Media criticism Archives

Words that Shape Us

Words that Shape Us, Ken Waters, foreword by John Ferré. Integratio Press (ISBN: 9781959685296) 2025.

Summary: A comparative analysis of four evangelical periodicals coverage of American politics and faith from 2016 to 2024.

One of the least controversial things that may be said of our current president is that he has dominated the American political scene from 2016 to the present. Surprisingly, despite questions of character and ethics, he has enjoyed broad support among whites who identify as evangelical Christians. At the same time, there is a dissenting minority, often characterized as an evangelical elite, in terms of education, who hold differing political views. A number of commentators have sought to parse the current landscape of evangelicalism. In this book, Ken Waters, a emeritus professor of journalism at Pepperdine University approaches this cultural analysis through the lens of four of the leading evangelical publications of this time period. Specifically, he compares their coverage and editorial slant on key political events during this period.

In his Introduction, he identifies three questions he will explore. Firstly, how does the divide in voting advice in the evangelical press in 2016 carry through in the voting behavior of evangelicals then and subsequently? Secondly, what can we learn about the evangelical movement by a broader look at how they discuss how Christians ought live in the modern. Thirdly, what might these findings foreshadow for the future of the evangelical movement? In particular, do the divergences reflected in these publications reflect a fraying or disintegrating movement?

Then Waters introduces each of the publications, offering a brief historical sketch. In alphabetical order, he begins with The Christian Post, a free, online-only publication featuring daily news coverage, launched by Korean pastor, David Jang in 2006. Richard Land signed on as executive editor. Second is Christianity Today, launched out of the vision of Billy Graham in 1956 as a counterpoint to The Christian Century. It sought to articulate thoughtful evangelical faith and positions on moral issues including abortion and homosexuality.

Sojourners (originally The Post-American) was formed in 1971 by disaffected evangelical seminary students as a peace and justice-oriented magazine, a distinctive that has only expanded in recent years. Led by founder Jim Wallis, it is a mouthpiece of a progressive evangelicalism. Finally. World was founded in 1986 by Joel Belz with a self-described editorial philosophy of “biblical journalism.” It underwent a profound shift in 2021 when Albert Mohler became Opinion editor, accepting only conservative commentary. Many of the journalists, including Marvin Olasky left the publication.

In the remaining chapters, Waters analyzes each periodical’s coverage and editorial approach to major political issues. He begins with the 2016 election and the approach to each of the candidates. The Christian Post included opinions supporting each candidate while the publication did not want to give a vote to either. They reluctantly deemed Trump the lesser of two evils. Christianity Today likewise criticized both candidates, Clinton on positions and Trump on moral grounds and did not endorse a candidate. Sojourners rarely mentioned Clinton, apart from her lifelong social justice Methodist background. However, it extensively criticized candidate Trump. While not endorsing either, it made clear Trump was anathema. World was hard-hitting both in allegations of corruption in Clinton’s background while calling on Trump to step aside for another candidate. It endorsed neither candidate while acknowledging that most readers would support Trump. Evangelicals followed this pattern in the next three presidential elections.

Succeeding chapters used the same approach to analyze the coverage of immigration, nationalism, George Floyd and racism, COVID, the 2020 election and Joe Biden, the end of Roe, LGBTQ+ questions, and the 2024 election. The Christian Post and World, especially after 2021, trended more conservative while Christianity Today and Sojourners trended more progressive. What was most striking to Waters was that the Christian perspective presented in all of the publications tended to differ markedly from opinion polls measuring evangelical belief. In the case of the murder of George Floyd, Christianity Today determined its past reporting on race to be deficient and the publication took steps to address those deficiencies.

Most striking were Waters’ conclusions about the future of evangelicalism. He notes the possibilities for fragmentation, particularly along the lines of an educational divide. Demographics are rapidly altering both the makeup of evangelicalism and the media landscape. However, quoting Russell Moore, he believes the shakeup and “homelessness” of evangelicals is a precursor to renewal. And he concludes that the “words that shape us” will continue to be important in that renewal.

Waters offers us an outstanding work of both media and cultural analysis. He read hundreds of articles from the represented publications during this period. However, I question how influential these publications have been in forming an evangelical political philosophy, except among more educated evangelicals. Even here, did they form it or just mirror it? Are other media outlets on the left and right far more “shaping”? I think that many of evangelical conviction are turning from such outlets to others like Plough, Mere Orthodoxy, and Comment. None of these are mentioned here. I do think words are shaping. But, while important to the analysis of this work, I question whether the four publications studied here are the wineskins that will shape the hoped-for renewal. If the Lord is pleased to pour out new wine, new wineskins will be needed.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Cover image of "Watching the Chosen" Robert K. Garcia, Paul Gondreau, Patrick Gray, Douglas S. Huffman, editors

Watching The Ch o sen, Robert K. Garcia, Paul Gondreau, Patrick Gray, Douglas S. Huffman, editors. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802885463) 2025.

Summary: Essays exploring the imagination, storytelling, Christology and treatment of persons, especially women, in “The Chosen.”

Recently, another book I was reviewing had a chapter titled, “Can I call myself a Christian if I Don’t Watch The Chosen?” I resonated, having sometimes wondered in the last couple years whether I was the last Christian in my circles not to watch The Chosen. I’d just seen too many bad movies and videos by Christians, and I didn’t need to watch more. Then this book came. And I felt that I couldn’t review the book without having watched at least a bit of the series. Honestly, Season one, Episode one hooked me, when Jesus healed Mary Magdalene. Now I’m through most of Season Three, having watched most of what the book covers.

One of my discoveries is that many of the contributors to this volume had similar experiences to mine. That is, they approached skeptically and were won over by the imaginative storytelling, the very human and yet divine Jesus, and the way Jesus in The Chosen treats persons, especially women. The essays, seventeen in all, are divided under four topics.

Part One considers “Imagination and Interpretation.” Douglas S. Huffman leads off looking at how the series balances authenticity, plausibility, and relatability. But sometimes people have criticized the imaginative reading between the lines of scripture. David Kneip looks at Philip and Nathanael under the fig tree in John 1:43-51 and how the early church fathers offered similar renderings. Dolores G. Morris considers the show’s approach to the problem of evil and the hiddenness of God, noting the epistemic humility that runs throughout. She also responds to charges that the show adds to scripture, reminding critics that this is historical fiction based on the gospels, which viewers are urged to read. Concluding this section, Kenneth Gumbert, explores the wide appeal beyond Dallas Jenkins own evangelicalism, noting how the storytelling also appeals to the sacramental imagination.

Then Part Two digs more deeply into the storytelling and narrative art of the series. The first essay explores the storytelling through the lens of attachment theory and dual processing models of information. Then T. Adam Van Wert explores how The Chosen affirms the sufficiency of story to invite us to live within the story. Jeannine Hanger focuses on stories from John’s gospel and how these move viewers to take in more of scripture, a reaction of many. Finally, John Hilton III explores how to use The Chosen in the classroom. He offers a helpful set of questions to use with many episodes.

Part Three focuses on Christology and history. Paul Gandreau addresses the very human portrayal of Jesus in the context of historical Christological debates. Daniel M. Garland Jr. elaborates the bridegroom theology portrayed in the series’ treatments of John’s gospel. But how does the portrayal of Jesus relate to the “quests” for the historical Jesus? James F. Keating takes up this subject. Finally, in this section., Patrick Gray considers how The Chosen portrays the traditional Evangelists: Matthew, Luke, and John.

One of the most compelling aspects of The Chosen for me is how Jesus encounters various individuals. Jesse Stone considers this emotional resonance. Deborah Savage shows how this portrayal of Jesus in relationship exemplifies John Paul II’s personalism. Then Robert K. Garcia builds on this, showing the portrayal of the infinite worth of each individual. Finally, the concluding essays center on the women in The Chosen. The first shows how dialogue amplifies women’s voices. The second offers a rhetorical analysis of Jesus’ interactions with women and how these elevate the status of women.

In sum, reading these essays enhanced my appreciation for the storytelling artistry and the historical authenticity of the series. They also confirmed the high view of scripture evident in this “historical fiction.” All this suggests to me that the series creators have immersed themselves deeply in the gospel narratives. Above all, the discussion confirmed my own sense of the compelling portrayal of Jesus, the most believable I’ve seen. While one doesn’t need this book to watch The Chosen, reading it will enable you to enter more deeply into the series. It has for me.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.