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Description:
The three separate but related programs in this stimulating collection trace the historical and intellectual development of the major religions that have helped shape Western civilization. Each set of two cassettes stands alone, presenting an overview of a particular faith--from its foundational beginnings through its permutations in the face of changing political and social circumstances to the diversity of forms it assumes today. Ben Kingsley's superb narration lends an air of authority to this expertly written text, and a number of voices reading excerpts--from scriptures, commentaries, political tracts, folk parables, poems, and novels--underscore the point that these traditions have been fashioned by the thoughts of a remarkably diverse group of believers. Catholic and Orthodox Christianity tells the history of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches as one "not only of shared faith and common endeavor but of conflict and division as well." It presents an informative look at Christianity's beginnings as a radical sect in pagan Rome, the establishment of the Church, the Church's division into Roman and Eastern branches, mystical traditions, the Catholic commitment to social equality, Eastern Orthodoxy in the Soviet Union, and much more. In Protestantism, listeners are taken on a remarkable journey from the 16th-century "protestations" and Martin Luther's declaration against Church authorities that "my conscience is captive to the word of God" to TV evangelism and Protestantism's influence in modern secular life. Emphasizing Jewish tradition as more of a "civilization" than a faith, Judaism explores "areas that sometimes may seem to be unusual components of religion but which are integral to the unique tradition of Judaism." Subjects touched on include Abram's divine call, the Diaspora, European Jewry, medieval cabalists, the Holocaust, and the establishment of Israel, as well as explanations of important texts, rituals, and observances. This is a balanced, even-handed account of important religious history and ideas that is intellectually satisfying yet conveys a sense of wonder at the depth of human faith and its power to transform the world. (Running time: nine hours, six cassettes) --Uma Kukathas
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