Show Notes
Why have humans spent so much of history arguing about God?
For centuries, people fought wars, burned books and persecuted their neighbours over what they believed. Yet doubt is almost as old as belief itself. Ancient Greek philosophers questioned the gods, medieval monks debated imaginary atheists, and religious communities began experimenting with an idea that once seemed impossible: perhaps society didn't need everyone to believe the same thing. In this episode of A Short History of Saving the World, Angus Hervey and historian Ada Palmer explore the complicated history of religion, atheism and tolerance. From Epicurus and the Inquisition to the Wars of Religion, the Enlightenment and Darwin, they challenge the idea that human progress is simply a story of religion giving way to reason. Along the way, they arrive at a bigger question: are we really outgrowing religion, or is the freedom to believe - or not believe - the real achievement?
In this conversation: Are we becoming less religious, or simply less interested in organised religion? Why have religious institutions been so important to the way societies function? Did medieval monks actually encourage doubt and scepticism? Can running around without pants get you accused of atheism? Why did people kill each other over seemingly tiny religious differences? How did religious tolerance emerge from centuries of conflict? And is the rise of atheism really evidence of progress or of something much more important? Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:21 Bringing Religion Back To the Dinner Table 02:57 Does Secular Mean Less Belief or Less Church? 05:01 Religion as a Load-Bearing Social Structure 08:05 Can a Civilisation Run on Doubt? 10:44 Did Medieval Monks Lay the Foundations for Atheism? 14:52 How Far Back Does Atheism Go? 18:09 Were the Epicureans Atheists? 19:59 How Did Societies Keep People Believing? 21:33 What Do an Illiterate Fisherman and a Man Without Pants Have to Do with Atheism? 25:37 Why Have There Been So Many Wars in the Name of Religion? 30:43 The Rise of Religious Tolerance 36:35 Is the History of Progress Linked to Secularism? 43:00 Why Religion Cuts Both Ways 46:26 Was Leonardo da Vinci a Secret Atheist? 50:34 What If Tolerance Is the Real Progress?
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Production credits: Hosted by Angus Hervey and Ada Palmer Produced by Amy Davoren-Rose, Fix The News Audio production: Anthony Badolato, Hear That!
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Every generation thinks it’s living through unprecedented change. A Short History of Saving the World is a new history podcast with Angus Hervey and historian Ada Palmer that explores the turning points, crises, and ideas that shaped world history - and the hidden patterns that connect them. From ancient civilisations to modern global events, this series zooms out to ask a bigger question: what actually happens when the world feels like it’s falling apart?