Spanish public broadcaster apologizes for calling growth of Evangelical churches ‘dangerous’

Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE has apologized for a program that described the growth of Evangelical churches as “worrying” and portrayed them as “dangerous,” promising to handle religious issues with “the utmost care” following a wave of complaints from Evangelical organizations and viewers.

According to a report by Evangelical Focus, the controversy began after the Sept. 22 episode of RTVE’s afternoon program Directo al Grano aired a segment that singled out Evangelical churches, using footage of congregations without consent and presenting them in a negative light. The show referenced a pastor who was not representative of the wider evangelical community in Spain.

The segment prompted widespread criticism from individuals and Evangelical bodies, including the Federation of Religious and Evangelical Entities of Spain (FEREDE), which filed a formal complaint with the RTVE management.

Beatriz Ariño, the audience ombudswoman for RTVE, acknowledged viewers’ concerns and apologized in a letter sent to those who had complained. “We are very sorry for your disappointment, and we fully understand your anger,” she wrote, according to Evangelical Focus.

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