259. What is Biblical Fiction?

Guess what’s big at the box office and the streaming-service menu, boys? It’s biblical fiction! From the giant-smash hit House of David on Amazon Prime, to The Chosen and its planned Bibleverse, to the new King of Kings animated Jesus movie and even more adaptations from Old and New Testaments, these creations are winning millions of fans but also some evangelical enemies. Few of these seem interested in asking: what is biblical fiction?

Mission update

• Lorehaven action item: Captive last week, Curse of Silence this week
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Episode sponsors

1. Enclave Publishing: Fathoms by Lisa T. Bergren
2. Realm Makers Expo 2025
3. Johanna Frank, author of Here Lyeth
4. Inheritance by J. A. Webb

Quotes and notes

• Stephen’s series of Lorehaven articles: Discerning Biblical Fiction
• Yes, Dallas Jenkins is Launching the Bible Cinematic Universe
• Christian-Made Stories Got Even Better in 2024
• ‘Gabriel and the Guardians’ Echoes a Golden Era of Saturday Morning Cartoons
• Amazon’s ‘House of David’ Anoints an Intriguing Biblical Epic
• Fantastical Truth episode 148. Why Do Some Christians Revile ‘The Chosen’? | with Josiah DeGraaf and Jenneth Dyck
• Fantastical Truth episode 237. How Has ‘The Chosen’ Become The World’s Top Christian-Made Fandom? | with Ryan Swanson
• Two Christians Made a Show about Jews. It’s Phenomenal, Batya Ungar-Sargon at The Free Press, March 23, 2025

What do we mean by “biblical fiction”?