Stephen Collins -- Network Quietly Puts '7th Heaven' Back on the Air

Stephen Collins has been quietly put back on the air by a network that vowed to give "7th Heaven" the ax in the wake of his child molestation confession.

UP TV was running the series but announced in October it was taking it off the air ... shortly after TMZ ran the audio in which Collins confessed to molesting and/or exposing himself to children.

But we noticed the show is now back on the schedule, so we contacted the network.

The CEO for UP TV, Charley Humbard, tells TMZ, "We brought the show back because many viewers expressed they could separate allegations against one actor from the fictional series itself."

Humbard continues, "As it turns out, they cannot." So Humbard says they're now taking the show off the air ... again. It's unclear if they're yanking the show because of ratings or our phone call.