released 11/17/2023
In his 2016 book The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise, Darío Fernández-Morera re-examines the conventional belief that medieval Islamic Spain was peaceful and culturally thriving. While the widespread account of Islamic Spain claims that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam lived harmoniously under the rule of educated and cultured Muslims, Fernández-Morera identifies this narrative as a myth that likely emerged during the eighteenth century as an argument against what was seen as a repressive Catholic regime. Today’s Feature presents an interview about the book from Volume 133.
27 minutes
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Related reading and listening
- Islam vs. modern political categories — Historian Bernard Lewis on the blind spots of Western liberals
- Islamic identity vs. nationalism — Bernard Lewis on how the anti-Western sentiment in the Middle East is only intelligible in theological terms
- Islam and modern anti-Semitism — Bernard Lewis on the humiliating effect of the birth of modern Israel
- The crisis of Islam and the West — In a 2002 interview, Middle East historian Bernard Lewis discusses his book What Went Wrong? Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response. (51 minutes)
- Mars Hill Audio Journal, Volume 133 — FEATURED GUESTS:
Darío Fernández-Morera, Francis Oakley, Oliver O’Donovan, Thomas Storck, John Safranek, Brian Brock, and George Marsden
- The Crisis of Islam and the Crisis of the West — Bernard Lewis, a Western historian of the Middle East, helps provide essential historical perspective on what appears to be a clash of civilizations. (50 minutes)
- Mars Hill Audio Journal, Volume 53 — FEATURED GUESTS: Lawrence Adams, Dana Gioia, Elmer M. Colyer, R. A. Herrera, Margaret Visser, and Joseph Pearce
