The news media generally treat religion as a social or political topic, the source of any number of sectarian disputes around the world. Too many American religious TV spectacles discuss faith in an us-versus-them fashion, stoking tribal estrangement, fear and resentment.
What television does not do well is discuss religion as a deeply personal experience, a source of solace and wonder tied to life’s passages. Director Thomas Lennon set about changing that with the documentary film “Sacred” (10 p.m., PBS, check local listings), a sweeping survey of world religious rites and practices employing more than 40 filmmakers from around the globe.
