Church seeks salvation in Doctor Who

by David Masters

Vicars in the UK have been told to illustrate their sermons with examples from the popular BBC series Doctor Who.

Delegates at a conference for Church of England leaders were shown clips from the show that relate to complex religious themes such as evil, resurrection and redemption.

Similarities were drawn between the Doctor - who is willing to sacrifice himself for others - and Christ.

Other discussions at the conference included whether the Daleks are capable of redemption from their evil ways, and how the Tardis is like a Church - an everyday object that points to a higher way of being.

It is hope that by relating Christianity to popular TV shows, more teenagers will be attracted through church doors on Sunday mornings.

Attendance of under 16s at Church of England services dropped by 20% between 2000 and 2006.

By making Christianity meaningful to young people, the Church aims to reverse that trend. The Rt Rev Tony Porter, who attended the conference, said that “it’s critical to identify with where people are.”

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