General Interest | New Testament
The Chosen has become a worldwide phenomenon, both encouraging Christians in their faith and providing opportunities for non-believers to encounter Jesus afresh through excellent storytelling and the powerful medium of film. This year at Summit, we will encounter the show in a conference environment—with fans of the show, presentations by a variety of individuals, and good conversations all around. Our lineup of presenters will feature professionals from the world of theatre and film, as well as theologians and biblical scholars, including a New Testament professor involved with the production of the show. We will spend time in Scripture, talk about how we use imagination and creativity in our faith and in reading the Bible, and of course we’ll watch and discuss scenes from The Chosen itself! Our time at Summit will be extraordinarily rich, and we hope you will join us.
COMMUNITY DETAILS
We are honored to have Dr. David Kneip and Dawne Swearingen-Meeks leading the New Testament general interest community at Summit this fall. Their work, alongside that of other scholars and professionals in the field, will bring a richness to this deep discussion of The Chosen. Stay tuned for more information on all of the voices who will be contributing to this conversation.
FACILITATORS
David Kneip
DAVID KNEIP
Dr. David Kneip teaches in ACU’s undergraduate Bible department and serves as the associate director of the Siburt Institute. He teaches courses in church history and worship, and his research interests focus on the early church period, especially on early Christians’ theology and their interpretation and understanding of the Bible. David’s combined background in theatre and ministry has led him to love The Chosen, and he contributed a chapter to the first scholarly volume dedicated to the show, entitled Watching The Chosen: History, Faith, and Interpretation (Eerdmans, 2025). David and his wife, Cynthia, have two daughters and are members of the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene.
Dawne Swearinger-Meeks
DAWNE SWEARINGEN-MEEKS
Dawne Swearingen-Meeks is the Chairperson of Abilene Christian University's BFA Theatre Program and is in her 20th year at ACU. Dawne holds an MFA in Acting from The University of Arizona and MT Certificate from NYU’s CAP 21. She loves traveling and engaging with people and places. Dawne has performed in, directed, and produced hundreds of productions in her time at ACU Theatre and NYC. She loves Jesus and Mexican Food. Dawne and her husband, Jeremy, call Abilene home and are the proud parents of two boys, Charlie and Henry.