History Book - Gospel riots in Greece

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Monday, November 8th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Next up: The WORLD History Book. Today, a basketball legend makes a startling announcement, a woman heads to Capitol Hill, and the Gospel of Matthew sparks a riot. Here’s senior correspondent Katie Gaultney.

AUDIO: [RIOTING]

KATIE GAULTNEY, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Greece is largely considered the birthplace of democracy. It may be no surprise, then, that it has seen its share of protests and riots as citizens exercise their rights. More surprising, though, was the source of one major riot 120 years ago. On November 8th, 1901, the translation of the Gospel of Matthew into the common Greek vernacular prompted bloody clashes in Athens.

A newspaper called Akropolis published that book in demotic Greek, the modern version of the language. The language had evolved from its ancient roots to the point that modern and ancient Greek sounded almost nothing alike.

The chasm became not just linguistic, but political. On one end of the spectrum, ancient Greek proponents—especially in the Greek Orthodox Church and academia—believed that if they watered down their language, they might lose claim to their Byzantine land holdings. On the other end, demotic or common Greek proponents said language really isn’t as important as investments in artillery.

So when the newspaper published Matthew in the common form—alongside a political editorial—violence broke out. Eight demonstrators died. Ultimately, proponents of the ancient language failed in their efforts to make it the preferred form of communication. Modern Greeks do speak and write in the demotic form. But the Greek Orthodox Church continues to use ancient Greek as the liturgical language in its services.

And from the birthplace of democracy to democracy in America. One hundred and five years have passed since November 7th, 1916, when Americans elected a woman to Congress for the first time. Residents of Montana chose 36-year-old Jeannette Rankin, a Republican and women’s rights advocate, to represent them in the U.S. House.

During the Progressive Era, Rankin took up the suffragist cause, championing women’s voting rights in Montana and 15 other states.

WASNIEWSKI: She’s elected to the House four years before women had the right to vote nationally, and in a way she’s really a bridge from the suffrage movement to women attaining full political rights.

That’s historian Matthew Wasniewski speaking to C-SPAN. As a congresswoman, Rankin put forth legislation that eventually became the 19th Amendment, granting women across the United States unrestricted voting rights.

SONG: “Salute to the New Beginning,” performed by U.S. Army Herald Trumpets

Born in Montana territory nine years before it became a state, Rankin worked as a dressmaker, furniture designer, and teacher before becoming a social worker. Her campaign and election won her considerable national attention—and a few marriage proposals. She had a reputation as a compelling orator.

As her first term came to a close, Montana changed its voting procedures, and Rankin faced little chance of reelection. She launched a failed Senate bid, then spent decades traveling the country promoting women’s enfranchisement and pacifism.

Montanans reelected Rankin to the U.S. Congress in 1940, but her political career came to an end when she voted against declaring war on Japan in the wake of Pearl Harbor. For NBC, Jane Pauley recalled the immediate aftermath of that vote.

PAULEY: Booed off the House floor, Rankin briefly took refuge in a telephone booth, “like a cornered rabbit,” wrote the Washington Post.

She died in California in 1973, at the age of 92. Interestingly, as of 2021, Rankin was still the only woman ever elected to Congress from Montana.

And from politics to medicine and sports.

ANNOUNCER: Earvin… “Magic”... Johnson!

Thirty years ago, on November 7th, 1991, basketball great Magic Johnson announced his HIV-positive diagnosis—and his retirement from the NBA. He made the announcement at a jam-packed press conference.

JOHNSON: Because of the HIV virus that I have attained, I will have to retire from the Lakers, today. I just want to make clear that I do not have the AIDS disease…

That announcement came after 13 seasons with the Lakers. But, Johnson also shared, his pregnant wife remained HIV-negative, and he was hopeful about his prognosis.

JOHNSON: I plan on going on, living for a long time, bugging you guys like I always have, so you guys will see me…

Sports buffs consider him among the best point guards of all time. He had plenty of laurels to rest on in retirement—three-time NBA MVP, nine trips to the NBA finals, 12 All-Star games, Olympic gold medalist. He remains the NBA's all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2.

But, Johnson stayed busy, returning to the Lakers as head coach for one season, then buying in as a part-owner of the team. He also busied himself with charity work, business ventures, and raising HIV awareness.

SONG: “Do You Believe In Magic,” The Lovin’ Spoonful

Johnson takes a daily drug regimen to prevent his HIV infection from progressing to AIDS.

That’s this week’s History Book. I’m Katie Gaultney.

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