Watch Decoding Christianity

Focusing on the great divisions that have taken place within the two millennia of Christianity's existence, our host begins by exploring the 11th century Great Schism, when Christianity split into the Eastern Orthodox and Western Churches. He moves on to investigate how Western Christianity then split into Protestantism and Roman Catholicism in the 16th century, also known as the Reformation.

To this day, people from all over quest after miracles. We'll explore the Resurrection, and how it inspired men such as St. Francis of Assisi, who were themselves associated with miracles. Our host investigates the connection between saints, pilgrimage sites, and miracles in Wales, before visiting Ethiopia in search of one of the most unusual and jaw-dropping miracles in the modern world.

We'll explore the early days of Christianity as an underground movement, when the need for secrecy drove symbolism. Discover how the cross went from being a symbol of shame to the most powerful and glorious symbol of Christianity. Finally, we'll explore the importance of mystery in the pagan religions of the ancient world, and learn how it was translated into Christian practice.

Host Christy Kenneally delves back in time to find the first references to angels, then moves on to explore different types of angels and shows how they are represented in art. We'll find out more about the Archangels - Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael - as well as the fallen angels like Lucifer, or Satan. Finally, we meet Ronna Herman, who claims she can commune with angels in today's world.

Where does our fascination with the afterlife come from, and what happens to us when we die? Starting in a graveyard, our host sets off to explore how the concept of the punishment of sin developed. We'll take a look at why Purgatory and Limbo were regarded as possible afterlife destinations, and why the Last Judgement holds such a prominent place in Christian art.

Why do vivid images depicting the suffering of Jesus Christ and the Christian martyrs play such a major role in Christian art? We'll look at the importance of martyrdom and the Catholic/Protestant divide on communion, explore how changes in depictions varied from century to century, and travel to the Philippines, where believers atone for their sins by undergoing crucifixion and flagellation.