Problematic Partnerships: Interfaith?
The production has proved controversial because Dallas Jenkins has partnered with Angel Studios, a streaming video company that was co-founded by brothers Neal and Jeffrey Harmon, who are Latter-day Saints. The fact these men are Latter-day Saints, it might be argued, is no reason to not work with them. They are, after all, in the same industry as Dallas Jenkins and bring considerable professional talent and resources to the project.
The series is filmed at the Mormon Church owned film set in Goshen, Utah. As you can see from the link, the Mormon Church makes much of that fact. This, in the eyes of some, is not insignificant. Dallas Jenkins identifies himself as evangelical and I can’t help but wonder why he would gift Mormonism such an opportunity to present itself to the world as Christian, as apparently evidenced by its inclusion in a clearly Christian project.
However, according to Neal Harmon, VidAngel's, CEO, this is 'an interfaith project.' The LDS Daily reported back in May 2020:
'In the first interfaith project of its kind, “The Chosen” looks to connect viewers with Jesus Christ through the eyes of those who knew him. The multi-episode streaming series is produced by and exclusively available to stream at VidAngel.
''People from the Jewish faith, evangelical Christians, Catholics and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all came together as one to make this series happen,' said VidAngel CEO Neal Harmon. “We celebrate the fresh, evangelical, and biblical script that is more concerned with telling a story from the New Testament that we can all relate to rather than focusing on religious differences between faiths.'
Dallas Jenkins has said that he receives no funding from Angel Studios, nor from any religious organisation. The content, he insists, is his own and is influenced by nobody else. There was some controversy over a statement his Jesus makes in the film that finds its echo in the Book of Mormon. He has denied any such influence on his work, and said he has never read the Book of Mormon.
Public Statements and LDS Doctrine
Much controversy has circulated around some of Dallas Jenkins’ public comments. Sadly, his efforts to throw light have only served to cast more shadows. I don’t doubt his good will, nor do I doubt his faith, but his judgement comes into question when he calls Mormons with whom he works ‘brothers and sisters,’ who, ‘love the same Jesus that I do.’Having been a Mormon for many years I can attest to the fact Mormons love their Jesus, but it is not the same Jesus as Dallas Jenkins confesses. In comments in a YouTube video, ‘My Definitive (final) Comments on the “LDS Issue,’” he says:
"I'm a conservative evangelical. I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. I believe in the supremacy of God's Word. I believe in the Holy Trinity. I believe in God the Father, the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God and all of the core tenets of Scripture."
That Jesus, the second member of the Trinity, is alien to Mormonism. Indeed, what he confesses is regarded by Mormons as false doctrine and evidence of Christianity’s apostasy that, in turn, is an apologetic for unbiblical Mormon claims of restoration. Dallas Jenkins confesses he is ‘not a theologian’; perhaps he might have consulted a theologian before making his statements.
It seems clear to me that the ‘love’ of his Mormon friends for the Mormon Jesus has struck a chord with him. Here is the problem. It looks Christian, it sounds Christian, therefore..? This is the very danger we warn people of. However, which Jesus we worship does not depend on sentiment, nor on confession, but on theology.
‘I am an evangelical,’ he has said. ‘I consider myself a conservative evangelical. I believe in the Bible. It is God's Holy Word. It's the inerrant word of Scripture.’
The Mormon Church would, again, think fit to differ. Inerrant? Not in Mormon eyes. Their eighth article of faith declares, ‘We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.’ The Bible is the only work of Scripture not regarded by Mormons as the unequivocal Word of God.
Mounting Confusion
Dallas Jenkins states:‘It would be just as dumb for me to say that all LDS are Christians as it would be to say that all evangelicals are Christians or that all Catholics are Christians or any other faith tradition," he continued. "It would also be dumb of me to say that none are! That's also a level of arrogance that I don't possess.’
He misses the point. It is no arrogance to be clear about your theology and ‘contend for the faith.’ Saying ‘not all LDS are Christians,’ in the same way not all Catholics, not all evangelicals are Christians is so wide of the mark it is no wonder people are troubled, confused. It is this confusion that is at the heart of the matter for me.
He continues:
‘When I've talked about my brothers and sisters in Christ, and when I talked about those LDS folks that I know who loved the same Jesus I do, I'm referring to some of the friends that I have who identify as LDS who I've gotten to know very deeply over the last few years, in particular. And I've had hundreds of hours of conversations with (them), and I stand by the statement that those friends of mine that I'm referring to absolutely love the same Jesus that I do.’
Theology Defines Us
The late John Leith, a Presbyterian theologian and ordained minister, wrote, ‘No pre-theological era has been discovered in the New Testament or in the history of the Christian community.’There is no pre-theological era, nor is there any post-theological era. Theology defines our faith and defines its outworking. The faith and outworking of Mormonism, without the inerrant Word of God in the Bible, is so significantly different as to make us confidently declare, Mormonism does not teach the same theology as Jesus, Peter, Paul and others in the New Testament, nor that of historical and contemporary mainstream theologians.
The Great Deception
One of the great deceptions of Mormonism is its apparent similarity, at least in colour and shape, to historical Christianity. This is no more apparent than in the formal lingo of Mormons and Mormon leaders, who pepper their teaching and prayers with King James English; ’Come unto Christ’ is a popular phrase. Doesn’t that sound so biblical?The Book of Mormon is written in a pidgin’ King James English and contains apparently familiar Bible passages such that, in an age of widespread Bible illiteracy, not least across the Christian Church, many would be convinced Mormonism was Christianity.
Think of that as you look at this film, The Christ Child, and compare it with this trailer from The Chosen. The first was made by a different film-maker but at the same site as the second. Go out and ask the world, ‘What’s the difference?’ What do you imagine the world would say?
Conclusion
It isn’t difficult to say something nice about Dallas Jenkins. He is obviously a gifted, experienced, and hard-working film-maker. He clearly wants the world to know Jesus. What he has managed to produce is truly remarkable. If he can produce a popular series following the life of Jesus that can cause millions to consider the claims of Christianity, wouldn’t that be a good thing?
The problem with the Mormon connection is people are as likely to consider the claims of Mormonism, not being able to tell the difference. With Dallas Jenkins himself calling those Mormons with whom he works, ‘brothers and sisters who believe in the same Jesus that I do,’ who could blame them? And, as I have pointed out, the Mormon Church is certainly cashing in on it, just as they have cashed in over the years on the stage show The Book of Mormon.
We are merely watchmen sounding out a warning, perhaps not even that, a word of caution. More than ever I am convinced the church, like Israel of old, is not inclined to heed the warnings of the watchmen on the towers. It would not surprise me if they finally, like Israel, did all they could to silence them; that thought is chilling.
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