Past Programs
History - 2008
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Sir Charles Nicholson
30/11/2008
A devout Anglican and a dedicated Spiritualist, Charles Nicholson (1808- 1903) was also the co founder of the University of Sydney and the benefactor of the museum which bears his name. Filled with the antiquities he purchased with his considerable wealth, the Nicholson Museum is only a part of this extraordinary Australian's achievements, which included business, politics and medicine.
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.
Paracelsus Read Transcript
16/11/2008
He became known as the Luther of medicine for his reformist medical practices, but Paracelsus, who was born in Switzerland in 1493, was also a religious man.
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.
The Boss, Archbishop Geoffrey Sambell Read Transcript
26/10/2008
Socially awkward and not a great speaker, Geoffrey Sambell from country Victoria became one of the most outstanding archbishops in post-war Australia, spearheading social welfare projects as Director of the Brotherhood of Saint Laurence, and as Archbishop of Perth.
Rosa Robota Gate Read Transcript
12/10/2008
Rosa Robota, a polish Jewish inmate of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during WWII, organised the only attempt to blow up the Crematorium used to burn bodies at Auschwitz on 7 October 1944. Holocaust survivor, Sam Spitzer, has commemorated this forgotten heroine in the Rosa Robota Gate at Montefiore Home in Sydney.
Thangkas of Andy Weber Read Transcript
05/10/2008
The ritual painting and use of Thangkas is a Tibetan Buddhist speciality, which might have roots in the earliest legends about depicting the Buddha. Andy Weber, who trained as a Thangka painter in the 1970s, has his Thangkas hanging in museums and private collections, as well as in the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
The Tomb of Qatna Read Transcript
28/09/2008
The most important find in the ancient city state of Qatna in Syria is a tomb that has lain undisturbed for 3,348 years. Its discovery yielded more than could have been hoped for: tablets, jewels, and the artefacts of a sophisticated Bronze Age civilization. Paul Donnelly recently returned from his first visit there and tells the story of a doomed city.
Pope Pius XII - Was He the Nazi Pope or Not? Read Transcript
21/09/2008
The papacy of Pope Pius XII during the Nazi takeover of Europe has long been criticised by historians for its ineffective response to Hitler and its silence during the persecution of European Jews. Historian Paul O'Shea reconsiders the record of Pius XII in light of the Church's long history of anti-Judaism and Eugenio Pacelli's life before he became the Pope.
Lost Buddhas Found Read Transcript
14/09/2008
A surprise 1996 discovery of a mass burial of Buddhist sculptures in the Shandong Province of China is the basis of an exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. But these Buddha and bodhisattva statues are unusual in many ways, including their remarkable preservation, as Professor Helmut Brinker from the University of Zurich explains.
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.
The 'Religion' of Shakespeare Read Transcript
24/08/2008
The greatest English playwright is still one of the most mysterious people. He may or may not have been a closet Catholic, and the relationship of the actor's life to his writing is not reconcilable, according to historian William Rubinstein. (Rpt)
Anna and the King Read Transcript
17/08/2008
Anna, the 19th century governess to the King of Siam's harem, was famously depicted in the Broadway musical and Hollywood film, The King and I. But that story was tame by comparison to the real life of Anna Leonowens, who invented her past and then went on to become a world renowned lecturer, Sanskritist, and social reformer living in Australia, the US and Canada.
The Lambeth Conference Read Transcript
10/08/2008
It wasn't a popular idea when it was first held in 1867, but the Lambeth Conference was made necessary by the realities of an Anglican church in the colonies. Now held only once every decade, it's become the established way of deciding on ecclesiastical and theological issues for Anglicans worldwide, as Rev'd Dr Bruce Kaye explains.
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.
The Trials of the Templars Read Transcript
27/07/2008
At dawn on 13 October 1307 all the Templars in France were arrested by royal order, on the charge that they had been involved in secret blasphemous rituals. This led to other arrests of Templars in Europe, and an investigation by Pope Clement V. The University of Sydney Rare Books and Special Collections Library recently obtained trial documents from the Vatican archives, which John Pryor discusses with Rachael Kohn.
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 Origin of the Dalai Lama
06/07/2008
The institution of the Dalai Lama - the Buddhist 'Pope' of Tibet - has a history that goes back at least to the 12th century, but Buddhist myth traces the origin of the Dalai Lama to a Brahmin boy who met the Buddha under the Bodhi tree. Professor of Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, Robert Thurman, traces the unusual history of the Dalai Lama.
The Ark Goes to Israel, Pt 5 - Beit She'an Read Transcript
29/06/2008
Sitting at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel, Beit She'an was founded more than 2000 years ago. Archaeologist Walter Zanger takes Rachael Kohn to the site of this ancient city where tiled avenues and one of the world's oldest theatres have been unearthed.
The Ark Goes to Israel, Pt 4 - Zodiacs in Synagogues Read Transcript
22/06/2008
Ancient synagogues in Israel, such as in Zippori (Sepphoris) in the lower Galilee, boasted mosaic illustrations, and in some cases featured the zodiac as a central motif. According to our archaeological guide, Walter Zanger, Zippori's most beautiful feature is the 'Mona Lisa' mosaic in the Dionysus House.
The Ark Goes to Israel, Pt 3 - Masada Read Transcript
15/06/2008
Herod's lavish palace 450 metres above the Dead Sea was also the site of the Zealots' last stand against the Romans in 73 CE. Masada is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and our archaeological guide, Walter Zanger, takes us through this remarkable site.
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).
Demonising Dissent Read Transcript
18/05/2008
In 12th Century Northern France, the pursuit of heresy rose to a peak when a former self-confessed heretic, Robert Le Bougre, became a pursuer of heretics.
Christian Emissary of Kublai Khan Read Transcript
04/05/2008
Before Marco Polo plied the Silk Route to visit the great Khan in the 13th century, the Mughal Emperor sent out a Christian emissary to retrieve relics from Jerusalem and send a message to the Pope. His name was Rabban Sawma.
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.
The Man Behind 'Vinnies' Read Transcript
13/04/2008
The Society of St Vincent de Paul began in France in 1833 but its 19th century champion in Australia was the eminent architect and politician Charles O'Neill.
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.
King Asoka Read Transcript
30/03/2008
He was the ancient king of India who converted to Buddhism and initiated a sweeping moral reform. Legends of Asoka are numerous but it's only in the last century that his real history has become known as historian of Sanskrit literature at the University Texas, Patrick Olivelle, explains.
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.
The Great Synagogue Read Transcript
16/03/2008
Home to the oldest Jewish congregation in Australia, the Great Synagogue was built in Sydney 130 years ago by the architect, Thomas Rowe, who also designed a number of churches, including St Mark's Darlinghurst. The Synagogue's cathedral-like grandeur caused a stir at the time, but it would become a leading Jewish institution in Australian life. Rabbi Emeritus, Dr Raymond Apple, has co-written its history.
Mary, Patroness of Australia Read Transcript
09/03/2008
A little known fact of Australian history is that the Catholic Portuguese explorer, Pedro Ferdinandez de Quiros, landed on what he thought was Terra Australis Incognita on the eve of Pentecost 1606 and promptly renamed it the 'South Land of the Holy Spirit' dedicating it to Mary, Help of Christians. He had in fact landed on what is now Vanuatu.
The Gods of Freud Read Transcript
24/02/2008
The founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, was accused of by his detractors of developing a 'Jewish science'. In fact he was far more influenced by the Greco-Roman and Egyptian gods and goddesses that made up his considerable antiquities collection.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Read Transcript
17/02/2008
The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, dubbed 'The Beatles' Guru', has just died aged 91. In the 1950s he embarked on a mission to bring Transcendental Meditation to the world.
Sze Yup Temple Read Transcript
10/02/2008
It recently sustained a serious fire but during Chinese New Year, the Sze Yup Temple in Sydney's Glebe is a hive of activity with Chinese of all backgrounds coming to pray to the god Kwan Ti.
Daisy Bates, the Great White Queen of the Never-Never Lands Read Transcript
03/02/2008
She was famous in her time as the white woman who lived among the Aborigines, recording their customs, feeding them simple food, and befriending the people she also accused of cannibalism and laziness. But Daisy Bates (1859-1951) was a bundle of contradictions, starting from her religious origins and her anti-Catholic sentiments. Professor in History at Murdoch University, Bob Reece, is her biographer.
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.
The Golden Girls Read Transcript
20/01/2008
In the 1940s, Marjorie Wilkinson and Ethel Helyar brought medical and spiritual support to the Australian outback through the pioneering Methodist Nursing Services.
The Jesus Tomb Read Transcript
06/01/2008
Would the discovery of Jesus' family tomb change Christianity? Simcha Jacobovici thinks he's found the burial cave of Jesus, but why have archaeologists kept silent about what they've known for decades?
