I often receive disbelieving looks from friends in Britain, Australia and the USA when I claim that New Zealand is more secular, more anti-Christian, than any of their countries. So conscious are they of the challenge which they face that they find it difficult to believe that somewhere else could be harder.
But maybe this Easter Sunday provided me with a teeny weeny piece of evidence…
Glancing down the schedule of our leading public broadcaster (TVNZ), I noticed that apart from the usual Praise Be segment, there was nothing on the schedule with either an Easter or a Christian theme. [NB – Praise Be is another topic of interest for me. I suspect the NZ version is more secularised and pluralised than the equivalent versions in Britain and Australia. That is my initial impression after seeing bits of all three].
So I went onto the internet to compare the situation with other countries.
In Britain, BBC1 had its Praise Be but also had a 60min church service from Winchester Cathedral in the morning and a 60min documentary in the evening entitled “Are Christians Being Persecuted?”
In Australia, ABC1 had its Praise Be but also had a 60min morning documentary entitled “The Passion: Films, Faith and Fury” in which the relationship between Hollywood and Christianity was explored. Then in the evening there was a 55min Compass programme discussing a piece of art by Caravaggio called “The Taking of Christ”.
In the USA, it is more difficult as things vary with ‘local programming’ and ‘paid programming’ (which are so often Christian in content) even within the public broadcasters like ABC, CBS, and NBC. So it is difficult to tell. I confess that while I was surprised that I did not see more explicitly Christian material on those channels, the situation in the USA is such that Christian content does tend to flood TV channels which are readily accessible. No one can doubt the strength of the Christian voice in the US when compared with these other countries.
So I kind of wrest my case! New Zealand is a tough, tough country and I respect all those pastors who have given it their best over this recent weekend. I hope you are able to get some rest and refreshment this week. I feel as motivated as I have ever been to do what I can to encourage and equip you in your role. I particularly admire those who remain faithful to the gospel and yet find a way in which to do so in a creative and compelling manner. Good job!
nice chatting
Paul
About Me
the art of unpacking
After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.
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Paul
As a kiwi on long term exile in Australia, I have to concur on the coverage in Australia. I was really pleasantly surprised at the Christian coverage on Easter Sunday, and coverage of Christian events in the news.
Other than one person at a time, how do you turn this around? It's probably harder to evangelise in a post-Christian society where people have been innoculated against the christian message.
From my perspective, I am grateful that the Christian message is pretty much available in NZ.
What I find frustrating is that because of the Easter hols where families go away for long breaks , it is hard to do anything "special" to celebrate Easter on Easter Sunday
Aussie Andy
I reckon we need to be setting apart people to give themselves to excellence in the public world of the media. (I have just filled in a reference for one such person). Bright, creative, compelling people. Personally, I remain unconvinced of the long term missional value of so-called Christian radio and Christian TV when placed alongside the far greater value of excellent Christian work in that public world. If it is excellent, there will be a market for it.
I reckon we need to see that pluralism gives us a space. It is a scandal that in a pluralist society like NZ there was no celebration of our most important day on TVNZ. I'd grant that space in the public pluralist world for a Hindu, a Buddhist, or a Muslim on their special days. But such is the climate at the moment that I suspect the media is far more likely to be tolerant of other faiths, but intolerant of Christianity.
Paul
This is a biggie too. I hear you! Christmas is lost in the summer holidays and Easter gets lost as the last long weekend of the summer. The young people have their camps (but is there ever a focus on the Easter story? – in my experience, it tends to be assumed, rather than articulated which is pretty sad) and us older ones enjoy a break.