简介：WhoisGod?Wheredidwecomefrom?Whydoesevilhappen?Whathappenswhenwedie?Everyhumanbeingonearthhasaskedthemselvesthesequestionsatsomepoint,andmostlikelyeachpersonhasfoundadifferentanswer.Thisserieswilltakeviewersonatriparoundtheworldtoexploredifferentculturesandreligionsontheultimatequesttouncoverthemeaningoflife,Godandallthesebigquestionsinbetween. Theseriesseekstounderstandhowreligionhasevolvedthroughoutthecourseofcivilization,andinturnhowreligionhasshapedtheevolutionofsociety.Althoughinourcurrentgeopoliticallandscape,religionisoftenseenassomethingthatdivides,theseriesilluminatestheremarkablesimilaritiesamongdifferentfaiths,eventhosethatseemtobeinstaunchcontrast.ThisisaquestforGod:toshedlightonthequestionsthathavepuzzled,terrifiedandinspiredmankind,nottomentionFreemanhimself. Eachepisodeiscenteredonadifferentbigquestionaboutthedivine: Creation–Aretheresimilaritiesamongthereligiouscreationstoriesfromaroundtheworld?Howdotheycomparewiththescientifictheoryofthecreationofthecosmosandthedawnofcivilization? WhoIsGod?–HowhastheperceptionofGodevolvedoverhumanhistory?IsGodjustanidea,andifso,canwefindevidenceofadivinepresenceinourbrains? Evil–Whatistherootofevilandhowhasourideaofitevolvedoverthemillennia?Isthedevilreal?Thebirthofreligionmaybeinextricablytiedtotheneedtocontrolevil. Miracles–Aremiraclesreal?Formanybelievers,miraclesarethefoundationoftheirfaith.Othersregardmiraclesasmerelyunlikelyeventsonwhichourbrainsimposedivinemeaning.Beliefinmiracles,howeverwedefinethem,couldbewhatgivesushopeanddrivesustoturnpossibilityintoreality. EndofDays–Violentupheavalandfieryjudgmentfillpopularimagination,butwastheloreofapocalypsebornoutofthestrifethatplaguedtheMiddleEasttwomillenniaago?Thetruereligiousmeaningoftheapocalypsemaynotbeaglobalwar,butaninnerrevelation. Resurrection–Howhavebeliefsintheafterlifedeveloped,andhowhasourreactiontotheafterlifechangedthewaywelivethislife?Nowthatscienceismakingsuchrapidadvances,wemaysoonbeconfrontedwithdigitalresurrection.Whatwillthatdotoourbeliefs? Toexploreeachofthesetopics,hostandnarratorFreemanwentonthegroundtosomeofhumanity’sgreatestreligioussites,includingJerusalem’sWailingWall,India’sBodhiTree,MayantemplesinGuatemalaandthepyramidsofEgypt.Hetraveledwitharchaeologiststouncoverthelong-lostreligionsofourancestors,suchasthoseatthe7500B.C.NeolithicsettlementÇatalhöyükinTurkey.Heimmersedhimselfinreligiousexperiencesandritualsallaroundtheworld,andbecameatestsubjectinscientificlabstoexaminehowthefrontiersofneuroscienceareintersectingthetraditionaldomainofreligion. -