RNS
[HPI note: The first paragraph of this HPI item was missing yesterday. We run it again in full.]
LONDON, ENGLAND, May 15, 2009: In a controversial move, the British Broadcasting Corp. has appointed Muslim television executive Aaqil Ahmed to head its religious programming–a position viewed by some as one of the most influential religious positions in the country. The only other non-Christian to have ever held this position was Allan Bookbinder, an agnostic, who filled the job for five years starting in 2001.
The BBC has been criticized by both Church of England’s Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and his No. 2 prelate, Archbishop of York John Sentamu. Both have characterized the network as being indifferent, and sometimes openly hostile, to Christianity.
Christina Rees, a member of the Church of England’s Archbishops’ Council, described Ahmed as “a respected professional” with a solid record of achievement. But she added that “it is important that the Christian faith continues to receive coverage (from the BBC) that accurately reflects the significance in the lives of most people who live in Britain, the overwhelming majority of whom regard themselves as Christian.”