Is Britain Christian? ITV Tonight review 24th July 2014

Changes

The heat has driven me into becoming a precious whinger again. 

Last night's ITV Tonight programme on the state of modern-day Christianity in Britain was interesting but could have been made ten years ago.

The programme discussed David Cameron's much debated claim that what remains of Britain is still a Christian country and his call for people of faith to share that faith (just so long as you don't work in the NHS... or a whole range of other occupations).

And maybe reporters will just look at the next census figures and rehash a similar report in ten years time. The established churches perpetually waning and some of the charismatic and evangelical churches perpetually growing. Food banks and secular alternatives to faith made a brief mention, but that is all that they were.

The conclusions were the same as were expressed in 2004 and this is partly because the British media now have very few journalists who have either the skill, expertise or inclination to understand the state of Christianity in the UK today.

Despite a tradition of journalists covering both the ebb and the flow of faith in this country it seems that mainstream editors do not, on the whole, think that faith is newsworthy. It is a constant complaint that the only news that Christianity gets is negative. We can't all be precious whingers.

So, with the last specialist faith reporter in the established media losing her job a matter of months ago is it any wonder that the resulting reports are largely rehashed and superficial? Or is it simply a mirroring of a tide which is still going out?

The conclusion of the Tonight programme was this: Christianity is on the wane. And this is an ebb which is predicted to continue. One expert even forecasted that this trend would continue into the future. It was almost a prophesy. And they can be misleading.

Actually, the program wasn't entirely unfair. At least there were none of the outrageous generalisations which have characterized too much output relating to Christianity. But again, these generalisations and inaccuracies are partly due to a dearth of specialist faith reporters. Again I whinge.

The conclusion of 'Tonight' was the same as ten years ago. Remember, this is a report on the state of faith in the nation now and according to this report Christianity is largely on the wane.

But it is so much more complicated than this.

Perhaps anyone with any sense would have spent the evening watching the tide from a beach.

Think happy thoughts.

Alternative Easter message: From deep inside the Tomb - thoughts on Christianity in the UK

Today former Archbishop George Carey has said that two thirds of Chistians feel like a persecuted minority (if only my 'killer question' hadn't been stifled at the local BBC election debate!).

The whole subject of Christian freedom in the UK is a minefield. It is impossible to say anything without offending someone or other even if you say the most anodyne, placatory things. Believers who say they have lost jobs and job opportunities because of discrimination regularly suffer character assassination.

There is so much disagreement on the subject of believers freedoms in the UK even among Christians. Many  currently disagree with George Carey. When this subject gets into the news there are always a range of responses from within the Christian community. Culturally, Christians want to be Christ-like and unselfish so many will point to groups who are suffering to a greater extent - for example the poor, for example, needy people in other countries, for example, asylum seekers etc. This is a unique phenomenon particular to faith communities, a kind of tribal characteristic.

There are other Christians who don't want to rock the boat. So they will say that nothing is wrong because they are afraid that things will get worse. Fear is a powerful motivator (but kind of understandable when you take into account the history of Christian persecution and the existing persecution in other countries).

On top of this, aggressive secularists will always state that believers are complaining and whinging (the inference being that we are spoilt children). They say that Christianity gets preferential treatment as evidenced by the presence of bishops in the House of Lords and BBC (British Biased Corporation) treatment of Christianity.

Now the whole subject is getting linked to the gay marriage debate. It has to be said that there are many Christians who are not against gay marriage. There is a powerful argument for it - not least the call to love others. I am for gay marriage but understand that there is a reasonable argument against it. But the problem with Christians 'winning' the gay marriage debate is that we don't win at all. All that would happen would be that Christians get the blame for infringing on other people's freedoms. The only way to win that battle is to lose it. That way Christians can complain about the whole thing when it becomes law. And we don't get the blame.

We are not persecuted but there are huge biases against Christians in the UK, biases which are often encouraged by those in powerful positions.

What the country needs to make things better is a Christian revival. Please remember I said so at the time.

(Publish and be damned).