Richard Littledale

Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: December 2012

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So what, Godbaby?

Below you will see the latest advert from Churchads.net. By now it will also be on advertising hoardings and the sides of buses. It follows other arresting and controversial campaigns in previous years. There can be little doubt that the campaign will get people talking, as it intends. The question, though, is where those conversations will take place. Will they take place in the pub, as the creators of the campaign intend, or in the church and the Christian press? In itself, the fact that Christians have had their feathers ruffled by an advertising campaign does not matter in the least. The aim of all outreach, by whatever means, is to reach out rather than in. It has to work, though.

Godbaby advert Christmas 2012

Francis Goodwin, Chair of Churchads.net believes that it will. 'We do pieces of professional research periodically and will be doing some after Christmas this year. 2 years ago on our last survey 51% stated that "the birth of Jesus is irrelevant to my Christmas.' The ad, with its unexpectedly down to earth language, is intended to counter that. Mike Elms, vice-chair of the organisation says that 42% of those interviewed have said that the previous churchads campaigns have 'made them think more about Christmas'. If that is so this year, then we should be pleased.

All the same, I remain unconvinced. At Christmas I try to assure people that Christmas is neither a story for the children nor a psycho-spiritual prop for the weak. The plastic face of a dolly staring down from hoardings and buses accompanied by the assurance that he 'cries, he wees, he saves the world', is unlikely to help. This campaign is likely to make my job harder, rather than easier. At Christmas I want to declare by every means at my disposal that God should be taken seriously, and this plastic saviour with his cutesy face and his sheepie romper suit does not feel like he is on my side.

What do you think?

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