'The Story of God with Morgan Freeman' to Return in 2017; Season 2 Will Explore 'Proof of God,' 'Heaven and Hell'

Jul 25, 2016 11:10 AM EDT

"The Story of God with Morgan Freeman," the Emmy award-nominated miniseries from the National Geographic Channel, has been renewed for a second season due to its popularity.

According to Variety, the series will get another three episodes, premiering in early 2017, and will examine questions such as, "Is there a Chosen One?" and whether one can find proof of a singular god, heaven and hell. The series will air in 171 countries, in 45 languages, including a Spanish version on Nat Geo Mundo.

"I had quite a journey last season, but not just in miles covered," said Freeman, who serves as both host and executive producer. "I met incredible people who opened my eyes and my mind to new ideas and new ways of thinking about faith, the world and all of humanity. I barely scratched the surface of what we can learn, and I'm looking forward to continuing this search for the meaning of life and religion and everything in between."

Last season, Freeman traveled to 20 cities in seven different countries as he sought answers to some of the most pervasive questions people have about the world's religions, from the creation of the world to what happens after death.

In an effort to answer these questions, the show, made in collaboration with Revelations Entertainment and the National Geographic Channel, looked in depth at some of the major religions of the world and visited a number of prominent Christian locations, such as Vatican City, the base of the Roman Catholic Church, and Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church.

Earlier, Freeman told Variety he decided to work on "The Story of God" in an effort to embark on a "personal and enduring quest to understand the divine," as he doesn't adhere to any particular religion.

"I went to churches and synagogues, only it never caught hold," Freeman told Page Six. "At 13, I stopped. But grandma's big slap on my head always pointed out when I'd done wrong."

When asked what he believes, Freeman explained that he is a "privatist," which is described as a "social position of being noncommittal to or uninvolved with anything other than one's own immediate interests and lifestyle."

"All of life is this planet. Life ever after is here," the actor explained. "I don't think life exists on any other planet. If, like me, you think that it's just us, you must make a move not to kill it. Ours is a planetary problem. Trees, animals, climate, we have to stop killing it."