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Church offers to re-tune BBC
Many accuse BBC of dumbing down eligious content
By BBC News Online's Alex Kirby
The governing body of the church of England, its general synod, is a dauntingly unpredictable body.
Much of what it spends its time discussing is virtually meaningless to outsiders, and pretty opaque to many synod members themselves.
But just when you think this group of nearly 600 clergy and laity is about to show itself up as completely out of touch, it does something quite sane and rational.
The second day of its spring session, 29 February, was a case in point.
The governing body of the church of England, its general synod, is a dauntingly unpredictable body.
Much of what it spends its time discussing is virtually meaningless to outsiders, and pretty opaque to many synod members themselves.
But just when you think this group of nearly 600 clergy and laity is about to show itself up as completely out of touch, it does something quite sane and rational.
The second day of its spring session, 29 February, was a case in point.
I want to ask not what the BBC can do for us, but what we can do for it  |
Christina Rees
|
Most of the morning was taken up in intricate discussion of what are politely known as "housekeeping measures", a euphemism for tedious but necessary work.
There was a session on the way members are appointed to the Archbishops' Council, the church's cabinet, which concluded that the present system is "fair, open and generally satisfactory".
Inevitably, as the synod gropes its way towards a new service book, there was a discussion of what parts of the Bible should be read in church on weekdays, and what the new marriage service might be.
Prayers with pigs
A break from the liturgical heavy going came when the bishop of Hereford walked round the corner from Church House to pray with pig farmers (and their pigs) protesting in Parliament Square about the crisis in their industry.
The one topic that might have struck a popular chord - a new code of conduct for the clergy, to help to protect them from allegations of sexual and emotional abuse - did not make it onto the floor of the synod session at all, having been left for backroom discussion.
Much of the afternoon session was devoted to a debate on the BBC's religious broadcasting, and what many synod members believe is a process of dumbing down - fewer and poorer programmes, and very few in peak-time slots.
The motion criticising the BBC had attracted more support than any other private member's motion in more than a decade, and the stage seemed set for a bout of blood-letting - open season on the broadcasters by an enraged church.
There was a session on the way members are appointed to the Archbishops' Council, the church's cabinet, which concluded that the present system is "fair, open and generally satisfactory".
Inevitably, as the synod gropes its way towards a new service book, there was a discussion of what parts of the Bible should be read in church on weekdays, and what the new marriage service might be.
Prayers with pigs
A break from the liturgical heavy going came when the bishop of Hereford walked round the corner from Church House to pray with pig farmers (and their pigs) protesting in Parliament Square about the crisis in their industry.
The one topic that might have struck a popular chord - a new code of conduct for the clergy, to help to protect them from allegations of sexual and emotional abuse - did not make it onto the floor of the synod session at all, having been left for backroom discussion.
Much of the afternoon session was devoted to a debate on the BBC's religious broadcasting, and what many synod members believe is a process of dumbing down - fewer and poorer programmes, and very few in peak-time slots.
The motion criticising the BBC had attracted more support than any other private member's motion in more than a decade, and the stage seemed set for a bout of blood-letting - open season on the broadcasters by an enraged church.
 Synod members want to help the BBC
|
But it turned out to be a good-natured and thoughtful debate.
One speaker pointed out that living a Christian life did not make good radio or television: "It's not broadcast material. But it is the gospel."
Others cautioned the synod against turning the BBC into a scapegoat, or giving it "a good kicking".
"I want to ask not what the BBC can do for us, but what we can do for it", said Christina Rees, a lay member of synod.
"We cannot offload our responsibility for spreading the gospel onto the broadcasters."
The motion eventually passed, by 370 votes to none, spoke of the synod's "regret" at the reduction and rescheduling of certain religious broadcasts.
It called on the churches to support the broadcasters in exploring faith "not as an additional element to an otherwise secular world, but as an integral part of it".
And it ended with a veiled warning - a call for "a mechanism for monitoring and reporting on the provision and quality" of all religious broadcasting. The synod will be watching.
One speaker pointed out that living a Christian life did not make good radio or television: "It's not broadcast material. But it is the gospel."
Others cautioned the synod against turning the BBC into a scapegoat, or giving it "a good kicking".
"I want to ask not what the BBC can do for us, but what we can do for it", said Christina Rees, a lay member of synod.
"We cannot offload our responsibility for spreading the gospel onto the broadcasters."
The motion eventually passed, by 370 votes to none, spoke of the synod's "regret" at the reduction and rescheduling of certain religious broadcasts.
It called on the churches to support the broadcasters in exploring faith "not as an additional element to an otherwise secular world, but as an integral part of it".
And it ended with a veiled warning - a call for "a mechanism for monitoring and reporting on the provision and quality" of all religious broadcasting. The synod will be watching.
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