Vicar’s church screening of Life of Brian appals faithful

A VICAR has outraged his congregation by planning to screen the Monty Python film The Life of Brian in church and charging £10 a ticket.

The Rev Christopher Wilson said the comedy – branded blasphemous on its release in 1979 – would provide an opportunity for parishioners of All Saints’, Leamington Spa, to “laugh at ourselves”.

He said: “We hope the film will bring in people who wouldn’t normally think of entering this spectacular place. The

Life of Brian caused upset when it was released. Most of us have grown up since then. We’ve learnt to laugh at ourselves and to understand the difference between faith and the foibles of human nature, which are so humorously depicted in the film.”

He added: “Brian is not Jesus. That’s made clear right at the beginning, where the Wise Men mistakenly visit Brian, before finding the real Jesus.”

But one elderly churchgoer, who did not want to be named, said: “I think it will upset many, many people. As a Christian, I didn’t particularly like the film very much and thought it was an unfair portrayal of the Church, but accepted it should be shown in cinemas.”

John Ascott, 45, added: “Why on earth would a church be an appropriate venue to show a film that is offensive to the Christian faith? There must be better ways to encourage people to attend church than to show a film that is, in essence, making fun of the entire Christian faith and story of Jesus.”

The film night will also feature a licensed bar and “Music You Don’t Normally Hear Played on a Church Organ”, including Meat Loaf ’s Bat out of Hell, Madonna’s Like a Prayer, and Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now and Vicar in a Tutu by The Smiths, performed by Florence Ellis. She said: “It will be hilarious.”