(Washington, DC – June 11, 2015) National Geographic Channel and Executive Producers Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary and James Younger of Revelations Entertainment announced today The Story of God, a new global series exploring mankind’s quest to understand the divine.
Host Freeman will embark on an epic exploration and intimate reflection on God, immersing himself in religious experiences and rituals all around the world, as well as becoming a test subject in scientific labs to examine how the frontiers of neuroscience and cosmology are intersecting the traditional domain of religion. The Story of God is slated to air on National Geographic Channel in 2016 in the U.S. and globally in 171 countries and 45 languages.
Each episode of The Story of God will center on one big question about the divine, from the mystery of creation, to the true power of miracles, to the promise of resurrection. These timeless and universal mysteries impact people from every faith. Freeman will be on the ground at some of humanity’s greatest religious sites, such as Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, India’s Bodhi Tree, Mayan temples and the Lakewood megachurch in Texas. He’ll travel with archeologists to uncover the long-lost religions of our ancestors, such as the 10,000-year-old ruins at Gobekli Tepe in Turkey or the ancient Celtic monument at Stonehenge.
“The story of God is one of the greatest mysteries and most important ideas in the world,” said Freeman. “For me, this is a personal and enduring quest to understand the divine, and I am humbled by the opportunity to take viewers along on this incredible journey.”
This is a quest for God — to shed light on the questions that have puzzled, terrified and inspired mankind. Today, those eternal questions are also posed by science. In the course of the series, Freeman will travel to labs where he’ll see the most accurate simulation of the creation of our universe unfold in front of his eyes, and become a test subject for neuroscientists who are searching for the effect of God on our networks of neurons.
All along this ambitious exploration of religion, Freeman will give his personal reflections on the divine, whether he’s in the back of a taxi leaving the Vatican or hiking through the Guatemalan jungle on the way to an abandoned Mayan temple.
“We’re partnering with Revelations Entertainment and the talented, multifaceted Morgan Freeman to produce an epic and very personal journey to understand mankind’s religious devotion,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO, National Geographic Channels. “Blending science, history, anthropology and personal experience, we’re harnessing the power of the National Geographic brand and our unparalleled global reach to tell a meaningful and awe-inspiring story of religion and spirituality, across disciplines and faiths.”
“God is arguably the most important topic of our time,” said executive producer Lori McCreary, Revelations Entertainment. “National Geographic’s unprecedented inside access will allow us to explore the global mystery behind God and religion. With Morgan as our storyteller, we’re going to produce a visually stunning and thought-provoking series that will spur meaningful conversations about God and faith, by believers and nonbelievers alike.”
The Story of God will be produced by Revelations Entertainment for National Geographic Channel. For Revelations Entertainment, Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary and James Younger are executive producers. For National Geographic Channel, Michael J. Miller is executive producer; Kevin Mohs is vice president, production and development; Alan Eyres is senior vice president, programming and development; and Tim Pastore is president, original programming & production.
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National Geographic Channels
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in more than 90 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 432 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.
About Revelations Entertainment
Revelations Entertainment reveals truth. Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman and Emmy-nominated producer Lori McCreary lead a group of inspired professionals who are the go-to producers of thought-provoking entertainment that has universal appeal and soul. They currently produce the hit CBS Sunday night series Madam Secretary, starring Tea Leoni. Recent accolades are three Emmy Award nominations for Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman, a Peabody Award for the ESPN 30 for 30 episode The 16th Man, and an Academy Award nomination for Morgan Freeman in the film Invictus.