Source: "It Is Written—But I Say Unto You: Innis on Religion," in Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue d'études canadiennes, Vol. 20, No. 4, Winter, 1985-86, pp. 12-25.

In the following essay, Keast outlines Innis's ideas on the influence of religion.

Introduction

When Harold Innis died in 1952 he had achieved an international scholarly reputation and was recognized as Canada's foremost historian. That reputation had been established by his early published works, those dealing with the Canadian Pacific Railway, the fur trade in Canada, and the cod fisheries. In these Innis showed how technique (the method or means) and technology (the hardware), especially of transportation, affected the development of economic and political monopolies. Canadian history was viewed in terms of the evolution of spatial monopolies of commerce and national politics, and the struggle for commercial and political freedom. His reputation grew during the last decade of his life as his...