Humanity Fully Alive

Roy Bonisteel. For younger blog readers that name will mean nothing, for many others Bonisteel's deep and measured tones were a perfect fit for the religious and spiritual affairs program known as Man Alive. It is now a rather exclusive sounding name for a TV program but for decades Man Alive was an often fascinating and unique exploration of spiritual themes. The title came from the statement of second century bishop Iraneus "The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God."

Host Bonisteel died last week at the age of 83 at his home not far from here in Belleville, somewhere north of Trenton. He grew up in the tiny Prince Edward County village of Ameliasburg, which was also the childhood home of the great Canadian poet, Al  Purdy. What's in the water there?

When Bonisteel's death was announced on the CBC he was described as the host of a current affairs program, which is interesting. It's as though we can no longer admit that religion and spirituality shape our lives for bad and good. I really enjoyed the wide-ranging topics and Bonisteel, who was an agnostic himself, interviewed some fascinating guests. He wasn't the only host, with several others succeeding him briefly in latter years. But Bonisteel really was Man Alive.

The program actually inspired me to go on a Wild Hermit Hunt. An episode featured Father Charles Brandt, a Roman Catholic priest ordained as a hermit who became an environmental activist along the coast of Vancouver Island. I was in Victoria many years ago as part of a national committee, so I searched out Father Brandt who graciously welcomed me to his hermitage and fed me smoked salmon and wine. Much to my surprise is still alive at age 90 and still living in his lovely little hermitage repairing rare manuscripts and books for universities. But I digress!

Do you remember Roy Bonisteel and Man Alive? What do you think about a program exploring spiritual topics?