Doctor Who star gives Time Lord book boost to Christian Aid
-28/04/06
This annual fund
Doctor Who star gives Time Lord book boost to Christian Aid
-28/04/06
This annual fundraising bonanza for Christian Aid, the UK churchesí development agency which supports poor communities around the world irrespective of creed, has received an unexpected boost from Doctor Who ñ the BBCís ratings-topping Time Lord.
Actor David Tennant, who plays the current Doctor (his tenth incarnation), has personally signed a script from episode one of the present series of the iconic TV show, which attracts between 7 and 9 million viewers.
The script has also been monikered by co-star Billie Piper, who plays Rose, the Doctorís feisty humanoid assistant.
It is to be given to the Christian Aid book sale at St Andrewís and St Georgeís Church in Edinburghís George Street, opening on 13 May and running from 15-19 May 2006.
Sale organisers are consulting Doctor Who memorabilia experts before they put a price on the script. The show has a huge and dedicated fan base, and the charity is hoping that the Time Lordís wealthier baby-boomer aficionados will push its value up.
The script was offered to Christian Aid after a conversation between David Tennant (his surname is a stage name) and his father, the Very Reverend Dr Sandy McDonald, who was once minister of the church.
ìDavid is particularly interested in the work of the special sale at St Andrewís and St Georgeís,î Dr McDonald told the Edinburgh Evening News. ìThe script couldnít be handed over until after the first episode went out on Easter Saturday and I have it now.î
He added: ìDavid is genuinely concerned and hopes the script makes a lot of money for Christian Aid.î
Dr McDonald, who has also served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and is now retired, has been a longstanding supporter of the book sale.
Now in its 33rd year, it is currently the biggest single fundraising event for Christian Aid throughout the UK and has raised more than £1m. The 2005 sale recahed a total of £104,000.
Other items up for grabs this year include an 1857 first edition of David Livingstoneís ‘Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa’, cartoons by the playwright James Bridie and a copy of Muriel Sparkís last novel, signed by the late author.
Doctor Who hit the headlines at the end of 2005 because its ëChristmas Invasioní special contained a less-than-coded swipe at the US and British-led war Iraq. Penelope Wilton played a newly-elected British prime minister having her Yuletide fun ruined by aliens intent on taking over Planet Earth.
Fans of the show include the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and his family.
Russell T Davies, who is an atheist, has tackled spiritual themes elsewhere on TV ñ in the acclaimed drama The Second Coming, which deconstructed human obsessions with messiah-figures.
Meanwhile, former Who star Sylvester McCoy studied at a Scottish seminary with the intention of becoming a Catholic priest, but eventually left to become an actor – playing the seventh Doctor from 1986 to 1989. For many fans he proved to be no saviour.
Others who have recently probed the religious issues in Doctor Who include the evangelical Christian culture-watchers at the Damaris project, in a book called Back-in-Time.
The 2005 Greenbelt Festival also featured a talk by academic Philip Purser-Hallard on ‘The Spirituality of Doctor Who’ and an interview with Gollancz author Paul Cornell.
Author and Doctor Who analyst Jim Smith, who co-authored the Virgin Books guide Who’s Next? with Mark Clapham and Eddie Robson, told Ekklesia: ìThere are many stories which are definitely anti-war. Not a particular war – just war itself.”
Now, in helping Christian Aid, the famous Time Lord is doing his bit for international development and anti-poverty advocacy, too.
[Also on Ekklesia: Peacenik Doctor Who to ruin Blair’s Christmas 20/12/05; Church agency backs criticism of UK on world poverty 27/04/06; Christian Aid welcomes Brown’s global education pledge; Leading church aid agency defends Norman Kember’s integrity; Donít use aid to proselytize, Christians urged; Clean water not just a pipe dream says Christian agency; Christian agency abandons ‘abstinence’ strategy over HIV; Tory leadership candidate attacks Christian agency on trade]
Doctor Who star gives Time Lord book boost to Christian Aid
-28/04/06
This annual fundraising bonanza for Christian Aid, the UK churchesí development agency which supports poor communities around the world irrespective of creed, has received an unexpected boost from Doctor Who ñ the BBCís ratings-topping Time Lord.
Actor David Tennant, who plays the current Doctor (his tenth incarnation), has personally signed a script from episode one of the present series of the iconic TV show, which attracts between 7 and 9 million viewers.
The script has also been monikered by co-star Billie Piper, who plays Rose, the Doctorís feisty humanoid assistant.
It is to be given to the Christian Aid book sale at St Andrewís and St Georgeís Church in Edinburghís George Street, opening on 13 May and running from 15-19 May 2006.
Sale organisers are consulting Doctor Who memorabilia experts before they put a price on the script. The show has a huge and dedicated fan base, and the charity is hoping that the Time Lordís wealthier baby-boomer aficionados will push its value up.
The script was offered to Christian Aid after a conversation between David Tennant (his surname is a stage name) and his father, the Very Reverend Dr Sandy McDonald, who was once minister of the church.
ìDavid is particularly interested in the work of the special sale at St Andrewís and St Georgeís,î Dr McDonald told the Edinburgh Evening News. ìThe script couldnít be handed over until after the first episode went out on Easter Saturday and I have it now.î
He added: ìDavid is genuinely concerned and hopes the script makes a lot of money for Christian Aid.î
Dr McDonald, who has also served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and is now retired, has been a longstanding supporter of the book sale.
Now in its 33rd year, it is currently the biggest single fundraising event for Christian Aid throughout the UK and has raised more than £1m. The 2005 sale recahed a total of £104,000.
Other items up for grabs this year include an 1857 first edition of David Livingstoneís ‘Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa’, cartoons by the playwright James Bridie and a copy of Muriel Sparkís last novel, signed by the late author.
Doctor Who hit the headlines at the end of 2005 because its ëChristmas Invasioní special contained a less-than-coded swipe at the US and British-led war Iraq. Penelope Wilton played a newly-elected British prime minister having her Yuletide fun ruined by aliens intent on taking over Planet Earth.
Fans of the show include the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and his family.
Russell T Davies, who is an atheist, has tackled spiritual themes elsewhere on TV ñ in the acclaimed drama The Second Coming, which deconstructed human obsessions with messiah-figures.
Meanwhile, former Who star Sylvester McCoy studied at a Scottish seminary with the intention of becoming a Catholic priest, but eventually left to become an actor – playing the seventh Doctor from 1986 to 1989. For many fans he proved to be no saviour.
Others who have recently probed the religious issues in Doctor Who include the evangelical Christian culture-watchers at the Damaris project, in a book called Back-in-Time.
The 2005 Greenbelt Festival also featured a talk by academic Philip Purser-Hallard on ‘The Spirituality of Doctor Who’ and an interview with Gollancz author Paul Cornell.
Author and Doctor Who analyst Jim Smith, who co-authored the Virgin Books guide Who’s Next? with Mark Clapham and Eddie Robson, told Ekklesia: ìThere are many stories which are definitely anti-war. Not a particular war – just war itself.”
Now, in helping Christian Aid, the famous Time Lord is doing his bit for international development and anti-poverty advocacy, too.
[Also on Ekklesia: Peacenik Doctor Who to ruin Blair’s Christmas 20/12/05; Church agency backs criticism of UK on world poverty 27/04/06; Christian Aid welcomes Brown’s global education pledge; Leading church aid agency defends Norman Kember’s integrity; Donít use aid to proselytize, Christians urged; Clean water not just a pipe dream says Christian agency; Christian agency abandons ‘abstinence’ strategy over HIV; Tory leadership candidate attacks Christian agency on trade]