Publishing Jewish Books in 16th Century Venice

Last updated on: October 16, 2022 at 1:32 pm By Barbara O'Brien

This post tells the story of publishing Jewish books in 16th century Venice. What was likely the first commercial publishing company of books in Hebrew began operation in Venice in 1515, and it produced wonderful editions of Hebrew scriptures, including the first printed Talmud. This is the fourth in a series on how printing technology affected the world’s religions. Johannes Gutenberg built the first printing press in Europe and published the first of his famous Bibles in 1452. What is... Read more

The Impact of Printing on Religion: Printing the Quran

Last updated on: November 5, 2022 at 2:40 pm By Barbara O'Brien

This is the third column in a series that explores how the invention of printing has impacted religion. Part One is about the beginnings of printing technology in China and how this supported the spread of Buddhism. Part Two shows how the introduction of the printing press to Europe made the Reformation possible and changed the way European Christians relate to the Bible. This column will look at the history of printing the Quran. The Quran (also spelled Koran or... Read more

The Printing Press and the Reformation

Last updated on: October 12, 2022 at 11:19 am By Barbara O'Brien

This is the second part of a series on how printing technology changed the course of religious history. To read the first part, about the beginnings of print technology in China and how this impacted Buddhism, see The Impact of Printing on Religion: Buddhism in East Asia. This post focuses on the printing press and the Reformation. The impact of printing on religion in Europe was something like a bomb that utterly changed the religious as well as the political... Read more

The Impact of Printing on Religion: Buddhism in East Asia

Last updated on: October 12, 2022 at 11:17 am By Barbara O'Brien

Religion stumbled along for centuries before the invention of printing technology. Before printing was invented, scriptures had to be copied by hand. Sometimes they were memorized and chanted. But then came printing, and Bibles and sutras and sermons and all manner of religious expression could be easily published and mass distributed. But what was the impact of printing on religion? It varied. In Asia, printing tended to support religion. But elsewhere — especially Europe — the introduction of printing technology... Read more

The New Madrid Earthquakes: Disaster and Religion on the Frontier

Last updated on: October 2, 2022 at 12:04 pm By Barbara O'Brien

What is the connection between natural disasters and religion? The world’s scriptures often mention natural disasters — the biblical flood, for example. But the relation of natural disasters and religion in history is varied and complex. There is data showing that people who live in regions with a high risk of natural disasters exhibit more religiosity than people who don’t. Sometimes disasters are viewed as God’s judgment. Sometimes they are signs of some prophesized event. Here we’re going to look... Read more

Journalism Versus Religion

Last updated on: September 28, 2022 at 12:02 pm By Barbara O'Brien

There is a new Global Faith and Media Study on how news media cover religion and religious issues. Apparently neither journalists nor religious people are happy with religious journalism these days. But it’s arguably been worse. Consider the s0-called Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. You probably recall that a high school teacher in Tennessee named John Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution, which violated Tennessee law. The trial became a media circus featuring two famous lawyers, Clarence Darrow... Read more

What Is Deism?

Last updated on: September 26, 2022 at 11:14 am By Barbara O'Brien

The word Deism often comes up in early U.S. history and some 18th century European history as well. But what was Deism? George Washington refused to take Communion in his adult life, it’s widely reported. And he avoided mention of Jesus Christ in his writings. Historians interpret this to mean that Washington, while a regular Episcopal church-goer, was a secret Deist. Thomas Jefferson was much less secretive about his Deism. Late in his life he created his own version of... Read more

The Myth of the Christian Nation

Last updated on: September 24, 2022 at 10:41 am By Barbara O'Brien

One of the most persistent popular themes of American history is that the United States is a Christian nation. It was explicitly founded to be a Christian nation, the story goes, and its laws and values are based on Christianity. This is what the founders of the nation intended. Therefore, Christianity deserves a privileged position in U.S. law and public policy. A recent poll of U.S. adults found that 61 percent of Republicans — but only 17 percent of Democrats... Read more

The Mahabodhi Temple, Site of the Buddha’s Enlightenment

Last updated on: August 14, 2023 at 1:41 pm By Barbara O'Brien

The Mahabodhi Temple is believed to mark the place where the Buddha realized enlightenment. This is the central, foundational event in the tradition of Buddhism. But the temple was neglected for centuries, and its origins forgotten, until it caught the attention of European scholars and archeologists in the 19th century. Today the restored temple is an object of reverence but also of heated sectarian dispute between Buddhists and Hindus. It has twice been the target of terrorist attacks. The temple... Read more

The True Story of the Mozart Requiem Mass

Last updated on: December 6, 2022 at 10:50 am By Barbara O'Brien

The 1984 film Amadeus — and the stage play on which it was based — took liberties with history, including the story behind the composition of the Mozart Requiem in D Minor. But the real story is just as dramatic and is the stuff of legend — and wild conspiracy theories. So let’s try to sort fact from fiction. The year was 1791, and the young Austrian composer Wolfgang Mozart was enjoying a prolific period. That year he completed two operas.... Read more