1. The Religions of Man The Relevance of the Religious Man

In this first episode Dr. Smith presents background and introductory material for the series as a whole. Smith stresses that we should be interested primarily in the "force" behind religion and religious art, and how this "force" will help us to understand the people of the world.

With the recent rebirth of interest in spirituality and religion, and its effect on the life people live, the 1955 NET Series, Religions of Man is a timely and informative example of early educational television. The programs give a clear insight into the great living religious of our world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Dr. Huston Smith discusses their origin, founders and what each teaches as to life’s meaning and the way to its fulfillment.

The first college accredited course given on TV in St. Louis, this series features Dr. Huston Smith, at the time, the associate professor of philosophy at Washington University.

Born in China of missionary parents, Dr. Huston Smith has had first-hand acquaintance with the religions of both East and West. Dr. Smiths graduate studies were completed at the University of California and the University of Chicago, where he received his PhD in 1945. He was president of the Missouri Philosophy Association and is the author of The Purpose of Higher Education, published in 1955 by Harper and Brothers. Dr. Smith taught at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado before joining the Washington University faculty. His course on The Religions of Man grew from 13 to 140 students in the first seven years he taught it. The 17 episodes that comprise this series were originally recorded on kinescope, and was broadcast nationally to millions of viewers.

For other films of Huston Smith, Please visit www.HustonSmith.org