As the oldest manuscript of the Bible in existence, the Aleppo Codex is a sacred text for a number of key reasons. The Codex was written in the year 930 CE and it made its way through a number of places in the Near East before arriving in Israel in 1958. In the past few years, the Ben-Zvi Institute (working with funds provided by George S. Blumenthal) has digitized this remarkable document. On the...

The American Colony in Jerusalem was founded in 1881 by two Midwesterners, Anna and Horatio Spafford, with the intent of beginning a Christian utopian society. Over the group's 60-year history, they were able to engage in a variety of philanthropic outreach efforts (such as running soup kitchens, hospitals, and orphanages) without proselytizing. Drawing on a number of pieces of historical ephemera...

For those who might be unfamiliar with the religious tradition of Gnosticism, it is generally a historical term used to refer to a number of mystical sects or groups that were primarily active around the Mediterranean in the first few centuries of the Common Era. This site serves as one of the better online repositories of information related to this religious tradition, both in terms of its...

Collections of ancient Christian manuscripts and texts have always been the province of bibliophiles, scholars, and erudite members of the clergy. One particular person who was quite interested in such manuscripts was the late Edgar J. Goodspeed. Born in tiny Quincy, Ill., Goodspeed went to study at the University of Chicago, and after completing his studies he spent a significant amount of time...

Despite the fact that he did not write a systematic theology, Tertullian remains one of the most studied early Christian theologians, and some have even called him the first Protestant. After converting to Christianity in the year 197, he became a formidable defender of the faith, and later became known for his many writings, most notably Apologeticus and Ad Nationes. This particular site is...

The idea for establishing an institute for the advanced study of religion at the University of Chicago originated in the early 1970s, and it seemed to be a natural fit for the school. After all, the oldest part of the University was the Divinity School. Just such an institute was established in 1979, and in 1998, it was renamed after Professor Martin Marty, who had served as a professor in the...

In the late 1930s, Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers began creating an inventory of church archives throughout South Carolina. Along the way, they collected information on the architecture of each church, the church history, and listings of any known church records. These original inventory sheets are held in the Manuscripts Division of the South Carolina Library and other institutions,...

Visiting the Vatican and its splendid museums can be hard. Navigating through the throngs of camera-ready tourists and other such features of the place can try the patience of even the most seasoned traveler. For edification and leisure, the Vatican Museums Online’s website is a good surrogate, especially if one is unable to make the journey in person. The site affords visitors access to the...