Sir Cliff Richards
POP STAR’S BOOK CLIFF HANGERS
LEGENDARY pop star Sir Cliff Richards marked the 50th anniversary of his showbiz career with the publication of a book containing his favourite Bible stories for children.
And he urged that all should get he chance to read the Bible as he explained how Western society was built on rules from the ‘Good Book’.
The pop star, a devout Christian, said that the Church could overcome difficulties such as declining attendance by letting go e intellectual approach to faith and learning to keep it simple.
“I have always had a simplistic approach to faith because it is so simple to me,” he told a press conference at the Methodist Church Central Hall in Westminster, London.
Sir Cliff said one of his favourite Bible stories was of Joseph and his coat of many colours
Other stories in the book, written by Brian Sibley, include the great flood, the walls of. Jericho, Daniel and the lions, the story of Ruth, the loaves and fishes and the story of Jesus and Zachaeus. Sir Cliff, who has had 14 British number one hits, a record beaten only by three other artistes including Elvis Presley and The Beatles, regards himself merely as a follower of Jesus, rather than a potential saviour of the church.
He continued: “The church has to remain relevant. I often admire America, they have a spirituality that we seem to have lost. When 9/11 happened the first thing Bush did was call America to prayer. Maybe we have lost that simple touch, that simple knowing that God exists, that we can approach him.”
The other problem for the churches was that Britain had become a multiracial, multicultural country.
Sir Cliff added that while freedom of religion was a good thing, if the churches wanted to grow they had to become more “combative” and “prove that this is a relevant faith; this is a rational, viable, relevant philosophy”
Sir Cliff has never hidden his faith and donates to charity all profits from any work he does in relation to his religion.
He added that the secret of success for pop stars in a business known for its short-termism was to remain relevant and up to date with new technology.
