Netflix Orders Provocative New Faith-Based Series

This past year has seen a promising resurgence of Christianity within the field of pop culture. Films like The Case for Christ, Gavin Stone, and The Star have been well-received by critics, and demonstrated how Christian movies could appeal to viewers outside their target audience. Now it appears Netflix is prepared to go one step further. New reports indicate the streaming service will begin work on an upcoming drama which not only promotes ideas of faith, but also challenges viewers to consider their context within modern society.

With an estimated release date of 2019, Netflix has officially greenlit a 10-episode series called Messiah. The show (which is being produced by Son of God creators Mark Burnett and Roma Downey) will take place in the modern world and focus on a man who appears in the Middle East claiming to be the Messiah. As his followers begin to increase in numbers, the story will branch out to examine other characters such as a Latino preacher, a young Texan woman, Palestinian refugees, and much more. Though Messiah is likely to be controversial with Christian audiences, Burnett and Downey are confident the show’s faith-positive message will ultimately win them over.

However, only time will tell if this challenging series can do the miraculous.

*Published 11/21/17