Religious programming has become tired, formulaic, and needs to be "born again", says the Church of England's communications director.
Rev Arun Arora criticised the religious programming of the BBC in a comment piece for The Times published today.
"We remain a faithful nation where more than half of us are religious. We live in world where religious affiliation is on the rise despite those proclaiming the demise of faith," he wrote, arguing that current popular programming was not indicative of the value religion has in people's lives.
Arora critiqued the BBC's Christmas content, which includes traditional staples of the season such as 'Carols from Kings College', but which he said represents "a basic diet in a season that should be full of spiritual feasting." Arora said that the omission of references to Christ in the BBC's Christmas advertising was deeply ironic, and called on the broadcaster to develop a greater appetite.
He added that the BBC's output outside of Christmas was no better, and that some of it is "so tired and formulaic it belongs to a different decade". He compared the apparent decline in quality religious content with the investment in and subsequent resurgence of science programming. Great successes such as Brian Cox's 'Wonders of the Universe' and David Attenborough's 'Planet Earth II' have shown that programming can be radically transformed into something imaginative, impressive and compelling, he said.
"The BBC has a great opportunity to renew its programming in a way that could boost spiritual and religious engagement with existing and new audiences," Arora said.
He added that religion remains deeply present in the personal lives and current affairs of modern society. Arora quoted the late AA Gill, who wrote that, "Not having more sensible and serious religious broadcasting isn't modern, it's a failure to face modernity."
