Podcasts about Middle Ages

The simplicity of life back then is appealing today, as long as you don't mind Church hegemony, the occasional plague, trial by gossip — and the lack of ibuprofen. (Part two of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES:Jordan Cavalier, performer at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire.Matt Schwarz, harpist at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire.Phillipp Schofield, professor of history at Aberystywth University.Neslihan Şenocak, professor of history at Columbia University. RESOURCES:A People's Church: Medieval Italy and Christianity, 1050–1300, co-edited by Agostino Paravicini Bagliani and Neslihan Şenocak (2023).The Routledge Handbook of Medieval Rural Life, edited by Miriam Müller with a contribution by Phillip Schofield (2021).Monty Python and the Holy Grail, film (1975). EXTRAS:"Are You Having a Midlife Crisis?" by No Stupid Questions (2022).

There are a lot of gamechanging inventions that shifted the trajectory of the Middle Ages, but one machine managed to hit at just the right time and place to create a massive enterprise in medieval Europe, with consequences that touched the entire globe: Gutenberg's printing press. This week, Danièle speaks with Eric White about Johannes Gutenberg's life, his early entrepreneurship, and the invention that changed the world.Support this podcast on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

#WeirdDarknessRadio WEEK OF JUNE 15, 2025: During the Black Death, medieval Europeans bathed in vinegar, slept on rotting straw, dumped waste in the streets — and still couldn't figure out why everyone was dying.==========HOUR ONE: During the bubonic plague in the early Middle-Ages, those who became sick and were even suspected of having the plague, were forced to relocate to a quarantined island – Poveglia Island. The gruesomeness that took place there still continues today, with the island being illegal to visit – and reportedly, very haunted. (Inside Black Plague Island) *** We look at some of the bathing – and lack thereof – that took place during the bubonic plague, as well as some of the beliefs they had about diet and how it might protect from contagion. Some of the ideas of what people thought could protect them from the disease are nothing short of shocking. (Living With The Black Death)==========HOUR TWO: About 80 years after the black plague began, a different plague came upon England – a fatal one that would cause you to almost instantly perspire to death. (Death By Sweat) *** Most everyone is familiar with the plague in Europe in the early 1400s – but in the early 1900s it struck again. This time in San Francisco. If you've not heard that before, it could be because the U.S. government tried to cover it up. (The Plague of San Francisco) *** Of all the imagery that comes to mind when hearing the words “bubonic plague” the most prevalent is most certainly that of the doctors – and the odd, bird-like masks they would wear. Why they dressed that way is interesting – but what the doctors did while wearing those suits and in their labs as they tried to battle the illness is absolutely horrifying. (Plague Doctors) *** And it probably comes as no surprise that something so deadly and horrific as the black plague would leave behind some residual paranormal energy – and boy is there a lot of it. (A Plague of Ghosts)==========SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: We look at some of the bathing – and lack thereof – that took place during the bubonic plague, as well as some of the beliefs they had about diet and how it might protect from contagion. Some of the ideas of what people thought could protect them from the disease are nothing short of shocking. (Living With The Black Death – CONTINUED) *** Europe just could not escape plagues of any kind – for example, the plague that made you, against your will, keep dancing until you dropped dead. (The Dance of Death)==========SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT'S SHOW:“Inside Black Plague Island” by Cheryl Adams Richkoff for Graveyard Shift: https://tinyurl.com/v85y7k6“Plague Doctors” by Melissa Sartore for Ranker's Weird History: https://tinyurl.com/rmap5d8“Death By Sweat” by Melissa Sartore for Ranker's Weird History: https://tinyurl.com/vqpvgrz“The Dance of Death” by Melissa Satore for Ranker's Weird History: https://tinyurl.com/u6kdwgp“The Plague of San Francisco” by Melissa Brinks for Ranker's Weird History: https://tinyurl.com/sbaht69“Living With The Black Death” by Genevieve Carlton for Ranker's Weird History: https://tinyurl.com/tcbo9af,https://tinyurl.com/sfkjhrg; and Kellen Perry for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/u4bxkuf“A Plague of Ghosts” by Erin Wisti for Graveyard Shift: https://tinyurl.com/tm2cxzr==========(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for material I use whenever possible. If I have overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately. Some links may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)=========="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46==========WeirdDarkness®, WeirdDarkness© 2025==========To become a Weird Darkness Radio Show affiliate, contact Radio America at affiliates@radioamerica.com, or call 800-807-4703 (press 2 or dial ext 250).

pWotD Episode 2966: Father's Day Welcome to Popular Wiki of the Day, spotlighting Wikipedia's most visited pages, giving you a peek into what the world is curious about today.With 226,551 views on Sunday, 15 June 2025 our article of the day is Father's Day.Father's Day is a day set aside for honoring one's father, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. "Father's Day" complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Mother's Day and, in some countries, Siblings Day, and Grandparents' Day. The day is held on various dates across the world, and different regions maintain their own traditions of honoring fatherhood.In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the United States, Father's Day was founded in the state of Washington by Sonora Smart Dodd in 1910. Father's Day is a recognized public holiday in Lithuania and some parts of Spain and was regarded as such in Italy until 1977. It is a national holiday in Estonia, Samoa, and equivalently in South Korea, where it is celebrated as Parents' Day.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:04 UTC on Monday, 16 June 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Father's Day on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Ayanda.

Reading Prester John: Cultural Fantasy and its Manuscript Contexts by John Eldevik During the Middle Ages, many Europeans imagined that there existed a powerful and marvel-filled Christian realm beyond the lands of Islam ruled by a devout emperor they called “Priest John,” or “Prester John.” Spurred by a forged letter that mysteriously appeared around 1165 and quickly “went viral” in hundreds of manuscripts across Western Europe, the legend of Prester John and his exotic kingdom was not just a utopian fantasy, but a way to bring contemporary political and theological questions into sharper focus. In this new study, John Eldevik shows how the manuscripts that transmitted the story of Prester John reflect the ways contemporary audiences processed ideas about religious conflict and helped them imagine a new, global dimension of Christianity. It includes an appendix with a new translation of the B recension of The Letter of Prester John. John Eldevik is Professor of History at Hamilton College in Clinton (New York State), and has previously published on medieval social and religious history. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature.   YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/a48266/videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles C. Yost, assistant professor of medieval history at Hillsdale College, delivers a lecture on how the Middle Ages were instrumental in developing Western Civilization. This lecture was given at the Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence seminar, “The Art of Teaching: Western Civilization” in April 2025. The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence, an outreach of the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office, offers educators the opportunity to deepen their content knowledge and refine their skills in the classroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014, the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks stood on the AJC Global Forum stage and delivered a powerful call to action: “We have to celebrate our Judaism. We have to have less oy and more joy… We never defined ourselves as victims. We never lost our sense of humor. Our ancestors were sometimes hated by gentiles, but they defined themselves as the people loved by God.” Over a decade later, at AJC Global Forum 2025, AJC's Director of Jewish Communal Partnerships, Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman, revisits that message in a special crossover episode between People of the Pod and Books and Beyond, the podcast of the Rabbi Sacks Legacy. She speaks with Dr. Tanya White, one of the inaugural Sacks Scholars and host of Books and Beyond, and Joanna Benarroch, Global Chief Executive of the Legacy, about Rabbi Sacks's enduring wisdom and what it means for the Jewish future. Resources: The State of the Jewish World Address: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks The Inaugural Sacks Conversation with Tony Blair Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod:  Latest Episodes:  “They Were Bridge Builders”: Remembering Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky AJC's CEO Ted Deutch: Messages That Moved Me After the D.C. Tragedy Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Manya Brachear Pashman: On this week 16 years ago, the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks published Future Tense, a powerful vision of the future of Judaism, Jewish life, and the state of Israel in the 21st Century. Five years later, he delivered a progress report on that future to AJC Global Forum.  On the sidelines of this year's Global Forum, my colleague Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman spoke with two guests from the Rabbi Sacks Legacy, which was established after his death in 2020 to preserve and teach his timeless and universal wisdom. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:   In 2014, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks addressed our Global Forum stage to offer the state of the Jewish world. Modeled after the US President's State of the Union speech given every year before Congress and the American people, this address was intended to offer an overview of what the Jewish people were experiencing, and to look towards our future. The full video is available on AJC's website as well as the Sacks Legacy website. For today's episode, we are holding a crossover between AJC's People of the Pod podcast and Books and Beyond, the Rabbi Sacks podcast. On Books and Beyond, each episode features experts reflecting on particular works from Rabbi Sacks. Channeling that model, we'll be reflecting on Rabbi Sacks' State of the Jewish World here at AJC's 2025 Global Forum in New York. AJC has long taken inspiration from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and today, AJC and the Rabbi Sacks legacy have developed a close partnership. To help us understand his insights, I am joined by two esteemed guests. Dr. Tanya White is one of the inaugural Sacks Scholars and the founder and host of the podcast Books and Beyond, the Rabbi Sacks podcast. Joanna Benarroch is the Global Chief Executive of the Rabbi Sacks legacy. And prior to that, worked closely with Rabbi Sacks for over two decades in the Office of the Chief Rabbi.  Joanna, Tanya, thank you for being with us here at AJC's Global Forum.  Tanya White:   It's wonderful to be with you, Meggie. Joanna Benarroch:   Thank you so much, Meggie.  Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:   I want to get to the State of the Jewish World. I vividly remember that address. I was with thousands of people in the room, Jews from different walks of life, Jews from around the globe, as well as a number of non-Jewish leaders and dignitaries. And what was so special is that each of them held onto every single word.  He identifies these three areas of concern: a resurgence of antisemitism in Europe, delegitimization of Israel on the global stage, and the Iranian regime's use of terror and terror proxies towards Israel.  This was 2014, so with exception of, I would say today, needing to broaden, unfortunately, antisemitism far beyond Europe, to the skyrocketing rates we're living through today, it's really remarkable the foresight and the relevance that these areas he identified hold.  What do you think allowed Rabbi Sacks to see and understand these challenges so early, before many in the mainstream did? And how is his framing of antisemitism and its associated threats different from others? And I'll let  Tanya jump in and start. Tanya White:  So firstly, I think there was something very unique about Rabbi Sacks. You know, very often, since he passed, we keep asking the question, how was it that he managed to reach such a broad and diverse audience, from non Jews and even in the Jewish world, you will find Rabbi Sacks his books in a Chabad yeshiva, even a Haredi yeshiva, perhaps, and you will find them in a very left, liberal Jewish institution. There's something about his works, his writing, that somehow fills a space that many Jews of many denominations and many people, not just Jews, are searching for. And I think this unique synthesis of his knowledge, he was clearly a religious leader, but he wasn't just uniquely a religious leader.  He was a scholar of history, of philosophy, of political thought, and the ability to, I think, be able to not just read and have the knowledge, but to integrate the knowledge with what's going on at this moment is something that takes extreme prowess and a very deep sense of moral clarity that Rabbi Sacks had. And I would say more than moral clarity, is a moral imagination. I think it was actually Tony Blair. He spoke about the fact that Rabbi Sacks had this ability, this kind of, I think he even used the term moral imagination, that he was able to see something that other people just couldn't see.  Professor Berman from University of Bar Ilan, Joshua Berman, a brilliant Bible scholar. So he was very close to Rabbi Sacks, and he wrote an article in Israeli, actually, an Israeli newspaper, and he was very bold in calling Rabbi Sacks a modern day prophet.  What is a prophet? A prophet is someone who is able to see a big picture and is able to warn us when we're veering in the wrong direction. And that's what you see in the AJC address, and it's quite incredible, because it was 11 years ago, 2014. And he could have stood up today and said exactly the same thing. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks:  But there is nonetheless a new antisemitism. Unlike the old it isn't hatred of Jews for being a religion. It isn't hatred of Jews as a race. It is hatred of Jews as a sovereign nation in their own land, but it has taken and recycled all the old myths. From the blood libel to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.  Though I have to confess, as I said to the young leaders this morning, I have a very soft spot for antisemites, because they say the nicest things about Jews. I just love the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Because, according to this, Jews control the banks, Jews control the media, Jews control the world. Little though they know, we can't even control a shul board meeting. Tanya White:  So what's fascinating is, if you look at his book Future Tense, which was penned in 2009.The book itself is actually a book about antisemitism, and you'll note its title is very optimistic, Future Tense, because Rabbi Sacks truly, deeply believed, even though he understood exactly what antisemitism was, he believed that antisemitism shouldn't define us. Because if antisemitism defines who we are, we'll become the victims of external circumstances, rather than the agents of change in the future.  But he was very precise in his description of antisemitism, and the way in which he describes it has actually become a prism through which many people use today. Some people don't even quote him. We were discussing it yesterday, Joanna, he called it a mutating virus, and he speaks about the idea that antisemitism is not new, and in every generation, it comes in different forms. But what it does is like a virus. It attacks the immune system by mutating according to how the system is at the time.  So for example, today, people say, I'm not antisemitic, I'm just anti-Zionist. But what Rabbi Sacks said is that throughout history, when people sought to justify their antisemitism, they did it by recourse to the highest source of authority within that culture. So for example, in the Middle Ages, the highest recourse of authority was religion. So obviously we know the Christian pogroms and things that happen were this recourse the fact, well, the Jews are not Christians, and therefore we're justified in killing them.  In the Enlightenment period, it was science. So we have the and the Scientific Study of Race, right and Social Darwinism, which was used to predicate the Nazi ideology. Today, the highest value is, as we all know, human rights.  And so the virus of antisemitism has mutated itself in order to look like a justification of human rights. If we don't challenge that, we are going to end up on the wrong side of history. And unfortunately, his prediction we are seeing come very much to light today. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  I want to turn to a different topic, and this actually transitioned well, because Tanya, you raised Prime Minister Tony Blair. Joanna, for our listeners who may have less familiarity with Rabbi Sacks, I would love for you to fill in a larger picture of Rabbi Sacks as one of the strongest global Jewish advocates of our time. He was a chief rabbi, his torah knowledge, his philosophical works make him truly a religious and intellectual leader of our generation.  At the same time, he was also counsel to the royal family, to secular thought leaders, world leaders, and in his remarks here at Global Forum, he actually raised addressing leading governing bodies at the European Union at that time, including Chancellor Merkel. These are not the halls that rabbis usually find themselves in. So I would love for you to explain to our audience, help us understand this part of Rabbi Sacks' life and what made him so effective in it.  Joanna Benarroch:  Thanks, Meggie. Over the last couple of weeks, I spent quite a bit of time with people who have been interested in learning more about Rabbi Sacks and looking at his archive, which we've just housed at the National Library in Israel. Then I spent quite a significant amount of time with one of our Sacks Scholars who's doing a project on exactly this.  How did he live that Judaism, engaged with the world that he wrote so eloquently about when he stepped down as chief rabbi. And a couple of days ago, I got an email, actually sent to the Sacks Scholar that I spent time with, from the gifted archivist who's working on cataloging Rabbi Sacks' archive. She brought our attention to a video that's on our website.  Rabbi Sacks was asked by a young woman who was a student at Harvard doing a business leadership course, and she asked Rabbi Sacks for his help with her assignment. So he answered several questions, but the question that I wanted to bring to your attention was: what difference have you sought to make in the world?  The difference that he sought to make in the world, and this is what he said, “is to make Judaism speak to people who are in the world, because it's quite easy being religious in a house of worship, in a synagogue or church, or even actually at home or in the school. But when you're out there in the marketplace, how do you retain those strong values?  And secondly, the challenge came from University. I was studying philosophy at a time when there were virtually no philosophers who were religious believers, or at least, none who were prepared to publicly confess to that. So the intellectual challenges were real. So how do you make Judaism speak to people in those worlds, the world of academic life, the world of economy?  And in the end, I realized that to do that credibly, I actually had to go into the world myself, whether it was broadcasting for the BBC or writing for The Times, and getting a little street cred in the world itself, which actually then broadened the mission. And I found myself being asked by politicians and people like that to advise them on their issues, which forced me to widen my boundaries.” So from the very beginning, I was reminded that John–he wrote a piece. I don't know if you recall, but I think it was in 2005, maybe a little bit earlier. He wrote a piece for The Times about the two teenagers killed a young boy, Jamie Bulger, and he wrote a piece in The Times. And on the back of that, John Major, the prime minister at the time, called him in and asked him for his advice.  Following that, he realized that he had something to offer, and what he would do is he would host dinners at home where he would bring key members of either the parliament or others in high positions to meet with members of the Jewish community. He would have one on one meetings with the Prime Minister of the time and others who would actually come and seek his advice and guidance.  As Tanya reflected, he was extremely well read, but these were books that he read to help him gain a better understanding into the world that we're living in. He took his time around general elections to ring and make contact with those members of parliament that had got in to office, from across the spectrum. So he wasn't party political. He spoke to everybody, and he built up. He worked really hard on those relationships.  People would call him and say so and so had a baby or a life cycle event, and he would make a point of calling and making contact with them. And you and I have discussed the personal effect that he has on people, making those building those relationships. So he didn't just do that within the Jewish community, but he really built up those relationships and broaden the horizons, making him a sought after advisor to many.  And we came across letters from the current king, from Prince Charles at the time, asking his guidance on a speech, or asking Gordon Brown, inviting him to give him serious advice on how to craft a good speech, how long he should speak for? And Gordon Brown actually gave the inaugural annual lecture, Memorial Lecture for Rabbi Sacks last in 2023 and he said, I hope my mentor will be proud of me.  And that gave us, I mean, it's emotional talking about it, but he really, really worked on himself. He realized he had something to offer, but also worked on himself in making his ideas accessible to a broad audience. So many people could write and can speak. He had the ability to do both, but he worked on himself from quite a young age on making his speeches accessible. In the early days, they were academic and not accessible. Why have a good message if you can't share it with a broad audience? Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  What I also am thinking about, we're speaking, of course, here at an advocacy conference. And on the one hand, part of what you're describing are the foundations of being an excellent Jewish educator, having things be deeply accessible.  But the other part that feels very relevant is being an excellent global Jewish advocate is engaging with people on all sides and understanding that we need to engage with whomever is currently in power or may who may be in power in four years. And it again, speaks to his foresight.  Joanna Benarroch:  You know, to your point about being prophetic, he was always looking 10, 15, 20 years ahead. He was never looking at tomorrow or next week. He was always, what are we doing now that can affect our future? How do I need to work to protect our Jewish community? He was focused whilst he was chief rabbi, obviously on the UK, but he was thinking about the global issues that were going to impact the Jewish community worldwide. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  Yes. I want to turn to the antidote that Rabbi Sacks proposed when he spoke here at Global Forum. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks:  I will tell you the single most important thing we have to do, more important than all the others. We have to celebrate our Judaism. We have to have less oy and more joy.  Do you know why Judaism survived? I'll tell you. Because we never defined ourselves as victims. Because we never lost our sense of humor. Because never in all the centuries did we internalize the disdain of the world. Yes, our ancestors were sometimes hated by gentiles, but they defined themselves as the people loved by God. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  So he highlights the need to proudly embrace the particularism of Judaism, which really in today's world, feels somewhat at odds with the very heavy reliance we have on universalism in Western society. And underpinning this, Rabbi Sacks calls on us to embrace the joy of Judaism, simchatah, Chaim, or, as he so fittingly puts it, less oy and more joy. How did both of these shape Rabbi Sacks's wider philosophy and advocacy, and what do they mean for us today? Tanya White:  Rabbi Sacks speaks about the idea of human beings having a first and second language. On a metaphorical level, a second language is our particularities. It's the people, it's the family we're born. We're born into. It's where we learn who we are. It's what we would call today in sociology, our thick identity. Okay, it's who, who I am, what I believe in, where I'm going to what my story is. But all of us as human beings also have a first language. And that first language can be, it can manifest itself in many different ways. First language can be a specific society, a specific nation, and it can also be a global my global humanity, my first language, though, has to, I have to be able to speak my first language, but to speak my first language, meaning my universal identity, what we will call today, thin identity. It won't work if I don't have a solid foundation in my thick identity, in my second language. I have nothing to offer my first language if I don't have a thick, particular identity.  And Rabbi Sacks says even more than that. As Jews, we are here to teach the world the dignity of difference. And this was one of Rabbi Sacks' greatest messages. He has a book called The Dignity of Difference, which he wrote on the heels of 9/11. And he said that Judaism comes and you have the whole story of Babel in the Bible, where the people try to create a society that is homogenous, right? The narrative begins, they were of one people and one language, you know, and what, and a oneness of things. Everyone was the same. And Rabbi Sacks says that God imposes diversity on them. And then sees, can they still be unified, even in their diversity? And they can't.  So Rabbi Sacks answers that the kind of antidote to that is Abraham. Who is Abraham? Abraham the Ivri. Ivri is m'ever, the other. Abraham cut this legacy. The story of Abraham is to teach the world the dignity of difference.  And one of the reasons we see antisemitism when it rears its head is when there is no tolerance for the other in society. There is no tolerance for the particular story. For my second language. For the way in which I am different to other people. There's no real space for diversity, even when we may use hashtags, okay, or even when we may, you know, proclaim that we are a very diverse society. When there is no space for the Jew, that's not true dignifying of difference. And so I think for Rabbi Sacks, he told someone once that one of his greatest, he believed, that one of his greatest novelties he brought into the world was the idea of Torah and chochma, which is torah and wisdom, universal wisdom. And Rabbi Sacks says that we need both.  We need to have the particularity of our identity, of our language, of our literacy, of where we came from, of our belief system. But at the same time, we also need to have universal wisdom, and we have to constantly be oscillating and be kind of trying to navigate the space between these two things. And that's exactly what Rabbi Sacks did.  And so I would say, I'll actually just finish with a beautiful story that he used to always tell. He would tell the story, and he heard this story from the late Lubavitcher, Menachem Schneerson, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, who was a very big influence on Rabbi Sacks and the leader of the Chabad movement.  So in the story, there's two people that are schlepping rocks up a mountain, two workers, and one of them just sees his bags that are full of rocks and just sees no meaning or purpose in his work. The other understands that he's carrying diamonds in his bag.  And one day they get a different bag, and in that bag there's rubies, and the person who carries the rocks sees the rubies as rocks, again, sees that as a burden. But the person who's carrying the rubies and understands their value, even though they may not be diamonds, understands the values of the stones, will see them in a different way.  The Lubavitcher Rebbe said, if we see our identity, our Judaism, as stones to carry as a burden that we have to just schlep up a mountain, then we won't see anyone else's particular religion or particular belief system or particularity as anything to be dignified or to be valued.  But if we see our religion as diamonds, we'll understand that other people's religions, though for me, they may be rubies, they're still of value. You have to understand that your religion is diamonds, and you have to know what your religion is, understand what it is. You have to embrace your particularity. You have to engage with it, value it, and then go out into the world and advocate for it. And that, to me, was exactly what Rabbi Sacks did. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  So much of what you're outlining is the underpinning of being a successful engager in interfaith and inter religious work. And Rabbi Sacks, of course, was such a leader there. At  AJC, we have taken inspiration from Rabbi Sacks and have long engaged in interfaith and inter-religious work, that's exactly a linchpin of it, of preaching one's own faith in order to engage with others. Tanya White:  That's the oy and the joy. For Rabbi Sacks, it's exactly that, if I see it as the oy, which is schlepping it up the mountain, well, I'm not going to be a very good advocate, but if I see it as the joy, then my advocacy, it's like it shines through. Joanna Benarroch:  It's very interesting, because he was interviewed by Christian Amanpour on CNN in 2014 just after he stepped down, as she she quoted the phrase “less oy and more joy” back to him, referring to his description of the Jewish community. When he came into office in 1991 he was worried about rising assimilation and out-marriage. And she said: How did you turn it around?  He said, “We've done the book of Lamentations for many centuries. There's been a lot of antisemitism and a lot of negativity to Jewish identity. And if you think of yourself, exactly as you're describing, as the people who get hated by others, or you've got something too heavy to carry, you're not going to want to hand that on to your children.  If you've got a very open society, the question is, why should I be anything in particular? Being Jewish is a very particular kind of Jewish identity, but I do feel that our great religious traditions in Judaism is the classic instance of this.  We have enormous gifts to offer in the 21st century, a very strong sense of community, very supportive families, a dedicated approach to education. And we do well with our children. We're a community that believes in giving. We are great givers, charitably and in other ways.  So I think when you stay firm in an identity, it helps you locate yourself in a world that sometimes otherwise can be seen to be changing very fast and make people very anxious. I think when you're rooted in a people that comes through everything that fate and history can throw at it, and has kept surviving and kept being strong and kept going, there's a huge thing for young people to carry with them.” And then he adds, to finish this interview, he said, “I think that by being what we uniquely are, we contribute to humanity what only we can give.” What Rabbi Sacks had was a deep sense of hope. He wore a yellow tie to give people hope and to make them smile. That's why he wore a yellow tie on major occasions. You know, sunshine, bringing hope and a smile to people's faces. And he had hope in humanity and in the Jewish people.  And he was always looking to find good in people and things. And when we talk about less oy and more joy. He took pleasure in the simple things in life. Bringing music into the community as a way to uplift and bring the community together.  We just spent a lovely Shabbat together with AJC, at the AJC Shabbaton with the students. And he would have loved nothing more than being in shul, in synagogue with the community and joining in.  Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  Thank you Joanna, and that's beautiful. I want to end our conversation by channeling how Rabbi Sacks concluded his 2014 address. He speaks about the need for Jewish unity at that time. Let's take a listen.  Rabbi Jonathan Sacks:  We must learn to overcome our differences and our divisions as Jews and work together as a global people. Friends, consider this extraordinary historical fact: Jews in history have been attacked by some of the greatest empires the world has ever known, empires that bestrode the narrow world like a colossus. That seemed invulnerable in their time. Egypt of the pharaohs, Assyria, Babylonia, the Alexandrian Empire, the Roman Empire, the medieval empires of Christianity and Islam, all the way up to the Third Reich and the Soviet Union. Each one of those, seemingly invulnerable, has been consigned to history, while our tiny people can still stand and sing Am Yisrael Chai. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  In Rabbi Sacks' A Letter in the Scroll, he talks about the seminal moment in his life when he most deeply understood Jewish peoplehood and unity. And that was 1967, the Six Day War, when the Jewish people, of course, witnessed the State of Israel on the brink of existential threat. To our AJC audience, this may ring particularly familiar because it was evoked in a piece by Mijal Bitton, herself a Sacks Scholar, a guest on our podcast, a guest Tanya on your podcast, who wrote a piece about a month after 10/7 titled "That Pain You're Feeling is Peoplehood'.  And that piece went viral in the Jewish world. And she draws this parallel between the moment that Rabbi Sacks highlights in 1967 and 10, seven, I should note, Tanya, of course, is referenced in that article that Mijal wrote. For our audiences, help us understand the centrality of peoplehood and unity to Rabbi Sacks' vision of Judaism. And as we now approach a year and a half past 10/7 and have seen the resurgence of certain communal fractures, what moral clarity can we take from Rabbi Sacks in this moment? Tanya White:  Okay, so it's interesting you talked about Mijal, because I remember straight after 7/10 we were in constant conversation–how it was impacting us, each of us in our own arenas, in different ways. And one of the things I said to her, which I found really comforting, was her constant ability to be in touch. And I think like this, you know, I like to call it after the name of a book that I read to my kid, The Invisible String. This idea that there are these invisible strings. In the book, the mother tells the child that all the people we love have invisible strings that connect us. And when we pull on the string, they feel it the other side.  1967 was the moment Rabbi Sacks felt that invisible pull on the string. They have a very similar trajectory. The seventh of October was the moment in which many, many Jews, who were perhaps disengaged, maybe a little bit ambivalent about their Jewish identity, they felt the tug of that invisible string. And then the question is, what do we do in order to maintain that connection? And I think for Rabbi Sacks, that was really the question. He speaks about 1967 being the moment in which he says, I realized at that moment every, you know, in Cambridge, and everything was about choice. And, you know, 1960s philosophy and enlightenment philosophy says, at that moment, I realized I hadn't chosen Judaism. Judaism had chosen me.  And from that moment forth, Rabbi Sacks feels as if he had been chosen. Judaism had chosen him for a reason. He was a Jew for a reason. And I think today, many, many Jews are coming back to that question. What does it mean that I felt that pull of the string on the seventh of October?  Rabbi Sacks' answer to that question of, where do we go from here? I think very simply, would be to go back to the analogy. You need to work out why Judaism is a diamond. And once you understand why Judaism is a diamond and isn't a burden to carry on my back, everything else will fall into place.  Because you will want to advocate for that particularity and what that particularity brings to the world. In his book, Future Tense, which, again, was a book about antisemitism, there was a picture of a lighthouse at the front of the book. That's how Rabbi Sacks saw the antidote for antisemitism, right? Is that we need to be the lighthouse. Because that's our role, globally, to be able to be the light that directs the rest of the world when they don't know where they're going. And we are living in a time of dizziness at the moment, on every level, morally, sociologically, psychologically, people are dizzy. And Judaism has, and I believe this is exactly what Rabbi Sacks advocated for, Judaism has a way to take us out of that maze that we found ourselves in. And so I think today, more than ever, in response to you, yes, it is peoplehood that we feel. And then the question is, how do we take that feeling of peoplehood and use it towards really building what we need to do in this world. The advocacy that Judaism needs to bring into the world. Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman:  We all have a role, a reason, a purpose. When Rabbi Sacks spoke to us a decade ago, more than a decade ago, at this point, those who were in the room felt the moral imperative to stand up to advocate and why, as Jews, we had that unique role.  I am so honored that today, now with Rabbi Sacks not here, you continue to give us that inspiration of why we are a letter in the scroll, why we must stand up and advocate. So thank you, Tanya and Joanna, for joining us at Global Forum and for this enlightening conversation. Tanya White:  Thank you so much for having us. Thank you. Joanna Benarroch:  Thank you so much.  Manya Brachear Pashman: If you missed last week's episode, please be sure to listen as two AJC colleagues pay tribute to their friends Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky who were brutally murdered outside the Capital Jewish Museum in May.   

Cullen Murphy, editor at large at The Atlantic, discusses his latest article on how, with the accelerating advance of privatization across the U.S. government, the country may be moving toward something that resembles the feudalism of the Middle Ages.

Social safety nets have existed in one form or another since the Middle Ages, but no government entitlement program has touched more people or enjoyed more longevity than Social Security. On this edition of our MoneyTalk Moment in Financial History, Nathan takes us through the events that led to the unlikely passing of the Social Security program, and why itâs been so critical to the ongoing welfare of our nation. Host: Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®; Air Date: 6/4/2025; Original Air Date: 8/9/2023. Have a question for the hosts? Visit sowafinancial.com/moneytalk to join the conversation!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this first episode of our Witches, Cunning Folk & Magic theme, I'm talking to Dr Tabitha Stanmore! She's a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Exeter on the Leverhulme-funded Seven County Witch Hunt Project, investigating the people affected by the 1640s witch trials in eastern England. Her doctoral research was funded by the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (part of the AHRC), and published as Love Spells and Lost Treasure: Service magic in England from the later Middle Ages to the early modern era by Cambridge University Press. She has appeared on Radio 3's Free Thinking and BBC Radio London discussing magic in the early modern period, written for The Conversation, and TIME Magazine and BBC History Magazine, among others. Her debut non-fiction book CUNNING FOLK was published by The Bodley Head (UK) and Bloomsbury (US) in 2024, and the paperback came out on 28 May! In this chat, we talk about what cunning folk are and how they differ from witches, how members of different classes approached magic and what they used it for, and why Magic Studies is such a valuable approach to history! Get your copy of Cunning Folk: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/12992/9781529931563 Find Tabitha online: https://www.tabithastanmore.co.uk/ Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Buy Icy a coffee or sign up for bonus episodes at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7 Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social 'Like' Fabulous Folklore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabulousfolklore/

From towering stone walls to secret passages, castles are full of surprises! Find out why people built them, how they defended them, and what life was like inside during the Middle Ages.

The Caller’s Question: Tyler from Santa Barbara phoned into The Patrick Madrid Show with a simple but important question: “Why didn’t Vice President JD Vance kiss Pope Leo’s ring?” Patrick’s Take: Not a Sin, Just a Skip Patrick handled it with his usual blend of insight, clarity, and wisdom. Here’s the gist: There are diplomatic protocols at play when you're dealing with heads of state. JD Vance, while not a head of state himself, is pretty high up there, so formalities might have been planned in advance. Kissing the pope’s ring isn’t required. It’s a beautiful tradition, yes, but not a divine commandment. It came about in the Middle Ages. So, Vance skipping it is not a sin. Not disrespectful. Just… not traditional. Giving Grace Patrick gently reminded us: JD Vance is a new convert to Catholicism. He didn’t grow up in Catholic culture, so ring-kissing might be unfamiliar or even feel a bit odd to him. He’s from a very humble, rural background, and some of his choices may still reflect that down-to-earth, “no-frills” sensibility. The American Factor Patrick also pointed out a larger cultural angle: The U.S. has a strong anti-aristocracy streak, going way back. That “no kings, no crowns” mindset could subtly influence even how Catholic leaders act, especially on the world stage. There's still anti-Catholic sentiment in parts of the U.S., and Vance may have wanted to avoid fueling any fire or being seen as overly deferential to a “foreign prince.”

Baptism, Fullness, and FaithSacraments - Week 3Colossians 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22One of the oldest, most-exclusive groups in existence are the Freemasons. Their fraternity dates back to the Middle Ages and originally included stone cutters. To become a freemason member, there are extensive requirements and rules that must be followed. One such rule is that it is not allowed for current members to discuss any lodge happenings with outsiders. The rites and rituals all take place within the confines of their local lodge, hidden from the public eye.In stark contrast, Christianity is open to all people, and the only requirement to join is a repentant heart that believes in the life-saving work of Jesus. There are two physical symbols of the Christian faith: baptism and the Lord's supper. Neither one is the work that brings about salvation; they are not rituals that are required before being admitted into the “club.” So why do we follow the Lord in believer's baptism? Come tomorrow morning to hear how Scripture explains this beautiful symbol of our Savior.

Feeling overwhelmed by grumbling kids, comparison, or stress in your homeschool? In this episode, we talk about the power of being thankful for what you have—even in hard seasons—and how it can transform your heart, your home, and your family.You'll hear personal stories, powerful Scripture, and practical steps you can take to build a daily gratitude habit. This episode will help you fight overwhelm and experience the joy that comes when you shift from complaining to contentment.✅Learn the science-backed benefits of gratitude✅Hear how Kerry's 10,000 gratitude journal entries shaped her mindset✅Get 3 simple tips for creating a family gratitude habit✅Discover practical ways to help your kids choose gratitude over grumbling✅Be encouraged with real-life stories of thankfulness in hard seasons

Because of the Gnostic and dualistic nature of Pietism, the successful takeover of secularism in Western culture was inevitable.Watch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere

In this final "Middle Ages" episode, we take a closer look at how medieval weapons were made—from the blacksmith's forge to the battlefield. We explore the practical science behind forging and quenching steel, how techniques developed across Europe and Japan, and what this meant for the weapons themselves. We also examine how swordsmanship evolved alongside metallurgy, from early battlefield combat to the structured environments of tournaments. That includes a look at techniques like the Mordhau, and how fighting styles changed as both armour and social attitudes shifted. It's an episode about materials, methods, and the people behind the weapons—not just how they were used, but how they were made to last. Music: HOME - AWAY

This lesson is a prime example of the difficulty with taking the commentary from the rabbis on the Torah as the truth.  In this study the rabbis comment on these verses ... The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. Therefore she said to Abraham, "Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac." The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son. (Gen 21:8-11) The rabbis conclude from these verses that Ishmael, he is now 14 years old, was doing evil to his baby brother.  The rabbis say that Sarah and Abraham saw this and knew that Ishmael had turned into a evil young man.  These conclusions are so far from the historical context and the ancient culture of that time.  It is clear the rabbis, whose commentary we read from the Middle Ages, are making up their own ideas and Christians get the impression they have to be right since it is the rabbis.  WRONG!   We will go back to Abraham's time and we will consider the culture of that day.  We will focus on the laws of those days like the Code of Lipit-Ishtar.  This law code (see the picture below of the code from Wikimedia) was in force in ancient Babylon of the area of the Chaldees.  This is where Abraham came from.  This is the law he is familiar with.  When we study this law and what it says about the first born of a concubine (like Hagar) and the first born of the real wife (Sarah), we see some amazing facts.  The laws of Lipit-Ishtar show that Ishmael, even though he was not the son from Abraham and Sarah, nevertheless was the real first born.  This means that Ishmael was the direct heir of Abraham as per the laws from the Chaldees where Abraham came from.  On top of that the English translation that says Ishmael was "mocking" his baby brother has another alternative meaning.  The Hebrew can also mean to play or have fun with in a good way.  It seems that Ishmael may have been playing nicely with his baby brother, Isaac, and Sarah saw that Ishmael was cementing his place in the family.  She just couldn't have this.  Isaac was her son.  She was the wife and not Hagar, the pagan Egyptian.  Hagar and Ishmael had to go.  Sarah could not have Ishmael be the heir - Isaac was the heir as the Lord promised.  But how?  This is where the laws come in.  John Currid in his Torah commentary "A Study Commentary: Genesis Vol.1" helps us with understanding the law and how it probably was applied to this situation.  See the picture below from his commentary. When one studies this it gives a whole new idea behind these events.  Abraham, the one man chosen by God to be the one whom all nations would be blessed, probably set Hagar and Ishmael free so that Isaac would have the legal right of the first born as per the law so Isaac would be the heir.  This makes so much more sense and provides a more realistic understanding in light of the culture in the 19th and 20th centuries B.C. But there is something else.  For Christians one verse that is probably a favorite verse is ... "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (Joh 3:16) Jesus said this when there was NO New Testament. Jesus was only teaching the Bible, His Bible, the Hebrew Scriptures or what Christians call the Old Testament.  John 3:16 is nothing new, it was not some new teaching but what is in the Hebrew Bible.  Consider some verses. The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. (Psa 146:9) The Hebrew of the highlighted phrase is that יהוה‎ Yahvay (when you see the word LORD all in caps it is translating יהוה‎ Yahvay) the LORD is the SHAMAR of the GOYEEM.  יהוה שׁמר את גרים                   GOYEEM  ET  SHAMAR  YAHVAY This means He is the Keeper of even Gentiles - with no qualifications.  The LORD is the Keeper of all people, the Hebrews and all non-Hebrews, the GOYEEM, the Gentiles, whether pagan or not.  Keeper is the Hebrew word SHAMAR שׁמר which means the LORD acting as a guard, a protector, like a good a father or a good a shepherd.   Then we read these verses ... "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD." (Lev 19:18) "The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God." (Lev 19:34) So we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  And, the next verse we are to love the stranger (Hebrew word is GOYEEM or any Gentile, pagan or not) as ourselves.  But combining the statements this means all non-Hebrews, pagan or not, are our brothers since we are to love the GOYEEM as ourselves; we are love them just as we love our brothers!!  This is John 3:16.  God loves Hagar.  God loved Ishmael.  He was their SHAMAR שׁמר - their keeper, their guard.  On top of that God loved all those HE sent to their death in the Great Flood.  He was not angry with the human race; HE was sad.  You can read it for yourself. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  (Gen 6:5-6) When Jesus taught us John 3:16 HE was only teach Torah!  HE was only telling us from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, what God is really like.   Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  Ferret teaching in an ancient theater in Turkey What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0

Today on the Christian History Almanac, we remember the event in the Middle Ages that changed EVERYTHING. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Preorder Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug: https://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419152-sinner-saint The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley: https://shop.1517.org/products/9781962654708-the-impossible-prize Ditching the Checklist by Mark Mattes: https://shop.1517.org/products/9781962654791-ditching-the-checklist Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1962654753?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_FCNEEK60MVNVPCEGKBD8_5&starsLeft=1  More from the hosts: Dan van Voorhis SHOW TRANSCRIPTS are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (outerrimterritories.com).

The history of the Jewish community in Medieval England is complex and fascinating, but it hasn't received as much attention as it deserves when it comes to our understanding of the Tower of London.  In this bonus episode as part of our mini-series, curator Charles Farris is joined by Dr Rory MacLellan and Professor Miri Rubin to discuss how the Jewish community interacted with the Crown and the Tower of London during the Middle Ages.   This episode is a re-release of the episode on the same topic from 2023, to add context to our reopening of the Medieval Palace.  Read more about the Jewish community and the Tower of London. Jewish Medieval History at the Tower | Tower of London | Historic Royal Palaces  Rory's research can be found on our website. The Jewish History of the Medieval Tower of London | Historic Royal Palaces  Visit the medieval palace. Medieval Palace | Tower of London | Historic Royal Palaces     Content warnings:   This episode discusses prejudice against Jewish people, including:  Blaming Jewish people for the death of Christ   Blood libel  Accusations of greed and financial crimes  Imprisonment   Mob violence   Execution   Forced conversion   Expulsion  

One of the most celebrated moments in childhood is when a person utters their very first words, stepping over a brand new threshold of communication. And from that moment on, all bets are off. This week, Danièle speaks with Julie Singer about what medieval people thought about infancy in general, how literary children could be vehicles for truth and justice, and how even in the Middle Ages kids were known to say the darnedest things.Help support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

Robots, Gene-Wolfe-style, but written by Kazuo Ishiguro.Support the network and gain access to over fifty bonus episodes by becoming a patron on ⁠Patreon⁠.Want more science fiction in your life? Check out ⁠The Gene Wolfe Literary Podcast⁠.Love Neil Gaiman? Join us on ⁠Hanging Out With the Dream King: A Neil Gaiman Podcast⁠.Lovecraft? Poe? Check out ⁠Elder Sign: A Weird Fiction Podcast⁠.Trekker? Join us on ⁠Lower Decks: A Star Trek Podcast⁠.Want to know more about the Middle Ages? Subscribe to ⁠Agnus: The Late Antique, Medieval, and Byzantine Podcast⁠.

Send us a textNow for something completely different from tracing the development of the papacy from bishop of Rome to the papal monarchy--but, don't worry, I will be completing that series soon.  In this episode, I chat with author Garry J. Shaw about his fascinating new book from Yale University Press, Cryptic: From Voynich to the Angel Diaries, the Story of the World's Mysterious Manuscripts. The book tells the stories behind nine puzzling medieval and early Modern European texts. In our interview Garry talks about the three that fall within the chronological confines of the Middle Ages. We begin with the "unknown language" and "unknown script" concocted by the remarkable twelfth-century German abbess, mystic, polymath, and composer of sacred music, Hildegard of Bingen.  We then turn to another strange early fifteenth-century manuscript, the Bellicorum instrumentorum liber, Book of the Instruments of War, by Giovanni Fontana, whom Garry Shaw characterizes as "a true pre-Renaissance man."  Fontana was entranced with the "natural magic of mechanical creations" and the "practical knowledge gained from experiments and observation of nature." But this did nothing to lessen his belief in supernatural forces operating in the world. He was also "a world class prankster" with a fascination for ciphers. All these came together in the Bellicorum instrumentorum liber, an enciphered illustrated catalogue of imagined machines, ranging from rocket-powered chairs and fanciful siege engines to mechanical witches. We conclude with perhaps the most famous of all mysterious manuscripts, the early fifteenth-century Voynich codex, whose content has resisted decipherment by professional code-breakers and cryptographers.  (Spoiler: we won't be able to tell you what the Voynich manuscript actually says, but Dr. Shaw has a good idea what the manuscript is, why it was produced, and why no one has been able to decipher it.  If you disagree with him, just go online to Yale University library's posting of Voynich and have your own go at it!)I hope you will join us.Cryptic: From Voynich to the Angel Diaries, the Story of the World's Mysterious Manuscripts by Garry J. Shaw. Yale University Press, 2025. (https://www.amazon.com/Cryptic-Voynich-Diaries-Mysterious-Manuscripts/dp/0300266510)The manuscripts that we discuss in this episode can be viewed online at:Hildegard of Bingen's Unknown Language: An Edition, Translation and Discussion by Sarah L. Higley (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007): https://epdf.pub/hildegard-of-bingens-unknown-language-an-edition-translation-and-discussion-the-48385c392ef3ce461b6703d8f09d435e57514.htmlVoynich Manuscript. Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library:  https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/2002046Giovanni Fontana, Instrumentorum bellicorum liber. The Munich DigitiZation Center (MDZ) https://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/0001/bsb00013084/images/index.html?fip=193.174.98.30&seite=54&pdfseitex=This episode includes three musical snippets: Hildegard of Bingen's votive antiphon for the dedication of a Church, "O orzchis Ecclesiam" (Ensemble Sequentia, with Barbara Thornton. Deutsche Harmonium Mundi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?)v=AGCAOf9gjBM&t=7s)O orzchis Ecclesia,armis divinis precinctaet iacincto ornata, tu es caldemiastigmatum loifolumet urbs scientiarum.O, o, tu esetiam crizantain alto sono et eschorzta gemma. (Hildegard's 'lingua igListen on Podurama https://podurama.com Intro and exit music are by Alexander NakaradaIf you have questions, feel free to contact me at richard.abels54@gmail.com

Why did getting pillaged by Vikings ultimately help the economies of the Middle Ages? How did a flood of silver from conquered South America end up making Spain poorer? Was Genghis Khan the father of globalisation? And why was it a terrible idea to garland Luftwaffe fighter aces with medals and fame? In an absorbing new book Blood and Treasure: The Economics of Conflict from the Vikings to Ukraine, economist and historian Duncan Weldon explains how war shapes economies and economies shape wars… and why the consequences are usually what nobody expects.  • Pre-order Blood and Treasure through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. • Support us on Patreon for early episodes and more. • We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/bunker to get your £100 sponsored credit.   Written and presented by Group Editor Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Tom Taylor and Dom Delargy. Produced by Liam Tait. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Managing Editor Jacob Jarvis. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production www.podmasters.co.uk [[ LINK https://www.podmasters.co.uk/ ]] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18Forty is celebrating its fifth year LIVE in NYC on June 9. Reserve your seats today!In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, David Bashevkin moderates a dialogue between Aryeh Englander—the ex-Orthodox Jew known as “Philo Judeas,” who is a moderator of the ambitious Frum/OTD Dialogue Facebook group—and Daniel Hagler, a frum surgeon and a moderator of the Facebook group Respectfully Debating Judaism.  Together, we talk about seeking meaning, uncovering religious truths, and making the most of the precious gift we call “life.” In this episode we discuss: How do we know if Judaism is “real” and true? How is a religious commitment like a romantic one? Which is more important: Judaism being true or Judaism being useful?Tune in to hear a conversation about the ways in which we chase truth and determine how we ought to live our lives. Interview begins at 19:29.Follow-up Hagler interview begins at 1:19:04. References:18Forty Podcast: “Philo Judaeus: Is There a Room for Dialogue?”Judaism on Trial: Jewish-Christian Disputations in the Middle Ages by Hyam MaccobyReality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David J. ChalmersTzidkat HaTzadik 4118Forty Podcast: “Rav Moshe Weinberger: Can Mysticism Become a Community?”“Worlds Together” in MishpachaJewish Philosophy as a Guide to Life: Rosenzweig, Buber, Levinas, Wittgenstein by Hilary PutnamNo Country for Old Men (2007)Slate Star CodexEruvin 13bHow Judaism Became a Religion: An Introduction to Modern Jewish Thought by Leora Batnitzky18Forty Podcast: “Malka Simkovich: The Mystery of the Jewish People”A Letter in the Scroll: Understanding Our Jewish Identity and Exploring the Legacy of the World's Oldest Religion by Rabbi Jonathan SacksNotes from Underground by Fyodor DostoevskyKiddushin 30aLeviticus 10:16For more 18Forty:NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/joinCALL: (212) 582-1840EMAIL: info@18forty.orgWEBSITE: 18forty.orgIG: @18fortyX: @18_fortyWhatsApp: join hereBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Welcome back to our Podcast. and in this episode, we are going to explore the mysterious junction between human potential and the human predicament. Today, we're diving into an idea that may sting a little at first, but, if we look closely, it might also open a hidden door to hope. It involves the unfortunate observation that while human technology, what we do, has evolved at an astonishing pace, human consciousness, who we actually are, has lagged significantly behind. Our ability to split atoms, utilize instant global communications, and code digital realities has raced ahead at lightning speed, fueling our Modern Times. But our capacity for empathy, humility, compassion and having the capacity to be able to live a peaceful, and meaningful life looks much more like we're still stuck the Middle Ages. Which brings us to the content of this episode called “Spears and Switchblades: One Stubborn Species.” To help bring the basic idea into focus, we're going to compare two of the most iconic love tragedies ever put on the stage: William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and its mid-20th century musical reincarnation, West Side Story. Though separated by more than 350 years, these two narratives—one set in Renaissance Verona and the other in 1950s New York City—are mirrors reflecting the same fundamental human flaws. Jealousy. Tribalism. Miscommunication , Stubborness and Pride, among many others. All of which are run by an emotional impulsivity that can turn love into war, and beauty into ashes. So, the first question that we want to explore is: have we grown at all in the past 400 years? Or have we simply become more sophisticated in the weaponry that we have developed in order to kill each other more efficiently? Let's start with the core human dynamics that drive both plays, because even though they are separated by centuries, their basic human flaws remain exactly the same. In Romeo and Juliet, two teenagers fall in love across the boundary of a family feud. The Montagues and Capulets have nursed a blood vendetta for so long that no one even remembers how it started. And it doesn't matter anymore. They just plain hate each other. And its consequences are clear: violence in the streets, death, heartbreak, and ultimately, a double suicide. What are the dominant negative human traits here? Hatred passed down like an heirloom Honor culture run amok Impetuous emotion overpowering reason A lack of inner stillness or reflection, overcome by rage Fast forward 400 years to West Side Story, and we meet Tony and Maria, two lovers from opposing street gangs: the Jets, composed mostly of white working-class youths, and the Sharks, made up of Puerto Rican immigrants. Once again, love blossoms in hostile soil, and once again, the terrible price of primal tribal hatred is death. Different clothes, different slang, different soundtrack. Same madness. And this is the bottom line of the issue. Totally different external world, everything has changed, as well it should. After all, four hundred years have gone by and the situation facing the teenagers living in the streets of New York City would be absolutely unimaginable to the kids running around in the late 1500's.  Completely different on the outside – yet the inner madness remains exactly the same. And the ramifications of this imbalance are immense. Let's compare the outer worlds of these two stories: Romeo and Juliet takes place in late 16th-century Verona. It's a world without electricity, medicine as we know it, or organized police. Family ruled everything. Honor was a matter of life and death. Raw emotions emerged dramatically and physically. And the sword was both symbol and solution. West Side Story unfolds in 1950s Manhattan, post-WWII. Televisions had entered the living room. Jet engines had conquered the sky. The UN had been formed, civil rights movements were stirring. Science had given us vaccines, electricity, and refrigeration. And yet... disputes were still settled with violence. In this case, the weapon of choice was the switch blade. Anger and tribal pride still led to bloodshed. And the beauty of love still ended in the tragedy funerals. So, what changed? The world around us got faster, smarter and ever-more connected. But the world inside us? Pretty much the same old garbage pail. And one of the primary central drivers in both stories is basic tribalism—the instinct to form in-groups and out-groups. The name of the game is us-versus-them. In Romeo and Juliet, the tribes are defined by blood. In West Side Story, by race and ethnicity. In both, the borders are irrational and absolute. This human trait is ancient, seemingly almost hardwired into our survival code. We evolved in small tribes where loyalty equaled life, and strangers equaled threat. But now we live in megacities, online echo chambers where we're still addicted to tribalism. We divide ourselves by politics, religion, race, nationality, gender identity, and more—often with a sense of inner hostility that's far more emotional than rational. In both plays, the pride of belonging to an in-crowd becomes a major fuse. Tybalt's stone cold sense of us and them, along with an ego based identification with personal honor won't let him ignore Romeo's presence at the Capulet ball. Four hundred years later, Bernardo's defense-based sense of belonging to the Sharks won't let him see Tony as anything but another American self-entitled Jet. In both cases, primal tribal dignity demands a serious and significant attack against the perceived enemy. So, the basic recipe for tragedy that spans the centuries remains the same: paranoid pride, mixed with anger and fear, driven by impulse and untampered by any wisdom or understanding turns into a violent weapon of darkness and death. In a certain sense, what happened to us over the years isn't evolution at all. It's just plain repetition Unfortunately, of course this didn't end in the late 1950's. Far from it. While we've vastly upgraded our weaponry, we've also developed more subtle, yet powerful ways to threaten and hurt each other, like social media shaming for example,  where it becomes pretty easy to ruin someone's life just by pressing a few buttons. In the time between William Shakespeare and Leonard Bernstein, humans invented calculus, steam engines, telegraphs, airplanes, televisions, and atomic bombs. We mapped the human genome. We put men on the moon. But we still haven't figured out what we're really all about. Oh, we all know how to chase things, but are these things that we've been programmed to chase real, or they just illusions? Maybe we're just addicted to chasing, itself. In that regard, we've all heard about the tendency of dogs to chase cars. But there are two key aspects to that particular pursuit. One – the dog can never really catch the car. It is much too fast for it. And secondly – what happens if the dog actually does catch the car and we all know the answer to that – nothing. The dog can't do anything if and when it catches the car. It's the same way for us. We're just running after things on the outside, oblivious to who we really are and what we are really made of, not to mention what can actually make us truly happy and satisfied. And all of this goes on while we continue to improve our technology by leaps and bounds. Yet, we still don't know how to disagree without resorting to violence. We still haven't universally adopted the idea that every human being, regardless of their identity, has intrinsic value. We still raise children who feel unloved, unheard, or unsafe. We're still driven by fear disguised as pride. We still confuse dominance with dignity. And we still kill the thing we love because we don't know how to hold it. And the bottom line of it all is basically defending the inherent illusion of our ego selves, which is still at the basic foundation of our inner C-Suite. As such, we still confuse noise with strength. And we still take most the good things in our life for granted, which is truly tragic. Like Joni Mitchell sang in a seemingly earlier age, “Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone.” As it all continues to spiral further, in so many ways, the message to us is crystal clear – It's time to wake up and grow up. Romeo and Juliet loved across a line they weren't supposed to cross. Tony and Maria did it too. Their love was a shining light in the midst of all this darkness. Even though everything seemed to be against them, they knew what they had. And we knew it too. And despite what we knew it was that they were facing, we all rooted for them, because something about the higher thing in life, the Better Angels of Our Nature, speaks to the deepest part of our intelligence, both in our hearts and in our minds. We have more tools than ever to connect across cultures, to educate, to innovate, to heal. And yet, we still face the same old demons. But here's the good news: we are capable of change. Unlike the characters in those plays, our story isn't written yet. We are not locked in a script. We can choose awareness. We can choose evolution. The keynote to both of these tragedies is that it is time to individually bring our inner light to our own inner darkness. The Wisdom of the Ages as well as modern brain science tell us that we do have the power to protect this light from the winds of hate, fear and pride, and that we can, and essentially must, cultivate the inner skills of patience, compassion, empathy, and yes - courage. NeuroHarmonics: Inner Technology for a New Humanity That's what the NeuroHarmonic Method is all about: cultivating the inner circuitry to match the brilliance of our outer inventions. It's not just about brainwaves or affirmations or even spirituality. It's about training the nervous system to return to equilibrium, to respond rather than react, to perceive the human being behind the mask, and ultimately to shift from emotional immaturity to presence. From the rage of vengeance to an intuitive sense grace. But this is a path toward real evolution that can only be travelled one person at a time. Because the world won't evolve until we do it individually. Not really. So here we are, somewhere between Shakespeare's Verona and the 21st century, still caught in the drama. But I hate to tell you that the Bard didn't invent this particular tale. The truth is, it stands atop a mountain of ancient stories echoing the same theme—love thwarted by fate, culture, or conflict. And this motif is not unique to the Renaissance or even to Western civilization. The same basic story can be found in the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, Babylon, ancient Egypt, Persia, and India. Indeed, it's one of the most enduring themes in human storytelling. And the deeper you dig, the further back you go, the more you realize: the tragedy of love versus society and the battle of light versus darkness is as old as storytelling itself. But maybe, just maybe, we're ready to write a different ending. One where love doesn't die. One where pride yields to peace. One where technology finally partners with wisdom. Let's imagine a future version of West Side Story, maybe 400 years from now. What would it take for that version not to be a tragedy? Maybe the gangs might still exist, but their interchange would consist of words instead of weapons. Maybe love would not be hidden in the shadows, but declared in daylight. Maybe reconciliation would be taught in schools, right alongside science and math. Maybe forgiveness would be considered a mark of strength, not weakness. Consciousness evolution would be about not just developing new tools, but new tendencies, moving us from: From reaction to reflection From judgment to curiosity From pride to presence From tribalism to universalism It means valuing not just intelligence, but wisdom. This all represents something to look forward to and welcome into our lives in the here and now, as much as we are able. And if we're not able to yet, at least we can make our intentions known to ourselves. Well, this will be the end of this episode. As always, keep your eyes, mind and heart open, and let's get together in the next one.

Send us a textBeyond the Blue and Gray is a sub-series about the unique units of the Civil War. We look at their uniforms, traditions, cultures, and war record. Today we sit with Thomas B. Mack to discuss 45th Illinois Volunteer Infantry-The Lead Mine Men!Purchase book here: https://www.siupress.com/9780809339143/the-lead-mine-men/Music is graciously provided by Craig Duncan.Our website: https://www.untoldcivilwar.com/Our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMMWxSupport the show:One time donation of any amount here: https://www.paypal.me/supportuntoldCWMonthly payment through Patreon and unlock unique perks!https://www.patreon.com/user?u=51151470&fan_landing=truThis show is made possible by the support of our sponsors:The Badge MakerProudly carrying affordable, USA made products for reenactors, living history interpreters, and lovers of history.Civil War TrailsThe world's largest 'Open Air Museum' offering over 1,350 sites across six states. Paddle to Frederick Douglass's birthplace, follow the Gettysburg Campaign turn-by-turn in your car, or hike to mountain tops where long forgotten earthworks and artillery positions await you.Military Images MagazineAmerica's only magazine dedicated solely to the study of portrait photographs of Civil War soldiers.The Excelsior BrigadeDealers in FINE CIVIL WAR MEMORABILIA.The goal of the "Brigade" is to offer high quality, original items while ensuring the best in service and customer satisfaction.HistoryFixCome enjoy history! Explore stories from the Middle Ages to the early 21st century. Enjoy historical video content always ad free and get a 7-day free trial as you explore our site.1863 DesignsAre you looking for Civil War themed graphic design, logo design, historical art and or hand drawn art? Look no further than 1863 Designs. Use the code, “UNTOLD” for 15% off your purchase!History by mailUse the discount UNTOLDCIVILWAR10, and get access to History by Mail! This is a subscription service that will give you a unique hands on experience with explosive moments of the past by sending you replica documents right to you doorstep!  Support the show

Embark on a revelatory journey through medieval Europe in this episode of History Rage, where host Paul Bavill is joined by historian, YouTuber, and author Luke Daly. Together, they dismantle the myth of unwavering religious devotion in the Middle Ages, revealing a complex tapestry of belief and scepticism.Challenging Blind Faith:- Luke Daly passionately debunks the notion that medieval Europeans were blindly devoted to God, exposing the nuanced relationship between the populace and the Church.- Discover how lords, knights, and even churchmen themselves often critiqued and deviated from the Church's teachings, challenging the simplistic narrative of universal piety.Relics, Miracles, and Saints:- Explore the contentious world of relics and saints, where faith, folklore, and financial motivations intertwined, leading to both genuine veneration and sceptical criticism.- Uncover the Church's struggles to control and capitalise on popular worship practices, often clashing with theological doctrines.The Church's Power and Influence:- Delve into the real influence of the medieval Church, questioning its perceived omnipotence and exploring its interactions with other religions.- Understand the Church's responses to internal and external threats, from usurious loans to the Crusades, and how it navigated the complex socio-religious landscape of the time.Join Luke Daly as he brings Old Testament fury to Rage Towers, challenging long-held misconceptions and illuminating the intricate realities of medieval faith. To dive deeper, grab a copy of Luke's book, Mediaeval Saints and Their Sins, and tune into the Daly Medieval Podcast on YouTube.Buy the Book: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781399050623Follow Luke on Twitter LukeDaly99 and on Instagram @TheDalyMedievalPodcast.Support History Rage on Patreon at patreon.com/historyrage for exclusive content and the iconic History Rage mug.Follow History Rage on Social Media:Twitter: @historyrageFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoryRageInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/historyrage.bsky.socialStay informed, stay passionate, and let the rage for historical truth burn on! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 24, 2025 is: limn • LIM • verb Limn is a formal verb most often used especially in literary contexts to mean "to describe or portray," as in "a novel that limns the life of 1930s coastal Louisiana." It can also mean "to outline in clear sharp detail," as in "a tree limned by moonlight," and "to draw or paint on a surface," as in "limning a portrait." // The documentary limns the community's decades-long transformation. // We admired every detail of the portrait, gracefully limned by the artist's brush. See the entry > Examples: "... the story of Ronald Reagan's jelly beans is not simply about his love of a cute candy. It speaks to how he weaned himself from tobacco, judged people's character, and deflected scrutiny. It limns the role of the sugar industry and food marketing. And it demonstrates how food can be a powerful communications tool. Reagan's jelly beans sent a message to voters: 'I like the same food you do, so vote for me.'" — Alex Prud'homme, Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House, 2023 Did you know? Limn is a word with lustrous origins, tracing ultimately to the Latin verb illuminare, meaning "to illuminate." Its use in English dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was used for the action of illuminating (that is, decorating) medieval manuscripts with gold, silver, or brilliant colors. William Shakespeare extended the term to painting in his poem "Venus and Adonis": "Look when a painter would surpass the life / In limning out a well-proportioned steed …" Over time, limn gained a sense synonymous with delineate meaning "to outline in clear sharp detail" before broadening further to mean "to describe or portray." Such limning is often accomplished by words, but not always: actors are often said to limn their characters through their portrayals, while musicians (or their instruments) may limn emotions with the sounds they make.

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast. This week, we are following the evolutionary arms race between medieval units. The infantry, the missile troops, and the cavalry. A delicate balance of strengths and weaknesses on the battlefield, but how and why did these roles evolve over time and what were the driving forces behind that change? As the art of the sword became more refined and “gentlemanly”, we look at the codex Wallerstein to see how it became the guidebook on swordplay and took influence from martial arts. Music: HOME – AWAY

Hey did you know I have exclusive Podcast Episodes on Patreon? Click here to check out episodes such as "What if Japan invaded the USSR during WW2?: https://www.patreon.com/pacificwarchannel Join us in this thrilling episode of Echoes of War as Craig from the Pacific War Channel, along with co-host Gaurav and guest Simon, dive deep into the significant Middle Ages clash at the Battle of Grunwald. Discover the intricacies of the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic Wars and how this battle marked a turning point in the conflict. Our experts unravel the details of the battle strategies, the historical build-up, and the aftermath that reshaped Eastern European history. With maps and rich descriptions, you'll gain insight into the cultural and political dynamics of the time. Whether you're familiar with medieval history or new to the subject, this episode offers a comprehensive overview of one of the largest battles of its age. Consider joining our YouTube channel for visual supplements and further engagement.   Don't forget I have a Youtube Membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbp8JMZizR4zak9wpM3Fvrw/join or my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pacificwarchannel where you can get exclusive content like "What if Japan invaded the USSR during WW2?" Don't forget to check out Private Internet Access using my link to receive 83% off, 4 months free with a 30 day money back guarantee: https://www.piavpn.com/PacificWarChannel

A special episode to celebrate our 150th Chapter, with a look at the rather seedy side of London in the 15th century- its sex life. This is a city where the sheer bewildering variety of events in this field leave us wondering what to focus upon. Threesomes with Franciscan monks; respectable political figures profiting from the sex trade; women pimping out their daughters; and what appears to be the first recorded case of a transwoman sex worker; all come along in a remarkably fluid era where many of the ideas of how we imagined sexuality in the Middle Ages was conceptualised seem to run into a city whose intent was to break as many rules as possible. Obviously, this episode contains adult content.

Resources mentioned in this episode:Pocket History of The Church by D. Jeffrey BinghamThe Reformation as Renewal by Matthew Barrett

Caoimhe Ní Ghormáin, Manuscripts Curator at the Library of Trinity College Dublin, discusses the conservation of the medieval manuscript, The Book of Leinster.

Find me and my music here:https://linktr.ee/filipholmSupport Let's Talk Religion on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/letstalkreligion Or through a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/talkreligiondonateSources/Recomended Reading:Gutierrez, David (1984). "The Augustinians in The Middle Ages 1256-1356". In "History of The Order of Saint Augustine. Volume 1 - Part 1.". Augustinian Historical Institute. Villanova University.McGinn, Bernard. "The Presence of God" Series, in several volumes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sinai Covenant has been a focal point in Christian theology since the medieval period, Protestant and Roman Catholic alike. This is because matters of "law" were central in the theological and soteriological formulations that developed through the Middle Ages and were formalized during the Reformation period. This focus on the role of "law" in salvation and sanctification continues to this day, and not surprisingly the "Law of Moses" is a key aspect of it. But far too often the Law of Moses (the Sinai Covenant) isn't treated in its historical, Israelite and covenantal contexts, which is the goal of this consideration.

Welcome back to the Information Entropy Podcast. This week, we're storming the gates—literally. From scaling walls and battering gates to digging tunnels under your enemies and flinging plague-ridden cows into castles, we dive into the gritty science and strategy behind medieval siege warfare. Learn how castles were taken (or not), how defenders fought back, and why flinging a bucket of piss wasn't just personal—it was tactical. Trebuchets, moats, murder holes, tunnelling, and a whole lot of rocks—because sometimes brute force really was the plan. Music: HOME – AWAY

Ever wondered why medieval women were out there plucking their hairlines like their lives depended on it? Join me as we dig into the bizarre beauty trend that left brows bald and foreheads freakishly high. Turns out, looking like a pious, pale ghost was peak hotness in the Middle Ages. We're talking virtue, control, and erasing yourself to fit an impossible ideal. Strap in—it's about to get weird.Are. You. Ready?***************Sources & References:The Trotula: A Medieval Compendium of Women's Medicine, ed. and trans. Monica H. Green (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001).Karras, Ruth Mazo. Unmarriages: Women, Men, and Sexual Unions in the Middle Ages. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012.Heller, Sarah-Grace. Fashion in Medieval France. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.Phillips, Kim M. Medieval Maidens: Young Women and Gender in England, 1270–1540. Manchester University Press, 2003.Classen, Albrecht. “Beauty and Cosmetics in the Middle Ages.” In Handbook of Medieval Culture, 2015.Green, Monica H. “Women's Medical Practice and Health Care in Medieval Europe.” Signs, Vol. 14, No. 2 (1989).The Metropolitan Museum of Art – Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: “Fashion in Fifteenth-Century Europe.”Images referenced: Rogier van der Weyden, Portrait of a Lady (c. 1460).Quotes from Dr. Eleanor Janega in this episode are paraphrased based on ideas discussed in her book The Once and Future Sex, her blog Going Medieval, and various interviews and media appearances.***************Leave Us a 5* Rating, it helps the show!Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-unlocked-the-podcast/id1522636282Spotify Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA****************Follow Us on Social Media & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!TikTok:tiktok.com/@beautyunlockedthepodYouTube:@beautyunlockedspodcasthour****************Intro/Outro Music:Music by Savvier from Fugue FAME INC

This week Dr. Amy S. Kaufman drops in to talk about our favorite representations of Robin Hood, how he has changed through history, and her new novel, The Traitor of Sherwood Forest.About our guest:Amy S. Kaufman is the author of The Traitor of Sherwood Forest, a Robin Hood retelling based on the medieval ballads (Penguin Books, 2025). Amy holds a PhD in medieval literature and has written about the Middle Ages for both academic journals and popular websites, including The Washington Post. She is co-author of The Devil's Historians: How Modern Extremists Abuse the Medieval Past (University of Toronto Press, 2020).A former English professor, Amy now writes full time from Vancouver, where she can't stop taking pictures of the mountains. The Traitor of Sherwood Forest is her debut novel.

Today, we delve into how Medieval Christians depicted ants and their predator, the sometimes legendary antlion, in Medieval bestiaries. Subscribe to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@imightbelieveinfaeries7563I Might Believe in Faeries is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Resources: “The Aberdeen Bestiary | the University of Aberdeen.” Abdn.ac.uk, 2019, www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/. Aesop. “Library of Congress Aesop Fables.” Read.gov, read.gov/aesop/052.html. Badke, David. “Medieval Bestiary : Animals in the Middle Ages.” Bestiary.ca, 1 Oct. 2024, bestiary.ca/index.html. Accessed 10 May 2025. Druce, George C. “An Account of the Mυρμηκολέων or Ant-Lion.” The Antiquaries Journal, vol. 3, no. 4, Oct. 1923, pp. 347–364, bestiary.ca/etexts/druce-account-of-the-ant-lion.pdf, https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003581500015031. Accessed 9 May 2025. The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville. Cambridge University Press, 8 June 2006. “Gregory the Great - Moralia in Job (Morals on the Book of Job) - Book v (Book 5) - Online.” Lectionarycentral.com, 2025, www.lectionarycentral.com/GregoryMoralia/Book05.html. Accessed 9 May 2025. Heck, Christian, and Rémy Cordonnier. The Grand Medieval Bestiary : Animals in Illuminated Manuscripts. New York, Ny, Abbeville Press, 2018. von Bingen, Hildegard, and Priscilla Throop. Hildegard von Bingen's Physica : The Complete Translation of Her Classic Work on Health and Healing. Rochester, Vt., Healing Arts Press, C, 1998. Hope, Louise, and Steve Schulze. “The Project Gutenberg EBook of Metamorphoses, by Ovid.” Gutenberg.org, 2021, www.gutenberg.org/files/21765/21765-h/21765-h.htm#bookVII_fableVI. Accessed 9 May 2025. Get full access to I Might Believe in Faeries at aaronirber.substack.com/subscribe

In this deliciously cheesy episode, we shine a spotlight on Cabécou — a small but mighty goat cheese that's full of character and deeply rooted in French culinary history. Often no bigger than the palm of your hand, Cabécou hails from the picturesque regions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and the Massif Central. But don't let its size fool you: this creamy gem has a rich past, a distinctive flavor, and a name steeped in the lyrical tones of the Occitan language. We'll explore Cabécou's fascinating origin story, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages and the arrival of goats during the Arab invasion of southern France. You'll learn how its name — derived from “cabe” (goat) and “cou” (little) — offers a charming linguistic window into the local culture. Plus, we take a deep dive into the regions that nurture this cheese to perfection, from the wild, rugged landscapes of the Massif Central to the lush, goat-dotted pastures of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Of course, no episode of Fabulously Delicious would be complete without a sensory journey. Andrew describes the texture, taste, and ideal season for enjoying Cabécou at its finest — think creamy, nutty, and tangy notes that intensify with age. Whether you're grilling it for a gooey treat, pairing it with walnuts and honey, or adding it to a simple cheese board, you'll be inspired to savor this French treasure in your own kitchen. So grab your baguette, pour a glass of wine, and join us on this mouthwatering journey through the hills and markets of southwest France. Whether you're a seasoned cheese lover or just beginning your French fromage adventure, this episode will leave you dreaming of your next bite of Cabécou. Looking to deepen your culinary journey beyond the podcast? Andrew's latest book, Paris: A Fabulous Food Guide to the World's Most Delicious City, is your passport to gastronomic delights in the City of Lights. Packed with recommendations for boulangeries, patisseries, wine bars, and more, this guide ensures you savor the best of Parisian cuisine. Find Andrew's book Paris: A Fabulous Food Guide to the World's Most Delicious City and explore more at ⁠⁠⁠www.andrewpriorfabulously.com⁠⁠⁠. For a signed and gift-packaged copy of the book, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.andrewpriorfabulously.com/product-page/paris-a-fabulous-food-guide-to-theworld-s-most-delicious-city⁠⁠ Also available on Amazon and Kindle. For those craving an immersive French food experience, join Andrew in Montmorillon for a hands-on cooking adventure. Stay in his charming townhouse and partake in culinary delights straight from the heart of France. Experience French culinary delights firsthand with Andrew's Vienne residencies. Visit ⁠⁠https://www.andrewpriorfabulously.com/vienne-residencies⁠⁠ for more information. Have your own recipes or stories to share? Connect with Andrew on Instagram @andrewpriorfabulously or via email ⁠⁠⁠contact@andrewpriorfabulously.com⁠⁠⁠ for a chance to be featured on the podcast or his blog. Tune in to Fabulously Delicious on the Evergreen Podcast Network for more tantalizing tales of French gastronomy. Remember, whatever you do, do it Fabulously! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hayley covers a woman who purportedly reigned as popess for two years during the Middle Ages. Then Kat covers a limnic eruption at Lake Nyos in Cameroon that killed 1,746 people in 1986. Still got a thirst for knowledge and parasaocial camaraderie? You're in luck! Listen to our bonus shows on our Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/nightclassy Night Classy | Linktree Produced by Parasaur Studios © 2025

This episode continues our series on the Cinque Ports, an ancient confederation of maritime towns in southeast England that from the early Middle Ages provided ships and men to the crown in return for special powers and privileges. They have since become rightly dubbed as the cradle of the Royal Navy. Our first episode explored the Cinque Ports' rich history and now we're on the road, visiting these magnificent sites of maritime history to bring you their individual stories. It's a world of castles, churches, creeks, cobbled lanes, docks and harbours.This episode takes us to Faversham, nestled up the swale estuary in east Kent. Faversham was associated with the Cinque Ports from that group's earliest days – we know that the town's Barons were granted all the liberties of the ports as early as 1302. Today it is a fabulous place to enjoy maritime heritage: you can see the preservation of maritime skills and trades in creek-side sites and celebrate the restoration of historic ships & boats. All around are constant reminders that Faversham was a proud independent town and yet intimately linked with the Crown. To find out more Dr Sam Willis met up with past mayor, Trevor Martin, and Councillor Josh Rowlands, both brimming with stories of their town. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catholic history includes dark moments—how do we honestly and faithfully explain them? We tackle common challenges like the Middle Ages, Old Testament violence, the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, and how Catholics approach people influenced by LGBT ideology. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Questions Covered:  10:41 – How do I explain the atrocities in the Middle Ages to my protestant friend?  19:19 – Can we ask Pope Francis to pray for us even though he hasn’t been canonized?  28:58 – How do we rectify the pro-life position with the Old Testament passages where God called his people to kill babies?  41:35 – How do we respond to certain accusations of the reformation like the St. Bartholomew massacre?  47:00 – Where were the souls before paradise?  50:44 – How should we approach people who fall under LGBT ideology? 

In the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church mandated that Christians to confess their sins to a priest. But since Jesus is our great high priest, Christians actually have the freedom and responsibility to "Confess your sins to one another" (James 5:16). What if we actually did that? In this sermon, we explore how the grace of Jesus empowers us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another.

UPDATED:Now... 'all shall be well' sounds great, but it is sometimes truly hard to believe! In this series, we're looking at some anxiety-producing topics through Julian of Norwich's lens of faith, hope, and love.Today, Julia interviews Ron Schmidt, whose passion for creation care (especially about achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions) is filled with conviction, curiosity, and hope. Listen in as one of our sages talks about his passion for the earth, his concern about climate change, and why he believes that working towards an impossible and an important goal is both life-giving and the best use of who God made him to be.Ron grew up in a working-class family in Milwaukee and graduated with his MBA and BBA with an accounting major from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. While beginning his career in public accounting, during which time he obtained his CPA, Ron eventually moved into banking. In 1983, Ron relocated to Columbus to join Bank One, which, ultimately, became JPMorgan Chase. After retirement in 2009, Ron joined Vineyard Columbus, graduating from Vineyard Institute in 2014. Only recently (2024) did he become actively involved in creation care. Ron is married and has four adult children and four grandchildren. You can contact Ron at: ron.creationcare@gmail.com.Julian of Norwich lived in the Middle Ages through the Black Plague and is one of the church's most recognized mystics.  She wrote the earliest surviving book in the English language written by a woman, Revelations of Divine Love, in which we find her well known reflection: Here I was taught by the grace of God that I should steadfastly hold me in the Faith ... and that ... I should take my stand on and earnestly believe in ... that ‘all manner of thing shall be well'. Interested in getting involved in Creation Care at Vineyard Columbus?Contact: jenney.rice@vineyardcoluumbus.orgPraxis / Redemptive Quest: https://journal.praxis.co/redemptive-quests-652259149ed8Following Jesus in a Warming World: https://bookstore.vineyardcolumbus.org/reads/p/following-jesus-in-a-warming-world-a-christian-call-to-climate-action?rq=following%20jesus%20in%20a%20warming%20world

https://www.patreon.com/AdeptusRidiculoushttps://www.adeptusridiculous.com/https://twitter.com/AdRidiculoushttps://shop.orchideight.com/collections/adeptus-ridiculousNurgle is the Chaos God of despair, decay, and disease. He was the third to awake of the four Gods of Chaos, fully coming into existence during Terra's Middle Ages, with plagues sweeping across continents in the wake of his birth. His titles include the Plague Father, Fly Lord, Great Corruptor, Plague Lord, Master of Pestilence, Lord of Decay (the Dark Tongue translation of his name is, Nurgh-leth). The desperate, ostracized and dying come to Nurgle to find alleviation from their pain. To these potential devotees, Nurgle provides not redemption from their ailments, but rather comfort within their suffering. Those blessed by Nurgle are granted relief from physical pain as well as a bizarre satisfaction in their depressive state. It is a twisting of a being's perceived reality, turning delusion and denial into truth and acceptance, just as self-respect and vanity turn into monstrous self-satisfaction.Nurgle and his daemons, in contrast to their putrid appearance, are jovial and friendly in demeanor. His daemon servants and mortal followers usually demonstrate a disturbing joviality and joy at the pestilence that he inflicts, seeing the plagues as gifts and the cries of their victims as gratitude rather than agony. This is demonstrated on the Daemon World of Bubonicus, where an endless chain of crazed revelers circles the planet's equator in a never-ending dance.Support the show

In this engaging conversation, Tom Sarrouf sits down with Rachel Fulton Brown, professor of Medieval History at the University of Chicago, to explore the rich intellectual world of the Middle Ages and the medieval mind. They dive into how medieval thinkers understood faith, reason, and the cosmos, shedding light on the cultural and spiritual foundations that shaped the medieval world. Dr. Fulton Brown also shares insights from her work on The Dragon Common Room, a project dedicated to bringing medieval scholarship to a wider audience. This conversation offers a fascinating look at how the medieval mindset still resonates in today's world.

What were the strange, hair-covered "whistlers" encountered by ancient Chinese woodsmen? What about the eerie, chest-beating "monsters" described in the legends of Indigenous Americans? And what can be made of strange tales of "wild men" encountered in various parts of the world throughout the Middle Ages? Could these early accounts actually represent records of historical hominoids that have been recorded throughout time?  If Sasquatch exists in the modern world, then these enigmatic relict hominoids must have also existed alongside humankind since the dawn of modern homo sapiens. If so, where are the historical accounts that describe such creatures? A sticking point for many skeptics, the presumed absence of humanlike creatures in the historic record has become a point often used in arguments to demonstrate that no such creatures exist.  In this episode of Sasquatch Tracks, the team takes a deep dive into observations of "historical hominoids" with a look at ancient accounts of what may be relict hominoids from around the world. From early times to the present, the team offers a fascinating exploration of the history behind this enduring mystery.  Follow Sasquatch Tracks on Twitter. Got a news tip or story to share? Send us an Email. Have you seen an animal you can't identify? Submit a report here.

For much of Christian history, the Church had little involvement in marriage, which was primarily a contract between families. It wasn’t until the fourth century that church weddings emerged, and even then, they were mostly reserved for the elite. Fast forward to the High Middle Ages, and marriage became a sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church. Since then, the church has been seen as inseparable with matrimony. What changed over the centuries? To explore this dynamic is today’s guest, historian Diarmaid MacCulloch, author of “Lower Than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity.” We explore how Christianity’s views on sex, marriage, and gender evolved over time; that early Christian marriage was not a universal sacrament but a social institution governed by authority figures. He highlights how for much of history, the Church was more concerned with celibacy than marital sexuality. The Reformation reshaped these ideas, introducing new roles for women in religious life, from pastor’s wives to Quaker preachers. We uncover how Christianity’s past can inform its present and future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medieval art memes! Human-faced animals! Drunk monks! And a preponderance of snails. Middle Ages manuscript expert, art history communicator, and Medieval Codicologist Evan Pridmore covers: what those golden illuminated Middle Ages manuscripts were made of, who drew them, why were people sometimes naked in them, what art trends came and went – and what does it say about our history and future, immigration politics, antisemitism, what exactly is a Salisbury steak, and so much more. Also: the perfect tree for your home orchard. Follow Evan on Instagram, TikTok, and BlueskyDonations went to the World Central Kitchen and the American Civil Liberties UnionMore episode sources and linksSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesOther episodes you may enjoy: Anthropodermic Biocodicology (HUMAN LEATHER BOOKS), Malacology (SNAILS & SLUGS), Classical Archeology (ANCIENT ROME), Metropolitan Tombology (PARIS CATACOMBS), Museology (MUSEUMS) Encore in Memory of Ronnie Cline, Modern Toichographology (MURALS & STREET ART), Proptology (THEATER & FILM PROPS), Pectinidology (SCALLOPS), Anagnosology (READING), FIELD TRIP: I Go France and Learn Weird France StuffSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn