Beth Harmon is profoundly wounded from being rejected by her parents and by others who should have loved and accepted her. The orphaned chess prodigy who is the subject of Netflix’s new original series, The Queen’s Gambit, turns to drugs and alcohol not only to cope, but to play chess and win.
While the international chess scene of the 1960s is the stage, the story is about healing from the deep wounds of sin. Her own, but even more those of others. The narrative contrasts destructive, self-medicating behaviors with genuine healing and transformation. In doing so, the series taps into some essential Christian anthropological truths — truths Christians don't always accept.
