From snake handlers to trivia buffs, entertainment with religious overtones has gilded the fall TV lineup with the renewals of such ratings-busting shows as \u201cThe American Bible Challenge\u201d\u009d (GSN), now in its third season, and the return of \u201cBreaking Amish: L.A.,\u201d\u009d including a bonus reunion event (TLC). Add ongoing reality shows such as \u201cPreacher\u2019s Daughters\u201d\u009d (Lifetime) and the list just keeps growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are certainly in the midst of a rush of interest in faith-based shows,\u201d\u009d says Martha Williamson, executive producer of the CBS hit \u201cTouched by an Angel,\u201d\u009d which ran from 1994 to 2003.<\/p>\n
The appetite for faith-based shows should hardly be surprising. Some 78 percent of Americans say they are Christian, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center\u2019s Project on Religion and Public Life.<\/p>\n