Compass critically examines the world of belief and values, seeking meaning and a sense of purpose in life. It navigates the historical and contemporary, the personal and political, the religious and secular. Its guiding principle is to illuminate the spiritual and ethical journey, so revealing the broader issues of community and the shared experience of being human.
Every Sunday night ABCTV screens Compass, an engaging program reflecting and exploring faith, belief and values in Australia and around the globe.
Presented by Geraldine Doogue, Compass explores the interface between religion and life as experienced by individuals and communities - including ordinary Australians, public leaders, religious thinkers, ethicists and philosophers. Compass avoids restricting itself to religious institutions only; also illustrating the liveliness of public debate encouraged by religious issues.
Compass analyses social phenomena, current affairs and trends in an easily accessible manner - and examines secular community issues from a theological and practical perspective. Stories may cover all the major and minority faiths, Indigenous belief systems, new age phenomena, more individualised forms of belief, or social issues as diverse as the ethical dimension of taxation, IVF, the internet, sexuality or cloning.
In addition to our stories about spirituality in the Australian context, Compass regularly screens documentaries focusing on international events both contemporary and historical. When confronted with the controversies of our time, Compass undertakes rigorous, thought provoking yet sensitive analysis.
On air since 1988, Compass invites viewers every week to make connections - to see into the underlying sources by which people live their lives and make their commitments.