Religion and the Media

The relationship between religion and the media has become increasingly important in the 21st century. Media — including film, television, news, social media, and online platforms — shapes how religion is perceived by the public, how religious communities communicate, and how individuals construct their religious identities. The AQA specification requires you to understand the representation of religion in various media, the distinction between "online religion" and "religion online," ethical issues, and the relationship between media and secularisation.

Key Definition: Media — the means of communication that reach large numbers of people, including television, radio, newspapers, film, and digital platforms (websites, social media, podcasts, streaming services).

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Representation of Religion in Film

Film has been one of the most powerful media for shaping public perceptions of religion. Religious themes appear in a wide range of genres, from epic biblical adaptations to subtle explorations of faith, doubt, and morality.

Biblical and Religious Epics

• The Ten Commandments (Cecil B. DeMille, 1956): A grand retelling of the Exodus story, presenting Moses as a heroic figure and God's intervention as spectacular and unambiguous.
• The Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson, 2004): A graphic depiction of the crucifixion of Jesus that was hugely commercially successful but also controversial — praised by many Christians for its devotional power, criticised by some for excessive violence and alleged antisemitism.
• Noah (Darren Aronofsky, 2014): A creative retelling that provoked debate about artistic licence and faithfulness to Scripture.

Films Exploring Doubt and Faith

• Silence (Martin Scorsese, 2016): Based on Shusaku Endo's novel, this film explores the agonising crisis of faith experienced by Jesuit missionaries in 17th-century Japan. It raises profound questions about suffering, God's silence, and the meaning of apostasy.
• Of Gods and Men (Xavier Beauvois, 2010): A French film about Trappist monks in Algeria who chose to remain in their monastery despite the threat of Islamist violence. It explores themes of courage, vocation, and inter-faith encounter.

Satirical and Critical Portrayals

• Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979): A satirical comedy that was initially banned in several countries and denounced by religious leaders. It does not directly mock Jesus but satirises religious fanaticism and blind following. The controversy around the film illustrates tensions between freedom of expression and respect for religion.
• Religulous (Larry Charles, 2008): Bill Maher's documentary mocks religion from an atheist perspective, visiting religious sites and interviewing believers with a tone of bemused contempt.

Category	Examples	Typical Portrayal
Devotional/Epic	The Passion of the Christ, The Ten Commandments	Reverent, inspiring
Explorations of faith	Silence, Of Gods and Men	Nuanced, questioning
Satirical/Critical	Life of Brian, Religulous	Humorous, sceptical, sometimes hostile

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Representation of Religion on Television

Television has been an important medium for religious broadcasting in Britain since the BBC's founding charter in 1927, which included a commitment to public service broadcasting on religious themes.

Traditional Religious Broadcasting

• Songs of Praise (BBC, 1961-present): Britain's longest-running religious television programme, featuring hymn-singing from churches across the country. It has adapted over the decades to include a wider range of religions and a more diverse congregation.
• Thought for the Day (BBC Radio 4, 1970-present): A short daily reflection by a religious or ethical thinker, broadcast during the flagship Today programme. The BBC's decision not to include secular humanist speakers has been controversial.

Drama and Documentary

• Rev (BBC, 2010-2014): A comedy-drama about a Church of England vicar in London, praised for its sympathetic but honest portrayal of the challenges of ministry.
• The Story of God with Morgan Freeman (National Geographic, 2016): A documentary series exploring religious questions across different cultures.

News Coverage

Religion in the news is often associated with conflict, extremism, and scandal — the Islamist terrorism narrative, clerical abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, controversies over same-sex marriage. This creates a distorted picture, as the everyday, positive aspects of religious life rarely make headlines.

Evaluation: News media tends to frame religion in terms of conflict and controversy, contributing to negative stereotypes — particularly of Islam. Studies by the Cardiff School of Journalism (2008) found that media coverage of British Muslims was overwhelmingly negative, associating Islam with terrorism, extremism, and cultural threat.

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New Media and Religion

The internet and social media have transformed the relationship between religion and media.

Online Religion vs. Religion Online

Christopher Helland (2000) made an influential distinction between: