BBC will explore new approaches to religion on primetime TV

-19/07/06

The BBC is inten


BBC will explore new approaches to religion on primetime TV

-19/07/06

The BBC is intending to explore he growth of (and concerns about) religion at the heart of its primetime television entertainment schedule for the first time, writes media correspondent Adam Sherwin on the corporationís website.

Programmes examining faith and spirituality set to complement or replace copycat ìlifestyleî shows ñ with the first (at the end of July 2006) featuring former Iraq war correspondent Rageh Omaar, who has written on his experiences as a British Muslim, conducting a three-part investigation into Jesusí miracles.

To make the show, Omaar travelled to the Sea of Galilee, looking at the historical and archaeological evidence for events such as the feeding of the 5,000 with just a few loaves and fishes, Jesus walking on water, and the resurrection itself.

Rather melodramatically, Sherwin claims ìthe series asks if the banquet of loaves and fishes was an act of mass delusion and if the crucified body of Jesus was thrown to dogs in a rubbish dump.î

Outlandish theories of all kinds have often arisen among both fervent believers and skeptics alike. But biblical scholars are sceptical about naÔve modern approaches to ancient texts and traditions ñ and hope that the BBC will also look at the less glamorous business of serious research.

Some church groups are already nervous about the Omaar show. Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Catholic bishops in Scotland, is reported as asking: ìCan you imagine the BBC asking a prominent Christian like Cliff Richard to present a critical look at Islam?î

But BBC makes it plain that the series was not designed to provoke a Christian backlash, and that critical angles will be matched by the views of adherents and perspectives of different communities on one anotherís beliefs and commitments.

Adam Kemp, the BBCís head of religious commissioning, explained: ìIt is Ragehís journey to find out what the miracles reveal about Jesus and who people at the time believed Jesus really was. There are beautiful reconstructions of the miracles.î

The BBC has already had a minor ëalternative hití on its hands with Monastery, on BBC Two, which tracked the experiences of five ordinary people (one an atheist) on a spiritual journey living by Benedictine rules. It spawned a follow-up show based in a Convent.

The Miracles of Jesus series, which begins on BBC One on 30 July 2006, is one of a range of fresh approaches being developed by the BBCís innovative new head of religion and ethics, Michael Wakelin.

The BBC aims to combine informative and entertaining programming on religion, with equal treatment to all faiths and to those responding to religious issues from a variety of perspectives.

Eklesia adds: Churches have traditionally claimed that religion is under-represented on mainstream television, while some humanist and secularist groups say that there is too much faith and seek to have such programmes removed from the schedules.

Companies like Channel Four, the independent network, have often adopted a quirky and alternative approach to faith questions – and it recently gave prominent scientist, commentator and and atheist Richard Dawkins a high profile two-part programme called ‘The Root of All Evil?’

The programmes were hailed by opponents and critics of religion, but dismissed by many other analysts as simplistic. The Press Complaints Commission rejected official complaints about misrepresentation.

Meanwhile, the Church of England has called for more attention to ‘mainstream belief’ on British TV, and the British Humanist Association has said that there needs to be a ‘level playing field’, with proper programmes on non-religious belief systems – not just the assumption that the rest of the schedule is the alternative to religious output.

[Also on Ekklesia: What Norman said – from Iraq captive Kember’s BBC interview; Alternative Jesus play to feature Oasis, Smiths and Happy Mondays; BBC faces question time over Christian Voice; Critics of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq accused of being ill-informed; anti-Springer Christians boost showís ratings; Political message of Easter to be highlighted on BBC; Bishop criticises campaigners over Springer opera protests; Christians defend Iraq nonviolence tactics against critics; Christian row about Jerry Springer opera rages on]


BBC will explore new approaches to religion on primetime TV

-19/07/06

The BBC is intending to explore he growth of (and concerns about) religion at the heart of its primetime television entertainment schedule for the first time, writes media correspondent Adam Sherwin on the corporationís website.

Programmes examining faith and spirituality set to complement or replace copycat ìlifestyleî shows ñ with the first (at the end of July 2006) featuring former Iraq war correspondent Rageh Omaar, who has written on his experiences as a British Muslim, conducting a three-part investigation into Jesusí miracles.

To make the show, Omaar travelled to the Sea of Galilee, looking at the historical and archaeological evidence for events such as the feeding of the 5,000 with just a few loaves and fishes, Jesus walking on water, and the resurrection itself.

Rather melodramatically, Sherwin claims ìthe series asks if the banquet of loaves and fishes was an act of mass delusion and if the crucified body of Jesus was thrown to dogs in a rubbish dump.î

Outlandish theories of all kinds have often arisen among both fervent believers and skeptics alike. But biblical scholars are sceptical about naÔve modern approaches to ancient texts and traditions ñ and hope that the BBC will also look at the less glamorous business of serious research.

Some church groups are already nervous about the Omaar show. Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Catholic bishops in Scotland, is reported as asking: ìCan you imagine the BBC asking a prominent Christian like Cliff Richard to present a critical look at Islam?î

But BBC makes it plain that the series was not designed to provoke a Christian backlash, and that critical angles will be matched by the views of adherents and perspectives of different communities on one anotherís beliefs and commitments.

Adam Kemp, the BBCís head of religious commissioning, explained: ìIt is Ragehís journey to find out what the miracles reveal about Jesus and who people at the time believed Jesus really was. There are beautiful reconstructions of the miracles.î

The BBC has already had a minor ëalternative hití on its hands with Monastery, on BBC Two, which tracked the experiences of five ordinary people (one an atheist) on a spiritual journey living by Benedictine rules. It spawned a follow-up show based in a Convent.

The Miracles of Jesus series, which begins on BBC One on 30 July 2006, is one of a range of fresh approaches being developed by the BBCís innovative new head of religion and ethics, Michael Wakelin.

The BBC aims to combine informative and entertaining programming on religion, with equal treatment to all faiths and to those responding to religious issues from a variety of perspectives.

Eklesia adds: Churches have traditionally claimed that religion is under-represented on mainstream television, while some humanist and secularist groups say that there is too much faith and seek to have such programmes removed from the schedules.

Companies like Channel Four, the independent network, have often adopted a quirky and alternative approach to faith questions – and it recently gave prominent scientist, commentator and and atheist Richard Dawkins a high profile two-part programme called ‘The Root of All Evil?’

The programmes were hailed by opponents and critics of religion, but dismissed by many other analysts as simplistic. The Press Complaints Commission rejected official complaints about misrepresentation.

Meanwhile, the Church of England has called for more attention to ‘mainstream belief’ on British TV, and the British Humanist Association has said that there needs to be a ‘level playing field’, with proper programmes on non-religious belief systems – not just the assumption that the rest of the schedule is the alternative to religious output.

[Also on Ekklesia: What Norman said – from Iraq captive Kember’s BBC interview; Alternative Jesus play to feature Oasis, Smiths and Happy Mondays; BBC faces question time over Christian Voice; Critics of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq accused of being ill-informed; anti-Springer Christians boost showís ratings; Political message of Easter to be highlighted on BBC; Bishop criticises campaigners over Springer opera protests; Christians defend Iraq nonviolence tactics against critics; Christian row about Jerry Springer opera rages on]