Thomas Cahill

The premise of The Gifts of the Jews is simple but bold: to show how the religious, moral, philosophical, and political systems developed by the Jews -- descendants and followers of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Saul, and David -- profoundly shaped the world we know today. Concepts as basic as personal freedom and charity derive from their adaptations to and interpretations of their experiences. To anyone with even a basic knowledge of Western history it...

Presents an accessible and revealing portrait of medieval times. As Europe reaches intellectual stagnation and decline, Ireland bursts forth as a vigourous haven of scholarship.

These days, most people don't worship golden idols, but it's amazing how many of the Bible rules about graven images still sound relevant. In this episode, we plunge back into a world of otherworldly gods, who had to be fed, clothed and coddled.

The use and abuse of alcoholic beverages goes back to deepest antiquity, and so it comes as no surprise the Bible has a lot to say on the subject. Yet wine and spirits played a very different role in the ancient world than they do today.

In this episode, we explore the ways ancient people attempted to control the dark forces in their lives. The Bible rules warn people about cursing their parents, consulting wizards, breaking their promises or even wearing blended fabrics. In this episode, we explore the ways ancient people attempted to control the dark forces in their lives. The Bible rules warn people about cursing their parents, consulting wizards, breaking their promises or even...