Martin Shaw, one of our favorite actors, a few years ago produced and starred in a remarkable TV series which we’ve just viewed on youtube.
Apparitions tells of the struggles of a Catholic priest (Shaw) forced by circumstances to become an exorcist, again and again. This is not every Christian viewer’s cup of tea, but stay with it: there’s a payoff.
As played by Shaw, the priest stands tall for his faith, uncompromisingly committed to God. He delivers lines, one after another, that go off like depth charges, way down there where it counts, devastating the smug secular mindset. And at the same time, he projects gentleness and love.
Only Martin Shaw can play the role like that.
British TV, even more than American TV, has a habit of idly, routinely demeaning Christianity and Christians.Politically correct screenwriters, who would dive into quicksand before they even whispered a discouraging word about Islam or Wicca or whatnot, seem to feel obligated to spew venom at the Body of Christ. Some do it casually; others with a dark gusto.
I loved the way Shaw confronted this head-on. That took courage.
It’s sad that it takes courage, these days, to speak up for Christ in what was once a Christian country.
But I suspect God likes lean, courageous Christians better than flabby, silent, timid ones.
Thanks for the heads up about this series! Martin Shaw is one of my favorite British actors too, and I love his series “George Gently,” partly because it is NOT anachronistically politically correct. As an aside, it is quite frustrating to see the historic revisionism displayed in many of today’s “period pieces,” where politically correct topics of today (such as homosexuality) are made to appear as if they were accepted much more in times past than they actually were. Wishful thinking on the part of the writers, but not accurate history.