“That’s a line you draw?” LeMaster asked, to which Baucham responded, “That’s a line I draw.”
When LeMaster asked if Baucham had seen “The Chosen,” Baucham said, “No. 2CV, man. Second Commandment violation,” indicating he believes that seeing Jesus depicted in a TV show is idolatry and goes against the following biblical command: “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” The podcast conversation then moved on to topics including whether there is a difference between preaching and teaching and how to fight the culture war well.
While many believers have found “The Chosen” to be impactful and encouraging, some share the concern Baucham voiced that visual depictions of Jesus are idolatrous. Theologian John Piper weighed in on this question last year, explaining that he does not believe such depictions are sinful for a few reasons. One is that creative works do not claim to have the authority of Scripture, and another is that even Old Testament prophets visually enacted the words of God.
RELATED: Dallas Jenkins on Why ‘The Chosen’ Is Not ‘Adding to Scripture’
Correction: A previous version of this article said that Angel Studios distributes “The Chosen.” Angel Studios is a licensee of “The Chosen.”
