When I first saw the advertisement for Fox’s series The Faithful: Women of the Bible, I was skeptical but hopeful: Skeptical, because most attempts at portraying the Bible on the screen cannot seem to resist the temptation of taking generous liberties with the text, hopeful because the women of the Bible do not garner nearly enough attention, despite the remarkable impact of their stories. Like the biblical characters themselves, film portrayals have tremendous power, and with great power comes great responsibility. The majority of people watch such films without reading the Bible, and so what is depicted on screen becomes embedded in their minds, whether it’s true or not.
It’s one thing to be creative with secular history on the big screen; I’d know little about John Adams if it weren’t for the 2008 miniseries, but I kept my husband (our family’s resident historian) close by to correct any errors. But salvation history? We’re dealing with God’s Word here. Though the show opens with a disclaimer about creative interpretations that supposedly honor “the spirit of the original text,” there’s a certain amount of hubris involved in messing with it. Christians believe that the ancient writers of the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, tell us exactly what God wants us to know — no more, no less. I recommend keeping the Bible right beside you if you watch this series featuring the matriarchs of Israel. Check it often.
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