Religion is failed by TV, says Welby

RELIGION is not being taken seriously enough on TV and must be put on a par with politics and sport, says Justin Welby.

The Archbishop of Canterbury complained that faith is being ‘failed’ by broadcasters and that the BBC’s diversity strategy should be expanded to promote religious literacy.

He went on to suggest that a recent Government white paper on the corporation should have done more to address religious differences.

He told Radio Times: ‘The white paper proposes a reshaping of the BBC ... Surely there must now be a place for religious literacy in there – to improve people’s understanding of the modern world.

‘It is impossible to understand the world today without an understanding of religion. Not religion as an exercise in private piety that needs to be covered simply to keep some strange people happy, but because religion is a prime motivator of behaviour for both individuals and communities.’

The archbishop has previously suggested that religious programmes should be the new ‘reality TV’, to combat the lack of understanding of different faiths. He added: ‘Religion is about the stuff of life. It’s about people and communities, and what drives them.’