Anglican Church agrees to reality-TV program ‘Priest Idol’
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London, England, Sep 17, 2004 / 12:00 am (CNA).- The Anglican Church in England has jumped into the fray of reality TV in the hopes of reviving a dying church.

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Lundwood in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, has a congregation of only nine, mainly aging, regular worshippers. It hopes that by participating in a new reality TV program on Channel 4, called Priest Idol, it will be able to attract a new vicar who can fill up the church pews.

A selection process will attempt to find the right candidate, who is likely to be younger than the average vicar, according to Channel 4. The chosen vicar will receive a sum of cash to spend on whatever he or she thinks could turn things around.

Cameras will then follow the church community over 12 months.

The program is being made with the full cooperation of Bishop Stephen Platten of Wakefield, who considers this program a last-chance attempt to revive the church and an opportunity to encourage other churches that find themselves in a similar situation. 

Priest Idol is scheduled for broadcast at the end of next year.

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: EG
UK 11/21/2005 05:11 PM EST
Having seen this evening programme Priest idol it has reminded me why the church is failing in the UK.To hear the patronising comments of the various "important people" within the church snorting their derisive, negative comments about the project - seems reporesentative of just how out of touch the church (as a whole) is today. Continuing to believe that the "pomp and ceremony" of the church will survive within this everchanging technological age with the many social problems that we face - is living in denial. There could be a place for the message of the church within our society but time is running out - The preist is right; in truthfully looking at bringing the message of the church up to date, making it relevant for the people of today there may be a glimmer of hope. If the church continue to proudly believe that it can exist without change - it will dissapear altogether - the evidence is already all around us with many more churches decaying and closing all the time. Will the church learn from this interesting experiement? Lets hope so!
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