The Chosen ~ Pondering Jesus Fiction

Greetings Dear Reader, 

There will be spoilers.  This is your only warning.  This BLOG series will walk through each episode of the first two seasons of the amazing show The Chosen available free to watch at the link.  If you have not seen it, I encourage you to do so.  It is by far the best adaptation of the Gospels to film I have ever encountered. 

Hopefully, this will turn out as lighthearted as I feel about the topic.  I have heard objections to The Chosen saying it is generally wrong to write fiction about Jesus.  This, however, is how I make my living, so we need to examine if the Father is displeased with Jesus fiction.  

The first thing to do is distinguish between fiction based on Jesus, fiction about Jesus, and allegory.  Allegory such as The Chronicles of Narnia is simple.  They present the ideas of redemption and reclamation in ways gently leading to the Gospels.  I find them marvelous.  

Fiction about Jesus is the creation of events surrounding Jesus with no logical probability of truth.  These are not always bad but one must have care not to violate the character of God in their creation.  The Last Temptation of Christ for example ignores the character of Messiah in order to tell a story.  This is not how we wish to represent Jesus. 

Finally, there is fiction based on Jesus; who he is, his actions, and his ministry.  This can be a valuable tool in helping others see the character, humanity, deity, and vitality of Jesus.  It can give others a safe space to encounter Jesus and learn of his love for them.  The value of fiction is clear.  The necessity for stories leading us to Jesus rebounds with purpose and life. 

When we see Jesus represented with humor, lightheartedness, and mirth, we get a better view of the God who loves us with all he is.  We balance it against the more serious aspects of the Gospel and find the stories lead us to a better understanding of the written accounts concerning faith and following. 

If we think about it, Dante’s Inferno, Paradise Lost, and Pilgrim’s Progress are just Jesus fan fiction.  Still, we value them as literature.  My novels such as The Judas Scroll attempt to represent the truth of the Gospels and fill in the stories around the Gospel events.  I always strive to tell stories honoring who Jesus is and refusing to violate the integrity of Scripture.  This new novel is admittedly the most controversial because it challenges millennia-old assumptions about Judas.  In this challenge is the ability to see Jesus in a clearer light and perhaps gain a better understanding of redemption, Dear Reader. 

Wishing you joy in the journey, 

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good. 

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
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I am certain the Gospels can withstand a little fiction around their truth.  They have for centuries.