Christians protest as Doctor Who is portrayed as 'messiah'
- Publication: The Times
- Date: 2007-12-21
- Author: Adam Sherwin
- Page: 9
- Language: English
The BBC has provoked controversy over a Christmas Day Doctor Who special that uses religious imagery ,to depict the Time Lord as a "messiah" (Adam Sherwin writes).
Voyage of the Damned, starring Kylie Minogue, is expected to be the holiday viewing highlight.
However, Christian groups expressed concern that the imagery employed was inappropriate for a BBC One Christmas evening show.
The Doctor (David Tennant) must save a group of passengers after the Titanic, now a futuristic space vessel, is holed by a meteorite storm.
He convinces the despairing survivors to believe in his powers after ascending through the ship's decks, carried by a pair of robotic angels. Russell T. Davies, the writer and executive producer of the revived series, said: "The series lends itself to religious iconography because the Doctor is a proper saviour. He saves the world through the power of his mind and his passion."
Stephen Green, of the evangelical group Christian Voice, said: "The Doctor would have to do a lot more than the usual prancing around to be a messiah. He has to save people from their sins." But Malcolm Brown, director of mission and public affairs for the Church of England, said: "Science fiction at its best helps to illuminate eternal themes, and that's something the Church can happily work with."
Caption: David Tennant as the Doctor, with Kylie Minogue and robotic angels
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- APA 6th ed.: Sherwin, Adam (2007-12-21). Christians protest as Doctor Who is portrayed as 'messiah'. The Times p. 9.
- MLA 7th ed.: Sherwin, Adam. "Christians protest as Doctor Who is portrayed as 'messiah'." The Times [add city] 2007-12-21, 9. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Sherwin, Adam. "Christians protest as Doctor Who is portrayed as 'messiah'." The Times, edition, sec., 2007-12-21
- Turabian: Sherwin, Adam. "Christians protest as Doctor Who is portrayed as 'messiah'." The Times, 2007-12-21, section, 9 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Christians protest as Doctor Who is portrayed as 'messiah' | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Christians_protest_as_Doctor_Who_is_portrayed_as_%27messiah%27 | work=The Times | pages=9 | date=2007-12-21 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=12 March 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Christians protest as Doctor Who is portrayed as 'messiah' | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Christians_protest_as_Doctor_Who_is_portrayed_as_%27messiah%27 | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=12 March 2025}}</ref>
