Channel 4’s Christianity, A History series has been labelled “facile, inaccurate and badly researched” by a London vicar.
Revd Robert Hampson, of South Woodford’s Holy Trinity Church, described the programme as an attack on the UK’s “mother religion”.
He said: “It presents a facile, inaccurate, and badly researched appraisal of the story of Christianity, and some of their interviewees seem to imply that Christians are universally Jew-hating which is just not true.
“It would not have been broadcast in this way if the subject matter was about Islam or Judaism. They are like cowards, attacking the religion least likely to respond.”
Channel 4 defended the series, which it called a “considered, challenging series that offers alternative views on the world’s largest religion”.
It features well-known figures including Michael Portillo, Cherie Blair and Anne Widdecombe, each presenting a documentary on different “pivotal” points in the history of the Christian church.
But critics have pointed out that Christianity, A History is not quite what the title suggests.
The Independent’s Tom Sutcliffe described it as “a collection of pointedly personal essays, loosely arranged around the evolving chronology of the Church”.
Revd Hampson said: “I don’t want to be negative.
“I feel we should be positive about Britain and our roots, but society is crumbling and breaking down and we need to defend the culture and values of our mother faith.
“I think that it’s become popular now to pour scorn on the religious roots of our country.”