Media, Religion and Cultures: The Role of the Jesuit Communication “Bias” in the Formation of Cultures

In the emerging field of media and religion, the cultural studies focus is asking what kind of religious cultures are being creating in the context of the media. One of the questions not taken up by the media, religion, and cultures network of scholars is the dimension of history and, specifically, what Innis called the “bias of communication” in cultural history. Following Innis’ argument that the dominant form of communication in an historical era influences the cultural impact of that era, this chapter asks how the oral, interpersonal communication bias of religious movements in early modern Europe and specifically the Jesuit movement influenced the religious culture and the emerging “city culture” of modern Europe.