The Bible: A History

Seven figures from different walks of life offer their personal perspective on the best-selling book of all time and what it means to them. The first programme, `Creation', is written and presented by leading British novelist Howard Jacobson. He describes himself as a "non-practising Jew who fears all fanaticism bred by faith". Yet he is moved to fury by what he calls the `New Atheists'.

Rageh Omaar examines Abraham, one of the most revered patriarchs of both the Jewish and Christian Bible and of the Muslim Holy Qur'an.

Christian Ann Widdecombe traces the historical origins of the Ten Commandments and their profound influence over British society for over two millennia.

Historian Bettany Hughes meets the feisty women figures of the Bible, in `The Daughters of Eve'. It's fashionable to dismiss the Bible as a manifesto for misogyny. Undeniably, many of its pages are rank with sexism: the proud Queen, Jezebel, is fed to the dogs, the teenage girl, Salome, is used as sexual bait. However, Hughes argues that the Bible is a window on the Bronze Age, in a time when women had more power.

Irish Republican Gerry Adams investigates the life and death of Jesus Christ, hoping to discover more about the real man.

After Jesus himself, Paul is the most important person in the story of the origins of Christianity. Of the 27 books of the New Testament, no fewer than 13 are attributed to Paul. Even today, at a time when the influence of the Bible seems to be fading, Paul continues to make the headlines. When the Pope recently objected to the British government's legislation on homosexuality, the teachings of St Paul were cited.