“The Chosen” series
The Chosen is undoubtedly one of our favorite television series, both for production quality and inspirational content. The show is a historical drama of the New Testament encounters with Jesus and his disciples. Similar to our products, The Chosen is entirely free online. You can view it on a variety of platforms: their website, app, YouTube, other streaming services, or even in movie theaters.
Christmas with The Chosen Image
What We Like:
The Chosen is ideal for visual learners. While there is no substitute for reading or listening to the Bible, we appreciate how each episode acts as a visual portrayal of the Scriptures, while being a form of quality entertainment. The Chosen Christmas specials present a beautifully crafted adaptation of our Savior's birth that inspires both empathy and awe in its viewers.
The director, Dallas Jenkins, does a great job of weaving a storyline in each episode that starts and stops at just the right moments to encourage viewers to stay engaged and keep watching. That said, the Protestant director takes artistic liberties to maintain his visual storytelling, and we recommend pairing it with the Augustine Institute's Catholic Commentary on The Chosen. Their short podcast-style, free show can be watched on their YouTube channel (located here) or through Formed.org.
As Catholics we know the value of using all our senses to absorb an experience. At Mass, we see the priest standing up giving a homily, smell the incense burning, hear the bells chiming, and touch and taste the Eucharist. In the same vein, The Chosen helps us visualize the Gospel in a new way and aids our human perception of salvation history.
Who It Serves:
We recommend The Chosen for any adult or child over 10 years old. Christians and non-Christians alike can benefit from seeing the Gospel interactions in a new light. Due to the realistic cinematography and sometimes intense moments, we recommend that parents preview episodes.
When viewing with children or non-Christians, it is important to stress that The Chosen is not the actual Bible, but an artistic exploration of the interactions that could have happened beyond the words of the Scriptures. The episodes are an excellent launching point to reading the passages presented and spending time pondering them in personal prayer.