Reality Check

“Television shows feature Christians in a race, on a trip, and in a prison”

Bible-toting Dirk Been gained fame as the Christian on the first Survivor show, but MTV’s long-running The Real World has included Christians for a long time. Now, however, “reality” shows are upping the ante when it comes to including religion.

Show:   The Amazing Race CBS
Premise:   Pairs race around the world
Contestants:   Russ and Cyndi Kalenberg, copastors of Agape Christian Center in Brainerd, Minnesota
Prospects:   “We’re going to depend on amazing grace for The Amazing Race,” they say. They’re still in the game at press time, but falling behind.
Show:   Escape from Pentridge Triple M, Melbourne
Premise:   Surviving simulated prison life
Contestants:   Kevin Lee, a Roman Catholic priest from Sydney
Prospects:   Won the competition, $20,000, and a car, converted his strip-club owner “cellmate”—then was suspended from the priesthood for being on the show.
Show:   TruthQuest: California FamilyNe
Premise:   A youth missions trip
Contestants:   A dozen Southern Baptist teens from around the U.S.
Prospects:   No one gets voted off or eats bugs, but producer Martin Coleman promises entertainment. “Seeking a path with God is our reality,” he told Fox News.

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere

The official site for The Amazing Race has a profile of all the participants including Russ and Cyndi. The site also has Q&A interviews with the team before the race started and after they were eliminated. RealityTVfans.com also has a post-race interview.

Kevin Lee‘s prison diary from his stay on Escape from Pentridge is online along with more information on the game.

Baptist Press has an archive of articles on TruthQuest. The official site for the show is up but now only has snappy music and pictures of the participants.

Also in this issue

No Longer Left Behind: How Christian books are acquired packaged, branded, and sold.

Cover Story

No Longer Left Behind

Not Everybody Loves Ray

Belgium: Deported as 'Illegal'

Letters

Winning the Race

Not in the Job Description

Frozen Chosen

The Model Pastor

Quotation Marks

Free Children

Ethiopia: Returning a Tabot

Editorial

Nixon's Ghost

A Preventable Tragedy

Classic & Contemporary Excerpts from April 22, 2002

Flogged and Deported

Hell's Final Enigma

Amplified Versions

Leading with Conclusions

"The Back Page: More Doctrine, Not Less"

The Heavyweights of Religion Research

News

Bono Tells Christians: Don't Neglect Africa

Bono's Burning Question

2002 Christianity Today Book Awards

The Dour Analyst and the Joyous Christian

Two Cultural Giants

Theology for the Rest of Us

"The Good News According to Twain, Steinbeck, and Dickens"

News

Go Figure

"In the World, but…"

'Political Witch Hunt'

Faith on TV: More Religious TV for Canada

Mea Culpa: Graham Laments '72 Comments on Jews

Ponzi Payback: Treachery of the Highest Order

’Let’s not Fight’

Southern Baptists: To Sign or Not to Sign?

Salvation Army Eyes Registration Victory

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