Can journalists keep the faith?

Abstract

"I have been wondering lately whether God has got himself a Max Clifford-style press agent, " writes Nicholson, a practising Christian. "Certainly the number of mentions he gets in the media has increased dramatically." Yet journalists shy away from personal faith, some rejecting it on professional grounds. Yet "I cannot agree that finding support and comfort in faith conflicts with journalistic independence and integrity? Of course journalists can have faith and still be good at their jobs, just as supporters of political parties or specific football teams can function properly and without showing bias. Humans are essentially tribal. Are those who grow up in the world owing no allegiance to any grouping - spiritual or secular - better journalists? Or are they little more than robots, unable to comprehend what it is that drives people to believe and to understand people who believe differently?"