Anglicans: The only Christians who are cool on TV!

[Velo Princesse]

I think we can all agree that Christians are not exactly portrayed well on TV or in the movies. Everything from Ned Flanders to scary evil priests have been credited to us... and then, Home Improvement happened! I swear, I think this is a first.

I was watching a re-run of Home Improvement yesturday. It was about Randy deciding that he wasn't going to church anymore and Tim was upset about it. On Tool Time Tim & Al were building something for Al's church and they had his priest on. So, the priest was on the entire episode. At one point he is picking up Al from work to go on a double date, earlier in the show he is making fun of Tim for always getting hurt. He was just basically a cool guy.

Anyway, Tim ended up talking to him about Randy not going to church anymore and the priest asked what Randy does in his spare time. Tim said that he volunteers and stuff like that. The priest asked what Tim does in his spare time and Tim said he works on his hotrod. So the priest said something like, "Some people do things like work on their hotrods in their spare time and go to church every Sunday, and others spend their spare time helping their community and choose to forgo church on Sunday. His volunteer work is his church."

I was struck w/ pride at that point because I've never seen a Christian portrayed so well on TV as that priest was on that show and he was Episcopalian. I just thought I'd share....

Randi

[karen freeinchristman]

That is really interesting. In the C of E, there has been a lot of talk/books/seminars/conferences lately about "new ways of being church", and this sounds like an example straight out of that concept. It's kind of a post-modern way of thinking of what it means to be the church. (Wonder what our friends here from the Anglo-catholic high church think of that, though)... ;)

[Thomas2618]

I saw a RC priest portrayed in a very positive light in a commercial from France. Our French teacher was playing all these commercials for us and one was a priest talking to God and the point was to advertise for a certain type of pasta... but the priest was shown in a good light. It was tres amusant.
Just a little bit of useless rambling from,
Thomas

[karen freeinchristman]

Do you guys over there in the States or in Australia or Canada get the programme called "The Vicar of Dibley"? That one is about an Anglican vicar, and it is pretty funny. Some people might not agree with me, but I think it gives an overall positive representation of the human qualities of Christians, in quite a humourous way. Their Parochial Church Council meetings really crack me up, because the characters really remind me of some of the people in our PCC!

[Velo Princesse]

I saw a RC priest portrayed in a very positive light in a commercial from France. Our French teacher was playing all these commercials for us and one was a priest talking to God and the point was to advertise for a certain type of pasta... but the priest was shown in a good light. It was tres amusant.
Just a little bit of useless rambling from,
Thomas

Things are different over there, I think. Being RC in France is a badge of honor... or so I'm told. It's not like in the US at all. Anyone from France want to confirm that???

Randi

[DaveS]

The Vicar of Dibley is great!

It teaches some great messages about Christianity, Anglicanism and... chocolate.

To address the OP, Rowan Williams does look good on TV, he has that whole 'I'm wise' aura about him!

[Fish and Bread]

I'm told the ABC network in the United States has picked up a program about an Episcopalian priest who talks to visions of Jesus, is addicted to something or other (Drinking? Drugs?) but trying to quit, and has run-ins with his more conservative bishop. It's a midseason replacement, which basically means it'll air in place of something they cancel (So the day and time it'll air, as well as the premiere date, will be determined later). On the one hand, I find that really exciting, but on the other hand, there is a lot of potential for them to mess this up and portray the Episcopal Church in negative light or get Christian doctrine wrong. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :)

John

[Thomas2618]

The first few seasons of 7th Heaven did a really good job at portraying a Christian family in a postive light...

[gitlance]

Mel Gibson played an Episcopal priest in "Signs," and he did a fantastic job!

[erin74]

In my understanding France is a very secular nation, and religion is not highly valued. But I can't speak to their views on priests.

Love the Vicar of Dibley.

the whole church is what you make it, God is who you make him, as long as you believe in something hard enough we'll all hold hands in heaven relativism is a great danger, and satan's latest tool - what a wonderful lie, and how many people believe it! The fact that a growing number of christians embrace the lie of tolerance and universalism just show how dangerous the lie is.

[Thomas2618]

In my understanding France is a very secular nation, and religion is not highly valued. But I can't speak to their views on priests.

Love the Vicar of Dibley.

the whole church is what you make it, God is who you make him, as long as you believe in something hard enough we'll all hold hands in heaven relativism is a great danger, and satan's latest tool - what a wonderful lie, and how many people believe it! The fact that a growing number of christians embrace the lie of tolerance and universalism just show how dangerous the lie is.

So true ( that is if I read that correctly).

[cathromang]

My wife alerted me to this week's episode of "Trading Spouses" on Fox.

Part 2 is next week. wednesday night.
I would suggest everyone watch that - 8 pm cst.
A "christian" wife traded places with a "new age" wife.

I have never ever seen anything like this "christian" woman before in my life.
If this is how society will see us....:(

[gtsecc]

It's kind of a post-modern way of thinking of what it means to be the church. (Wonder what our friends here from the Anglo-catholic high church think of that, though)... ;)
We do both, but don't confused worship with other things such as volunteering, which is important, but not the same thing.

[Fish and Bread]

The fact that a growing number of christians embrace the lie of tolerance and universalism just show how dangerous the lie is.

I've got to request a bit of clarification here: What exactly do you mean by tolerance? As I understand tolerance, to a certain degree it means withholding judgement against people and leaving it in God's hands, which seems to be a pretty biblical attitude to me.

John

[erin74]

sorry - I didn't clarify. I mean the lets be tolerant of all religions - many paths, one God - way of thinking.

The idea of religious tolerance where we are not allowed to say someone elses religion is wrong.

Not so much the idea of judging where it isn't our place.

[karen freeinchristman]

To address the OP, Rowan Williams does look good on TV, he has that whole 'I'm wise' aura about him!
There's something about those eyebrows...

[karen freeinchristman]

Mel Gibson played an Episcopal priest in "Signs," and he did a fantastic job!
I liked that, too!



(I like anything with Mel Gibson in it :blush: )

[karen freeinchristman]

We do both, but don't confused worship with other things such as volunteering, which is important, but not the same thing.
Every moment of our lives is to be 'worship'. Joining with others in partaking of the Eucharist is only one aspect of worship.

[Naomi4Christ]

Every moment of our lives is to be 'worship'. Joining with others in partaking of the Eucharist is only one aspect of worship.

:amen:

[erin74]

Every moment of our lives is to be 'worship'. Joining with others in partaking of the Eucharist is only one aspect of worship.

I agree that we worship God with our whole lives.

I think gtsecc's point, and correct me if I'm wrong, was that volunteering isn't church/worship, and shouldn't be confused as church/worship. Which I agree with completely.

The bible says not to give up meeting with one another. We can't allow ourselves to be fooled into thinking that other things can take the place of meeting together as a church.

[karen freeinchristman]

I agree that we worship God with our whole lives.

I think gtsecc's point, and correct me if I'm wrong, was that volunteering isn't church/worship, and shouldn't be confused as church/worship. Which I agree with completely.

The bible says not to give up meeting with one another. We can't allow ourselves to be fooled into thinking that other things can take the place of meeting together as a church.
Yes, I agree with this as well. That is why I think that no matter how many other ways we may develop of 'being church' (outside of the church building), there is no substitute for meeting together in corporate worship, and being fed through word and sacrament.

[Thomas2618]

Yes, I agree with this as well. That is why I think that no matter how many other ways we may develop of 'being church' (outside of the church building), there is no substitute for meeting together in corporate worship, and being fed through word and sacrament.

I agree... There is no substitute for the Worship that we partake of in the Holy Eucharist. I think that what gtsecc was pointing out is that there is a general loosing of what the word "worship" actually means. If you look at the origin of the word, I think that it really only fits the meaning of the highest form of worship - the Eucharist. Yes we are to praise God in everything that we do, but I think gtsecc was completely correct when he said that this is not to be confused with the sacrifice in worship that we bring to the alter when we partake of Jesus' One Perfect Sacrifice. (gtsecc, correct me if I am taking you the wrong way)

[DarthDigger]

it must be cos the anglicans are so cool! :D

[karen freeinchristman]

it must be cos the anglicans are so cool! :D
Yeah, but we're probably a bit biased! ;)

[DarthDigger]

i suppose so!

[Diane_Windsor]

Hi Randi,

I don't post much in here, but your post caught my eye.

I think we can all agree that Christians are not exactly portrayed well on TV or in the movies. Everything from Ned Flanders to scary evil priests have been credited to us... and then, Home Improvement happened! I swear, I think this is a first.

Actually, I believe that Ned Flanders is one best Christian characters on TV today. He takes his faith seriously, he goes to church, reads his Bible, is a good husband and father, he love his neighbors, and he is always quick to forgive Homer.

I was watching a re-run of Home Improvement yesturday.

That was this episode: "Losing My Religion" (episode # 7.8), which orignally aired on 18 November 1997. That was a good episode.

It was about Randy deciding that he wasn't going to church anymore and Tim was upset about it. On Tool Time Tim & Al were building something for Al's church and they had his priest on. So, the priest was on the entire episode. At one point he is picking up Al from work to go on a double date, earlier in the show he is making fun of Tim for always getting hurt. He was just basically a cool guy.

Tim and Al were building a pedastel for the church's baptismal, and the priest was portrayed by Dan Aykroyd (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000101/) who made the guest appearence to promote his short-lived ABC comedy "Soul Man" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118473/).

Yes, I am a big Home Improovement fan and still have this episode on tape!

Diane
:wave:

[erin74]

Hi Randi,

Actually, I believe that Ned Flanders is one best Christian characters on TV today. He takes his faith seriously, he goes to church, reads his Bible, is a good husband and father, he love his neighbors, and he is always quick to forgive Homer.

Diane
:wave:

I agree. I prefer this to the person in a show who never mentions Jesus, church, God etc, and then when it's convenient for the storyline they make them a regular church attender. Of course this kind of character generally also acknowledges every other religion as being a legitimate alternative.

At least with Ned he's consistant. Of course they have used his character to make a few points over the years, but generally he's a good bloke.

I still think one of my favourites with him is the one where they're away on the marriage retreat and he says something like "Well sometimes Maude underlines passages in my bible instead of hers" as his 'marriage problem'. I just love the whole family actually - they crack me up.

[DarthDigger]

ned flanders rocks!

[gtsecc]

Homer Simpson is an E-Piscopal minister in Springfield.

[DarthDigger]

hehehe

[Velo Princesse]

I'm not saying he isn't a nice guy, as far as a cartoon character goes, but he's the kind of neighbor that normal people hide from and every halloween he's the devil. He's not the worst face ever put on Christianity, but I wouldn't want him as my poster-boy.

Randi

[DarthDigger]

I'm not saying he isn't a nice guy, as far as a cartoon character goes, but he's the kind of neighbor that normal people hide from and every halloween he's the devil. He's not the worst face ever put on Christianity, but I wouldn't want him as my poster-boy.

Randi




I definately agree!:thumbsup: :cool: :idea:

[diggerman]

i dont like the simpsons anyway!

[Thomas2618]

Ned Flanders is ok, but like Joel Osteen he has the type of voice and accent that just makes you wanna take a stick and hit him upside the head repeatedly.

[DarthDigger]

Ned Flanders is ok, but like Joel Osteen he has the type of voice and accent that just makes you wanna take a stick and hit him upside the head repeatedly.

i know, it gets annoying!

[svdbygrace]

Do you guys over there in the States or in Australia or Canada get the programme called "The Vicar of Dibley"? That one is about an Anglican vicar, and it is pretty funny. Some people might not agree with me, but I think it gives an overall positive representation of the human qualities of Christians, in quite a humourous way. Their Parochial Church Council meetings really crack me up, because the characters really remind me of some of the people in our PCC!

Yes, BBC America broadcasts that program. :)

[svdbygrace]

There was once a movie on Lifetime (:doh:) called "Holy Joe" about a Episcopalian Priest. I would recommend it to everyone! :thumbsup: