Priest Idol

‘Priest Idol’ is starting on Monday on Channel 4. According to the Telegraph:

In an experiment that will be watched across the Church of England, the Rev James McCaskill was given the seemingly impossible task of reversing the fortunes of the parish of St Mary Magdalene in Lundwood, a former mining community near Barnsley.

Less than a year later he has increased the average Sunday congregation from single figures to more than 50 worshippers.

The name is dubious and gimmicky, but the idea seems to be reasonable and it will be interesting to hear how he gets on. One does wonder, as with most of all these reality TV things, whether the same could be achieved without the TV cameras there. But in any case it will be good to see what will (hopefully) be a creative approach to improving the way the churches message is communicated.

Update: My comments on the first programme in the ‘Priest Idol‘ series are here.