Past Programs
Christianity - 2008
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Presbyterians in Colonial Victoria
23/11/2008
Prosperity and political acumen is what Presbyterians became famous for in 19th Century Victoria. Their strong moral and disciplinary code made them natural leaders, but their tendency toward wealth could be a double edged sword. Malcolm Wood's meticulous history sheds new light on Francis Ormond and the Hon James Balfour among others.
Gideon's Bible Read Transcript
02/11/2008
The most reliable thing about a hotel room is the Gideons in the drawer. On the 100th anniversary of the Gideons Bible project that put bibles into hospitals, prisons, military bases, and schools as well as hotels, we hear from a former International President of the Gideons, Australian Kevin Fuller.
John Milton: Puritan, Polymath and Poet Read Transcript
19/10/2008
Four hundred years ago, John Milton was born in Cheapside in London and became one of the greatest poets in post-Shakespearean England. He was a champion of the parliamentary movement, a Puritan who was married to a Catholic, and the poet whose 12 volume epic poem, Paradise Lost, shows a subtle understanding of Adam and Eve according to independent Milton scholar, Charlotte Clutterbuck.
Arundel Prints Read Transcript
07/09/2008
St Martin's Church at Hawksburn in Victoria is about to show its impressive collection of Arundel prints, which originated in the 19th century as a means of making the paintings of the Great Masters available to all. The value of these prints, often of religious scenes, were greatly underestimated, but are now sought after as the interest in religious art grows.
The Chastity Belt Read Transcript
31/08/2008
Knights, damsels and chastity belts are the staple ingredients of medieval courtly tales, but although the first two existed, visiting scholar Albrecht Classen doubts the existence of the iron belts that guarded a wife's chastity. A specialist in the history of medieval sexuality, Classen looks at the evidence from art, literature, and museums.
Scots Presbyterians in Australia Read Transcript
03/08/2008
What do you get when you cross high education with stern Calvinism? Many schisms! The Scots Presbyterians had their share of splits back in Scotland but also in Australia where they became a prosperous community, as historian Malcolm Prentis explains.
History of the Popes Read Transcript
20/07/2008
The 2,000 year papal succession includes a gallery of rogues, righteous men, and some who were clearly mad. Historian, broadcaster and former priest Paul Collins recounts a colourful history.
The Wisdom of Water Read Transcript
13/07/2008
The popular advocate and water expert, John Archer, has turned his attention to the waters that flow through almost all the spiritual traditions of the world. From clouds and rivers and rainbows, to dew-drops and thunder, water is a universal and ancient motif in religion.
The Ark Goes to Israel, Pt 2 - Under the Temple Mount Read Transcript
08/06/2008
Secret tunnels and a gate to the Holy of Holies in the ancient Jewish Temple of Jerusalem caused more than a stir when it was discovered. Archaeological guide, Walter Zanger, takes Rachael Kohn on an underground tour of the sites.
The Ark Goes to Israel, Pt 1 - Jaffa Gate Read Transcript
01/06/2008
Walter Zanger is a former rabbi who is now an archaeology expert in Israel. For the month of June he'll be revealing some of Israel's most fascinating archaeological discoveries, such as the Herodian tunnels under the Western Wall of the Old City of Jerusalem, the ancient synagogue of Beit Alpha, and that jewel of the Galilee, the ancient city of Zippori (Sepphoris).
Nathanael Pepper Read Transcript
25/05/2008
In 1860 Nathanael Pepper became the Moravian Protestant mission's first Aboriginal convert. He would become a symbol of Evangelical Christianity's struggle to convert the indigenous people of Australia.
The Origins of the Eucharist Read Transcript
27/04/2008
Is the central sacrament of the Christian Church a true reflection of what Jesus meant when he said, 'this is my blood' and 'this is my flesh'? Bruce Chilton reveals a different meaning of the Last Supper rite.
A Diggers' Cross From France Read Transcript
20/04/2008
A Dawn Service this Anzac Day at Villers-Bretonneux in France will be the first one of its kind on the Western Front since the end of World War I. Accompanying it will be the historic cross brought from St George's Anglican Cathedral in Perth that was made in 1918 to mark the site where the Western Australian 51st Battalion fought the Germans and turned the tide of the war.
Medieval Manuscripts in Australia Read Transcript
06/04/2008
The State Library of Victoria has amassed a major manuscript exhibition of extraordinary beauty called The Medieval Imagination, and Bronwyn Stocks introduces one manuscript, the late medieval Italian prayer book, the Book of Hours.
The Christ Files Read Transcript
23/03/2008
Australian biblical historian John Dickson has travelled the world seeking out some of the earliest and most important evidence for the historical Jesus.
Crusader Medicine Read Transcript
27/01/2008
Crusader battlefields were the Emergency Wards of the medieval period of European history where injured knights received medical treatment provided by monks. Today's well known names, such as St John's Ambulance, have their origins in these monastic medical orders.
