Archbishop of Canterbury pleads with broadcasters not to ditch religious programming
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has pleaded with broadcasters not to ditch religious programming amidst continuing falls in church attendance.
Praising shows such as ITV’s Strictly Kosher and Channel 4’s Islam: The Untold Story, saying that to banish them from the schedules would be an act of ‘cultivating ignorance’ and harm the fight against prejudice.
Speaking to the Radio Times Welby said: “For adults over a certain age who received little in the way of religious education at school – especially of an inter-faith variety – religious broadcasting is likely to be their best guide to the different faiths, not just of the people they see on the news but of the people they meet at the school gates, or queue next to at the post office.
“It's essential that we support broadcasting that teaches us about those around us. The marvellous portrait of Manchester's Jewish community in ITV's Strictly Kosher is one example of how the media can help us to see the people around us as they really are.
"Likewise, Channel 4's Islam: the Untold Story gave viewers an opportunity to appreciate the rich and fascinating history of the Muslim faith."