Five leadings figures in the UK’s principle denominations and faiths – Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury; Vincent Nichols, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster; Lord Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi; Professor Tariq Ramadan and Sadhu Paramtattvadas address the “big questions”on faith put to them by producer/director Antony Thomas.
They speak frankly about their idea of god, heaven and hell, the personal struggles and moments of doubt, about the divisions within their ranks and the crimes that have been committed in the name of religion. They address the current crises in this country, and admit their frequent failure to provide moral leadership or to be treated seriously by the media.
The interviews are interlaced with vivid imagery directly related to the topics under discussion – from stunning images of the universe to the actual moment of conception, recorded inside the womb; from moving scenes of piety and worship to evidence, both past and present, of lives devastated by religion.
The surprising conclusion to this extraordinary programme is that the five major religious figures interviewed are far closer to each other than they are to many of those who claim to share their beliefs. |
