Full A-Z list of video titles

America’s New Religious Landscape (:60), 2000. Includes some of the most colorful and exciting stories from the public television series Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. Series host Bob Abernethy presents stories about various religions, beliefs and practices in the United States today.

World Religions Series: Animism: Living in Dreamtime (:15), 1996. In Australia, two aborigines take viewers on a tour of the outback, where the primitive religion of animism is practiced. Animism’s followers believe that even inanimate objects have souls and are capable of influencing human events. The program visits sacred places, where elders explain how spirits of the land have been disturbed by modern development. Creation stories discuss the making of the world by the rainbow serpent in the dreamtime. Rituals include body painting with white herbs to encourage spiritual links between humans and the land.

World Religions Series: Buddhism: Making of a Monk (:15), 1997. In Bangkok, Thailand, young men are initiated into the monastic life of the 2500-year-old religion. A young monk tells what influenced him to become a monk, explains the basic precepts of monastic life, and revels how he plans to use the spiritual and secular education he receives to improve the life of his village. The significance of the saffron robe, brass begging bowl, chanting and meditation, and the concepts of karma are explained. A filmed sequence of the initiation ritual is described within the context of central Buddhist precepts.

World Religions Series: Hinduism: The Elephant God (:15), 1997. At 5,000 years, Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion. This program provides an overview of Hinduism, and examines the rites and rituals of the Ganesh Festival. Held in honor of the Hindu elephant god of good fortune, one of Hinduism’s most important deities, it is the Hindu religious year. In the program, Hindu children discuss the significance of the festival, its symbols, rituals such as holy fire, ceremonial foods, and the community’s involvement in the celebration.

World Religions Series: Islam: Sacrifice to Allah (:15), 1996. This program traces the historical roots and rituals connected with the four-day Muslim festival Eid-ul Adha, which commemorates the prophet Abraham’s sacrifice of a ram at the command of God. The importance of the festival is explained from both religious and social perspectives, as a time in which Muslims reunite with extended families and confirm their commitment to Islam. The five pillars of Islam—belief in one God, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca—are discussed as major tenets of the faith. Various rituals are examined, including the symbolic sharing of a slain ram’s meat with the poor.

World Religions Series: Judaism: Bar Mitzvah Boys (:15), 1996. In Jerusalem, a 13-year-old boy is bar mitzvahed—the ceremony, or right of passage, that allows young Jewish males to participate fully in their religion. Several young men explain the significance of the ritual, and the responsibilities they now have as bar mitzvahed members of the faith to keep all of its 613 tenets. The symbolism of both the ceremony and sacred objects, such as the prayer shawl, is explained. Other topics include the significance of the Torah and the Talmud. A filmed sequence of a bar mitzvah demonstrates each ritual connected with the ceremony.

World Religions Series: Pentecostalism: Caribbean Christmas (:15), 1996. This program focuses on Christmas celebrations on Barbados, where most residents practice Pentecostalism. A young convert to the religion talks about its basic precepts and its influence on her life. Scenes shot at services feature lively hymns and the practice of “speaking in tongues,” which adherents believe is communication between church members and God. The history of the religion is traced to minister W.J. Seymore and California.

World Religions Series: Roman Catholicism: Flowers in May (:15), 1996. This program explains the significance of the Flores de Mayo Festival and the importance of the Virgin Mary to Filipino Catholics. It also describes how the religion came to the islands via the Spaniards in the 16th century, and illustrates its influence on the lives of the people. The importance of the Pope and the significance of various rituals connected with the faith are explained, including the Mass, Confession, and Holy Communion. Religion is incorporated into the everyday lives of teens through a local religious group.

World Religions Series: Russian Orthodoxy (:15), 1997. This program examines the rituals of the Russian Orthodox Church. Persecuted under communism, it is now flourishing and exerting an impact on Russian life. A young Russian woman talks about how she incorporates the religion into her daily life. At an ornate cathedral in Moscow, we attend the Divine Liturgy, or formal Russian service, where symbols, including icons and constases, are explained.

World Religions Series: Sikhism: The Golden Temple (:15), 1996. This program traces the roots of Sikhism and its central place of worship, the Golden Temple in the Punjab, from its founder Guru Nanak in 1469 through today. Its central precepts— beliefs in one God, the equality of all people, sharing, and the performance of good deeds—are discussed within the context of daily life by a young Sikh woman. The stringent religious dress code is explained: short pants for simplicity, the dagger worn in the turban for courage, a steel bracelet to signify unity with God, and uncut hair to signify commitment to the faith. We take a tour of the Golden Temple, watch a marriage ceremony, and learn the significance of the traditional Sikh head wrap.