A History?!

It is always best, when one has a television, to plan your viewing wisely and in advance. That is why I was pleased to have bought a TV guide this week to get a bit of a forewarning about the new 8-part series starting tonight on Channel 4, entitled "Christianity: A History". Normally, having seen the title, I would probably tune straight in and see what was on offer. But after looking at the line-up, it is pretty clear as to the motivation of the film-makers.

It is at first glance an interesting format: Eight different presenters look at different aspects of Christianity's turbulent past. But who do they pick? Firstly, to kick-start things, how about British Jew Howard Jacobson? From the short clips on their website, what better way to tar the entire history of Christianity than to start things off with the Jewish perspective. Basically that Jesus was not the son of God at all, but a Jewish teacher who didn't fulfil the prophecies of the Old Testament, and wasn't even born in Bethlehem! Those silly Christians... It seems that all the other episodes seek to portray a similarly one-sided picture of Christianity, and in particular Catholicism.

If this first attack on Christianity hadn't satiated the rampant anti-Christian, then next up we progress onto the Catholic Church: Lapsed Catholic Michael Portillo (right) looks at the role of the Roman Empire and Emperor Constantine and concludes that "once enthroned in a position of power, the church never looked back - and this has been a disaster for Christianity because 'power is for politicians and not for churchmen'".

In episode 4 we have Rageh Omaar: Obviously not content with war correspondance, he bides his time between slating Christian history and exhorting Islam (BBC4's An Islamic History of Europe. Science and Islam is also currently showing). This particular episode promises to show us the evils of the crusades and the way in which they continue today in the minds of many in the Middle East.

Episode 7 has Colin Blakemore, atheistic scientist, ultimately show that Science will one day make religion completely unnecessary. And to really top things off, the series culminates in Cherie Booth (Blair) looking to the future of Catholicism. Please.

Amongst all this I might consider watching the episode by Ann Widdecombe MP (left) looking at the Reformation, and perhaps Theologian Robert Beckford exploring the Dark Ages, and Christianity as the cultural glue that held together England. But I imagine this series ultimately hopes to show that even from eight different perspectives of 'high-profile personalities', Christianity is something to be scoffed at, and that we should do our best to manipulate history to this end.

My conclusion is that mass media and (true) religion do not mix. I would not ask for Christian propoganda to be shown either. I accept the fact that Christ is, and has always been, the ultimate contradiction to the world. Revelation by its nature will always be: it is in Man's lowest places that the Light must "shineth in the darkness". Ultimately, to quote St Paul (to the Ephesians):

To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of scandal, to them who stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto also they are set. But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Who in time past were not a people: but are now the people of God. Who had not obtained mercy; but now have obtained mercy.

And thus it is with great satisfaction that I have not tuned into today's programme with Jewish propoganda about Jesus. It is foolish to think that today's Judaism somehow mirrors the religion that Jesus came to fulfil. When the Word was made flesh, it was a turning point for Judaism. Christ had little regard for the hypocrisy of the teachers, but equally did not seek to destroy everything that came before him. Shortly after the Church was born, the temple at Jerusalem was destroyed, and the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant (which should be integral to Judaism) was lost. Only in the New Covenant, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is God's spotless victim offered for the redemption of the world, as prophesised by Malachi:

For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation.

It is unlikely that any of these documentaries would look to faithful Christian scholars and historians for input, all in the quest of appeasing the giant consumer culture it is aimed at. I think it best to stick to pure entertainment in the form of Sherlock Holmes and ER.