Tag Archives: Matthew

28May/26

How “The Chosen” bypassed the Hollywood machine

Faith, Finances, and Franchise: How ‘The Chosen’ is Redefining Christian Media

Thur, May 28 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — A New Era for Faith-Based Media The Chosen has fundamentally disrupted the faith-based entertainment industry by shifting away from the traditionally stiff and heavily polished biblical epics toward high-quality, deeply human storytelling. Utilizing a creative method called “plausible fiction,” the writers flesh out the historical and cultural gaps in the Gospels to give the characters relatable flaws, psychological depth, and complex backstories. This commitment to humanizing the narrative includes the intentional depiction of marginalized figures, such as portraying the apostle Matthew with autism and Little James with a physical disability. This approachable portrayal of Jesus and his followers has resonated on a massive scale, drawing over 280 million viewers worldwide, a third of whom are reportedly non-religious. Continue reading

28Mar/24

Why is Jesus often depicted with a six-pack? The muscular messiah reflects Christian values of masculinity

Chris Greenough, Edge Hill University

Have you ever wondered why so many images depicting the crucifixion show Jesus with a very defined, slender and toned body? Either slim, but with a six-pack, or displaying muscles and brawn. While these images are hardly a reflection of what little can be surmised about the historical Jesus, they certainly reflect social and cultural ideas about masculinity and idealised notions of manhood.

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