Brendan O’Regan
Brendan O’Regan reflects on a ‘heart-breaking’ documentary focusing on innocent lives lost in the crossfire of rebellion and wonders whether it was in good taste to air a programme on Judas on Good Friday.
I’m not convinced that it was a great idea for BBC 1 to put the focus on Judas for Good Friday, but In the Footsteps of Judas was actually quite interesting. Rev. Kate Bottley came at the story largely from a mainstream Anglican perspective and this was no trendy attempt to rehabilitate Judas or to cast him as some sort of anti-hero for our times. She understood the gravity of Judas’ offence – betraying God who had become man, but even worse despairing at the end and not believing in God’s mercy.
She was angry and frustrated at Judas, but also sad that he had turned away from a forgiveness that could have been available to him. She wondered if it was possible that at the very moment of death he had in fact accepted the mercy of God – she couldn’t find a specific scriptural basis for this but found the possibility captured in a controversial church window in Dorset.
As regards Judas’ motivation, she didn’t favour the idea that he did it for the money, or that he was possessed, or that he was a helpless cog in God’s master plan, but was more inclined to think he was disillusioned that Jesus wasn’t the expected military revolutionary.
The victims of revolutionary violence were the subject of RTÉ One’s Children of the Revolution, Joe Duffy’s ground-breaking investigation into the young fatalities from the 1916 Rising, shown last Sunday night (repeat next Wednesday night).
The documentary threw light on a dark corner of the Rising, an aspect that had been largely ignored until recently. Here were tales of a baby shot in crossfire, a curious young girl in her back window mistaken for a sniper, a young lad shot as he gave aid to a wounded soldier, a teenage girl shot as she berated the rebels and many more.
Heart-breaking
The stories were heart-breaking – Duffy was almost reduced to tears at one stage. Tragedy was heaped on tragedy – in one story a wife lost her husband and son when British soldiers killed cowering civilians in North King St.
Another mother lost her daughter to the Rising and her sons to World War I, yet another mother wheeled her bleeding dying son to hospital in a hand cart. That pattern was all too reminiscent of the Good Friday story. Through this documentary and his book on the same subject Duffy has made a huge contribution to our state, its history and indeed its conscience and humanity.
Another kind of battle was the subject of The Battle for Christianity, shown on BBC 2 last week. Prof. Robert Beckford presented an enthusiastic and optimistic look at the current state of Christianity in Britain, though it started with a bleak overview of current problems, illustrated by sad images of boarded-up churches.
Much of the optimism was around the evangelical churches with their lively worship experiences that seemed to attract large numbers of enthusiastic young people – here they found optimism and hope. A contributor from the church that draws thousands every Sunday said it felt like “God’s night club”! Another said the Church needed to be “innovating the method, not the message”, which I thought was nicely put.
Another professor thought that “most people don’t want enthusiastic religion”, which I would question, though certainly there will be many, including the young, who are attracted by a quieter, more meditative approach.
Much was made of how the influx of immigrants was reviving many churches, and how they were bringing more conservative social values with them. Towards the end of the programme there was a welcome emphasis on the social service outreach that must form part of Christianity if we are to move to a positive future.
Positive note
Also on a positive note, honourable mentions go to a review of religious artwork in the National Gallery on Good Friday’s Leap of Faith with Michael Comyn on RTÉ Radio 1, to Holy Saturday night’s Gospel music special on RTÉ Radio 1’s Country Time with Sandy Harsch, and to the moving outline of Capuchin compassion and service during the Rising on Ryan Tubridy’s 16 Letters on RTÉ One Easter Sunday night (repeated next Wednesday night).
Finally, I’m saddened by the death, earlier this week, of Mother Angelica, media innovator and driving force behind EWTN, the US Catholic TV and Radio channel. Heard her speak in UCD some years ago – what an impressive woman!
Pick of the Week
Everybody Loves Raymond
Channel 4, Saturday,
April 2, 8.30am
When Ray agrees to go back to church, he discovers why Frank has been happy to go along every week.
Atonement: A Would You Believe? Special
RTĖ One, Sunday,
April 3, 10.30pm
Shane Paul O’Doherty atones for bombing offences and now challenges the morality of armed struggle.
The World: Killing Christianity
RTĖ One, Monday,
April 4, 11.35pm
Christians are fleeing persecution across the Middle East. Jane Corbin investigates.