Christian movie director Dallas Jenkins gets candid about the importance of religion
'The Chosen' creator and director Dallas Jenkins discusses the success of his hit biblical series and the drop in importance of religion in America on 'The Story with Martha MacCallum.'
Dallas Jenkins, creator and director of "The Chosen" responded to a recent poll suggesting that the importance of religion in America has dropped dramatically over the past 25 years
Since the question was last posed in 1998, Jenkins told Fox News host Martha MacCallum on "The Story" last week what he thinks of the substantial decline.
"People are losing interest in religion. They're losing interest in faith at record numbers, but I don't think that means that their hearts are still not seeking something bigger than themselves," said Jenkins.
A recent National Opinion Research Center (NORC) poll, funded by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) was conducted in early March, surveying how important religion is to Americans in 2023.
(Courtesy of The Chosen)
The poll concluded that religion in the country has declined in importance over the past 25 years with 39% of people labeling religion as "very important" in 2023, in contrast to the 62% in 1998.
Jenkins detailed the success of his hit biblical show, which has garnered millions of viewers worldwide since its release in 2017.
"What we hear from people all over the world, and particularly in this country, is that the show, as you said, is a game changer for them," said Jenkins.
Jonathan Roumie, center, star of 'The Chosen,' told Fox News production on season 2 has been taken to the 'next level.' (Courtesy of 'The Chosen')
"What I think they're saying more often than anything else is, 'I've had maybe a bad experience with church or the media's portrayal of what church is or what religion is has soured me on it. Your show is reminding me that this can be about just a personal relationship with Jesus as opposed to form a religion or maybe religion or my faith or my relationship with Jesus doesn't necessarily have to look like how it's been portrayed,'" he said.
"'The Chosen' was in many ways, besides my own personal calling and my own personal desire to tell this story - I think it's birthed in many ways by what you saw, by the numbers that you saw," Jenkins added.
"The Chosen," which brings the gospel to life through the eyes of "those who knew Jesus," is available to stream on Fox Nation.