Historical Thoughts and Interpretations

Holy War: Memory of the Great Patriotic War in the Russian Orthodox Church

Because the Russian Orthodox Church is such a vital part of Russian culture, its views can be an important influence upon the society in which it operates.  During the Great Patriotic War (1941-5) against Nazi Germany, the Church encouraged Christians to resist the enemy and pray for victory.  The Church's memory of the conflict fits with the modern Russian government's remembrance, which upholds the war's Soviet fighters as moral role models.  This dynamic also creates a somewhat ironic memory of the Soviet Union itself, especially considering the Communist government’s persecution of religious believers.  Through the religious historical documents, modern statements, and media productions studied in this podcast, the non-religious Soviet Union is somewhat turned into a "basically Christian" nation that fought the evils of fascism.
Photo by Christian Basar.  Taken in Volgograd, showing a small church and the statue known as "The Motherland Calls."

Rewriting the Scriptures: Religious Justification for Nazi Anti-Semitism within Radical German Protestant Christianity

During their rule in Germany, the Nazis tried to provide religious justification for their anti-Semitic ideology. A large Christian population and tenets such as neighbourly love presented the Nazis with a potentially large hurdle. But due to the defeat in World War I and fears of social "corruption," Nazism had some Christian support. Some scholars even modified Scriptures to suit Adolf Hitler's agenda, creating a new "Nazi Christianity."
Episode thumbnail courtesy of Das Bundesarchiv via Wikipedia, showing "Deutsche Christen" celebrating Luther Day in 1933.

"Grammar School Strategy:" An Appraisal of the Japanese Invasion of the Aleutian Islands

During World War II, the Empire of Japan captured some islands in the Aleutian chain off the Alaskan coast.  In theory, it might have looked like the Japanese had dealt a true blow against their American enemy.  But not all ideas that appear good on paper work well in reality.  The Japanese hoped to bolster their defenses with the capture of these islands, but this plan was ultimately fruitless due to mistaken ideas, impracticalities, and the disaster at the Battle of Midway.
Episode thumbnail courtesy of Australian War Memorial website via Wikipedia.

"Sighs too Deep for Words" - Internal Prayer in Orthodox Christianity

In the Orthodox Christian school of hesychasm, the Holy Spirit’s energies, or actions, can act within and sanctify a Christian’s life and heart.  Internal, constant prayer is an important practice for allowing this to happen, and it involves the body as well as the soul.  In this summary of the subject, I will look at internal prayer’s theological background as well as its spiritual effects, as described in such works as The Way of a Pilgrim.
Episode thumbnail courtesy of Nioras.com.

Corrupt and Obsolete: An Analysis of the Fall of Mamluk Egypt

In the 13th century, the Mamluks established a dynasty in Egypt. Warriors of renown, they defeated Mongols and Crusaders. They also amassed great wealth through the collection of taxes. Yet the mighty Mamluks could not survive a war with the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. They had grown accustomed to their wealth, and they lost their initial warrior spirit. They also did not change their combat techniques, making them obsolete by the time of the Ottoman war.
Episode thumbnail courtesy of Unknown artist, but uploaded to Wikipedia by Davids Samling.

Why Ideas are Powerful

In Episode #2, I talked about how ideas are powerful. In this episode, I will give a short answer as to why ideas have power.
Episode thumbnail courtesy of Freepik.com

The Power of Ideas

In this episode I introduce the power which ideas can have, specifically using Patriarch Nikon's reforms of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century as an example.

Connections between Regions and the Construction of Historical Narratives

Here I talk about how understanding interactions between regions can lead to a more complete "world history." I also discuss changes to the "History Vice Video Blog," which this blog was originally called.
Episode thumbnail from Janet L. Abu-Lughod, "Before European Hegemony," page 34.