The BBC has announced a 'Year of Beliefs' in its religion and ethics programming across TV, radio and online.
The Year of Beliefs will 'explore the multiple expressions of faith and belief in Britain, and look at how our ethics and values shape our everyday life and personal choices', the BBC said.
It will include a major new survey exploring attitudes to contentious issues and responses to ethical dilemmas, broken down according to age, gender and broad geographical region of the UK.
BBC director of content Charlotte Moore said: 'Not only do we continue to offer our audiences a place they can celebrate and share their own personal beliefs, but we also want to help them understand better the meaning of other faiths and beliefs as well as exploring important ethical issues that impact so many people's lives.'
Director of radio and education James Purnell said: 'Twelve months ago we reaffirmed the BBC's commitment to religion and ethics programming in our wide-ranging review, and Year of Beliefs is part of our overall efforts to make our content relevant to all audiences. We'll be shining a light on what Britain believes in today through new commissions, appointing a Youth Panel to work with well-established programmes across radio and exploring a complex range of issues affecting people's lives, from IVF to being single.'
New series and one-off documentaries on television include Inside the Vatican on BBC Two, with privileged access to the people who live and work in this independent city-state.
On BBC One, Welcome to the Bruderhof offers insight into a unique Christian community who live together in a village on the outskirts of Hastings as disciples of Jesus, exploring their simple way of life at odds with mainstream society. Earth's Sacred Wonders, also on BBC One, looks at the world's major religions and explores sites including Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, Masada, site of one of the oldest synagogues on earth and the Sikh's unique Golden Temple in India.
In Pilgrimage: The Road To Rome on BBC Two, a group of celebrities embark on a journey of discovery along an ancient route from the Swiss Alps to St Peter's Square in Rome – culminating in a private audience with Pope Francis.
On BBC Radio 4 at Easter, Jeremy Irons will read the Psalms, and later in the year Nick Spencer will challenge assumptions about the relationship between science and religion in a three-part series, Science and Religion.
There will also be thought provoking content around important moral and ethical questions, including Too Gay For God? on BBC One, exploring the place of the LGBTIQ+ community within the Christian faith, and the Church of England in particular.
Christian programming and live worship will remain the cornerstone of the BBC's religious output around Christmas and Easter. Alongside this, in 2019 the BBC will mark other highlights from the calendar of religious festivals. Vaisakhi, Ramadan, Summer Solstice, Eid al-Adha, Rosh Hashanah and Diwali will be reflected across TV, radio and online.
