Sea of Faith (TV series)
A 1984 BBC series on Christianity's modern challenges.
Sea of Faith is a six-part BBC documentary series presented by Don Cupitt in 1984. It examines the history of Christianity in the modern world, focusing on its responses to scientific advances, political atheism, and secularisation.
Quick Facts
- Presenter
- Don Cupitt
- Episodes
- 6
- Network
- BBC
- First aired
- 1984
Facts from the source article.
Episodes
Episode 1, The Mechanical Universe, covers the Copernican revolution and the differing responses of Blaise Pascal and René Descartes. Episode 2, The Human Animal, addresses the Genesis account and the revolutions of Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Jung. Episode 3, Going by the Book, examines scripture and practice through Martin Luther, David Strauss, and Albert Schweitzer. Episode 4, Prometheus Unbound, focuses on Karl Marx and Søren Kierkegaard. Episode 5, Religion Shock, explores encounters with world religions, including Arthur Schopenhauer, Vivekananda, and Annie Besant. Episode 6, The New World, deals with Friedrich Nietzsche and Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Response
Before the series aired, an article on Cupitt's religious views titled "New Wave Believer" appeared in the Radio Times, sparking controversy evident in subsequent letters. After broadcast, more positive letters were published. The BBC later aired a discussion featuring Cupitt, Alfred Jules Ayer, and the Bishop of Birmingham, Hugh Montefiore. The series also appeared on the BBC programme Did You See...?, hosted by Ludovic Kennedy, with Karen Armstrong and Bob Monkhouse as guests. The Sea of Faith movement began in 1984 as a response to the book and series. In March 2019, the series was the subject of a BBC Radio 4 programme.
More in 1980s British Documentary Television Series
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced