Smithsonian Channel - Decoding Christianity (2008) Part 2 Damned and Saved

In each episode, the presenter, Christy Kenneally begins by posing a key question that is fundamental to our understanding of Christianity. He then sets out to find the answer to this question, investigating and decoding the signs, symbols, iconography, myths and miracles of Christianity. He seeks out the sources that hold the key to understanding our initial question and thus comes closer to decoding Christianity itself. Over six episodes, the presenter's quest takes him to far-flung corners of the earth: from the primitive frescos in the catacombs of Rome, to the massive, colourful pilgrimage at Kulubi in Ethiopia, to the extraordinary Hill of Crosses in Lithuania, we are taken on a journey into Christianity in all its fascinating and colourful manifestations.

Part 2: Damned and Saved

Where do we go when we die? What happens to the soul on its final journey? Because the Bible offers little detail about either Heaven or Hell, Christian artists and writers have filled in the gaps. In this episode of Decoding Christianity, host Christy Kenneally reveals how the idea of the afterlife has evolved through the centuries. He investigates the Christian concept of Original Sin, explains where the notions of Limbo and Purgatory neither of which appears in the Bible came from, and contemplates the powerful hold that visions of Hell and the Last Judgment have had upon the artistic imagination.