Research Guides: Comparative Religion: Multimedia

Streaming

Jerusalem: Center of the World Series
Covering over 4,000 years of history, this two-part series tells the story of the world’s most widely revered city. Viewers learn about the founding of Jerusalem, the convergence of the world’s three major monotheistic religions within the city’s boundaries, and the key events in the city’s history as described in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, the Talmud, the Haggadah, the Koran, and the Hadith. The film also captures the rich mosaic of modern Jerusalem’s Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities while featuring interviews with leading scholars and clergy. Distributed by PBS Distribution. 2-part series, 54-62 minutes each.
Heaven: How Five Religions See It
Throughout history, human beings have dreamed of heaven, built their lives around it, and even killed for their particular religion’s version of the hereafter. This program explores the concept of heaven according to some inspiring followers of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism. Viewers meet a Catholic priest working with gangs, an unusual Thai Buddhist monk, a Hindu priest who is also a hydraulics engineer, Sufi dervishes, and the remarkable Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan. The video includes expert commentary about the historical evolution of the notion of heaven. With Diana Eck, Harvard University professor of comparative religion; Alan Segal, Columbia University professor of religion; and Carol Zaleski, Smith College professor of world religions. (98 minutes)
Inner Journey: The Path of Mysticism
This program respectfully explores mystical aspects of Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Taoism. Learned scholars, including Elliot Wolfson, professor of Hebrew and Judaic studies at New York University; Peter Awn, professor of Islamic studies and comparative religion at Columbia University; and Eric Yudelove, author of The Tao and the Tree of Life, introduce Kabbalism, Sufism, Hesychasm, kundalini yoga, and Taoist yoga. Together they shed light on the history of mysticism, purification practices for mind and body, challenges and struggles associated with traveling an esoteric path…and mystical union with the One. (57 minutes)