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.-\