The fading of Christian faith as a vital force in modern Britain is nowhere more evident than in the broadcast media; its growing coarseness and profanity, its reliance on sentimentality and its worship at the altar of the Self. Even when religious matters are mentioned or discussed, it tends to be through the lens of contemporary political preoccupations.
How refreshing, then, to see a Christmas special that is focused almost entirely on explication of the faith, on Scripture and beautiful music, and on thoughtful conversation. GBNews’ hour-long Christmas: A Message Of Hope, presented by Free Church of England cleric Calvin Robinson, is a wide-ranging programme, tackling subjects as various as the nature of hope, the need for grandeur in liturgy, the “true myth” of Father Christmas, and the inescapability of suffering in the Christian life. The guests are big hitters: Bishop Robert Barron, an enormously gifted communicator, alongside the Anglican theologian John Milbank, the ex-Anglican priest and now Catholic layman (and Herald contributor) Gavin Ashenden, and the Orthodox writer Rod Dreher. Desmond Swayne MP, a prominent Christian parliamentarian, also makes an appearance, although his interview is less centred on the Christmas theme and so feels rather detached. Their contributions are interspersed with music sung by the Brompton Oratory choir and readings from the Bible.
