In today’s diverse and scattered media landscape it’s rare to find a programme that everybody is talking about. Adolescence (Netflix) has bucked the trend, with its grim tale of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a female classmate. It’s dark stuff for sure, but relevant considering news stories of children murdering children. We surely have…
There is so much aggravational division in the world. Some of it due to identity politics, but a related problem is labelling – instead of seeing people as complex individuals, made in the image of God, we prefer to label people. This is particularly problematic when it comes to children – sometimes doing it for…
Understandably the North of Ireland gets in the limelight when programme makers turn their attention to St Patrick’s Day. Catherine Fulvio’s St Patrick’s Way (RTÉ One, Thursday and Friday) saw the well-known TV chef take the St Patrick’s pilgrimage route from Navan Fort in Armagh to Downpatrick in Co. Down. She was a cheerful and…
Last week saw the beginning of Lent, and the onset of the season usually sparks some interesting religious content in the media. On Songs of Praise (BBC One, Sunday) for the first Sunday in Lent Sean Fletcher presented a special edition on the Lord’s Prayer, from an Anglican theological college – Ripon College, Cuddesdon. This…
It’s a tale of beginnings and endings this week! I enjoyed the first episode of the new biblical series House of David, launched on Amazon Prime last Thursday. I’m not a great fan of biblical epics – they often opt for spectacle rather than spirit, so the Bible, I’d suggest, is better read than seen!…
The worlds of religion and politics are often dominated by major figures, characters and leaders with big personalities – some of them will feature here. And so it was that Pope Francis was one of those giants that figured large in the media last week. Watching ITV News last Wednesday I was conscious, during Ellie…
Last Friday being St Valentine’s Day it wasn’t surprising that love, romance, sex and marriage figured in media discussions. Our Divine Sparks (RTÉ Radio 1, Friday) featured some historical background about the saint. Apparently, 3rd-century Roman Emperor Claudius II banned marriage because married men don’t make for good soldiers! So, Valentine performed secret marriages and…
I always love hearing about green shoots when it comes to religion, and especially in relation to young people. On The Hard Shoulder (Newstalk, Wednesday) there was a discussion on the matter with Wendy Grace of Spirit Radio and singer-songwriter Ciara Lawless. This was on foot or a survey from the UK that showed Gen…
Self-consciously smart commentators can sometimes sneer at moral panics, and some people are truly prone to over catastrophising, but I fear that in relation to children’s access to all sorts of depravity online, the worriers may be justified. The issue was raised on Mornings with Wendy (Spirit Radio, Friday) when Wendy Grace spoke to Alex…
I like it when I come across someone that defies expectations, someone with unexpected ideas or unusual hobbies. Mind you there can be unpleasant surprises, like when you discover a close friend is a racist… this is not autobiographical! Barbara Dickson is a famous Scottish pop and folk singer, and she is also a committed…
Brendan O’Regan