins, an evangelical filmmaker, and three Mormon businessmen, Jeffrey and Neal Harmon and Derral Eves after the three men viewed a film written and directed by Jenkins called The Shepherd. The Mormon influence on The Chosen is considerable: the executive producer is Mormon, the distributor is Mormon, certain episodes were shot on a special Mormon set in Utah, and the crowdfunding and media expertise is provided by Mormons. …
2) Are the Biblical Jesus and the Mormon Jesus the Same?
“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:4).
The apostle Paul warns that some will present a “Jesus” to the church who is not the Jesus of the Bible but is one who brings a spirit that is not the Holy Spirit and a gospel that is not the one that can save men’s souls. Paul’s concern is that some members of the church will embrace and “bear with” a false Christ.
The Chosen’s director, co-writer, and chief publicist, Dallas Jenkins, has gone on record stating that the Mormon Jesus is the same as the Bible’s Jesus. …
Below is a list of some of the “attributes” of the Mormon Jesus:
Jesus is Lucifer’s brother.
Jesus is a spirit child conceived through physical means between an exalted man (Heavenly Father) and the virgin Mary.
Jesus is not eternal and had a beginning (i.e., not part of an eternal Trinity).
Jesus was not always God but earned his way to godhood just as we will become gods someday. …
4) “95% of the Content Isn’t From the Bible”—Dallas Jenkins
Dallas Jenkins told one interviewer that “95% of the content [of The Chosen] isn’t from the Bible.” This means that The Chosen is almost completely man’s word—not God’s Word.
The Chosen writers do not hesitate to add their own ideas and opinions to actual Bible events. For example, Mary Magdalene backsliding is not in the Bible; Matthew portrayed as autistic—not in the Bible; Jesus rehearsing His sermon on the mount—not in the Bible (John 12:49-50; John 17:8). … the apostle Peter had a gambling debt that pressured him to fish overtime on the Sabbath to pay back what he owed …
5) Jonathan Roumie’s Spiritual Affinities and His Influence on Millions
Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus in The Chosen, is a fervent Catholic with a strong affinity toward the New Age. He is a Knight’s Templar, and in 2020, he was nominated for papal knighthood; he also claims to have had “personal interactions” with a deceased Catholic “saint.” Roumie “credits his Catholic faith as the foundation of his portrayal of Jesus.” And now, because of his newfound celebrity status playing the role of Jesus, Roumie has gained a significant global platform through interviews, live events, YouTube, TV, radio, and social media—a platform he is using to draw his fans and followers to his Catholic beliefs and his New Age propensities.* … Roumie has also become a popular voice on Hallow, the number one Catholic contemplative meditation, prayer, and sleep app. … Roumie’s recommended reading list on Amazon includes The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything by Jesuit priest and New Age sympathizer, James Martin. The book openly teaches the panentheistic New Age doctrine of God “in” everyone and everything as the following quotes from that book illustrate: “God can be found in everything. And everyone too”; “We’ll look at how to find God in everything and everything in God”; “…goal: finding God in all things . . . encountering God . . . In all things. And in all people.”