Silver Spring, MD —Seen on PBS, Bill Moyers on Faith & Reason arrives on DVD from Athena on November 9, 2010. Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning journalist, Bill Moyers (PBS, NBC, CBS, Newsday), delves into stimulating conversations with some of the 21st century’s most influential intellectuals on the role of religion and politics in modern society. This engaging documentary calls into question the controversial and deeply personal question of religion and seeks to answer how we learn to live together in a world where religion poisons some lives but gives profound purpose to others (DVD 3-Vol. Boxed Set, 7 episodes, www.AcornOnline.com). Bill Moyers on Faith & Reason originally aired on PBS in 2006.
Join veteran journalist Bill Moyers (Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth, Bill Moyers’ Journal) as he sits down with 12 noted writers and thinkers from a wide spectrum of beliefs to discuss their search for meaning. These frank, one-on-one conversations touch on the pressing issues in our post-9/11 world: the increasing politicization of faith, the perceived gulf between science and religion, the tension between tolerance and free expression, and more. Original voices such as Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis, Mary Gordon, and climatologist Sir John Houghton add a personal dimension to the conversation as they share their heartfelt beliefs and explore how those beliefs inform their lives and work.
Episode 1: Indian-born author and PEN American Center President, Salman Rushdie, discusses the politicization of religion and its implications for artists.
Episode 2: New York novelist Mary Gordon discusses the role of belief in American culture;
British philosopher Colin McGinn recounts his reliance on reason alone and his journey to unbelief.
Episode 3: British author Jeanette Winterson and Will Power, an American playwright and rapper, explore the role of ancient myth to illuminate the human condition in their work.
Episode 4: Belgian author, Anne Provoost and Israeli writer, David Grossman, discuss what it means to be a “chosen people.”
Episode 5: Lifelong Christians – American writer Richard Rodriguez and British climatologist Sir John Houghton – discuss persisting in their faith despite the different challenges they face.
Episode 6: Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood and British novelist Martin Amis—both agnostics—explain the portrayal of fundamentalism in their works and its role in today’s world.
Episode 7: Pema Chödrön—author, Buddhist nun, and “Bodhisattva warrior”—recounts her spiritual journey and offers insights into ancient practices with particularly modern relevance.
BONUS FEATURES: 12-page viewer’s guide with questions to consider, the Power of PEN, What is Fundamentalism? and more, as well as participant biographies.
Street Date: November 9, 2010 SRP: $59.99
DVD 3-Vol. Boxed Set – 7 episodes – Approx. 394 minutes – SDH Subtitles