Missionaries and Religious Print Culture in Canada

Bibles and religious literature were an integral part of Canadian society and culture between 1830 and 1900. This period saw increased distribution of bibles and religious texts as part of a larger growth of distribution networks and a Canadian consumer culture. Religious organizations and benevolent societies played an especially important role in shaping the religious book trade in Canada, where copyright restrictions strengthened colonial print connections. This lecture describes the methods and experiences of missionaries who sought to bring Christian scripture to Canadians in the 19th century, and draws on the Bodleian's archival holdings of diaries and letters of individuals, and records of missionary societies.