Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

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Founders of religions

These are historical figures credited with founding religions or religious philosophies, or who codified older known religious traditions. The list includes those who have founded a specific major denomination within a larger religion.

6 episodes

Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:

CulturePhilosophyReligionAnglican saintsSocial philosophersPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of cultureAphoristsPhilosophers of educationPhilosophers of lawChristian humanists17th-century English male writersPhilosophers of loveChristian radicals17th-century English writersLutheran saintsPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarAncient Greek philosophers of mindClassical humanistsEnglish abolitionistsEnglish religious writers5th-century BC Greek philosophers5th-century BC historians6th-century BC Greek philosophersAlumni of Christ Church, OxfordAncient Greek metaphysiciansAncient occultistsAtenismCity foundersDamnatio memoriaeEnglish evangelicalsEnglish pamphleteersFounders of English schools and collegesGerman–English translatorsMiracle workersPharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Historical negationism in ancient Egypt14th-century BC pharaohs, Tutankhamun17th-century Christian mystics18th-century Anglican theologians18th-century English diarists18th-century evangelicals6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writers6th-century BC religious leaders, 5th-century BC religious leadersAncient Greek geometersAncient Greek music theoristsAncient Greek political refugeesAncient SamiansAsceticsChristian vegetariansChristianity in OxfordEnglish Anglican theologiansEnglish Christian theologiansEnglish DissentersEnglish QuakersEnglish sermon writersJourney to the West charactersTranslators of the Bible into English

  1. Akhenaten

    Melvyn Bragg and guests Elizabeth Frood, Richard Parkinson and Kate Spence discuss Akhenaten, the ruler who brought revolutionary change to ancient Egypt.

    1 October 2009

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    Featuring: Richard Parkinson, Elizabeth Frood, Kate Spence

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    CultureFounders of religionsAtenismDamnatio memoriaeCity foundersPharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, Historical negationism in ancient Egypt14th-century BC pharaohs, Tutankhamun

  2. Confucius

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosophy of Confucius, a body of ideas which, more than any other philosophy, has defined what it is to be Chinese.

    1 November 2001

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    Featuring: Frances Wood, Tim Barrett, Tao Tao Liu

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    PhilosophySocial philosophersPhilosophers of cultureAphoristsPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of educationFounders of religionsClassical humanists5th-century BC historians6th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty philosophers, Deified Chinese men, Chinese political philosophers, 5th-century BC Chinese writers, Zhou dynasty writers6th-century BC religious leaders, 5th-century BC religious leaders

  3. George Fox and the Quakers

    Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the foundation of the Religious Society of Friends, otherwise known as the Quakers, in the 17th century.

    5 April 2012

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    Featuring: Justin Champion, John Coffey, Kate Peters

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    ReligionAnglican saints17th-century English male writersChristian radicalsFounders of religions17th-century English writersEnglish religious writersEnglish evangelicalsEnglish Quakers17th-century Christian mysticsEnglish DissentersEnglish Christian theologians

  4. John Wesley and Methodism

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the difference John Wesley made during the Christian Revival of the 18th Century, developing Methodism into a major movement around the world

    10 December 2020

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    Featuring: Stephen Plant, Eryn White, William Gibson

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    ReligionAnglican saintsChristian humanistsChristian radicalsLutheran saintsPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarFounders of religionsEnglish abolitionistsAlumni of Christ Church, OxfordEnglish evangelicalsEnglish pamphleteersFounders of English schools and collegesGerman–English translators18th-century Anglican theologians18th-century English diarists18th-century evangelicalsChristian vegetariansChristianity in OxfordEnglish Anglican theologiansEnglish sermon writersTranslators of the Bible into English

  5. Pythagoras

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas and influence of the Greek mathematician Pythagoras and his followers, the Pythagoreans.

    10 December 2009

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    Featuring: Ian Stewart, Serafina Cuomo, John O'Connor

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    PhilosophyFounders of religionsAncient Greek philosophers of mindAncient occultists6th-century BC Greek philosophersAncient Greek metaphysicians5th-century BC Greek philosophersAncient Greek political refugeesAncient SamiansAncient Greek music theoristsAncient Greek geometers6th-century BC religious leaders, 5th-century BC religious leaders

  6. The Buddha

    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the originator of Buddhism, and examines why his teachings have now become one of the fastest growing religions of the Western world.

    14 March 2002

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    Featuring: Peter Harvey, Kate Crosby, Mahinda Deegalle

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    ReligionSocial philosophersPhilosophers of mindPhilosophers of loveFounders of religionsClassical humanistsMiracle workersJourney to the West charactersAscetics