Thank Catholic Innovation for – Printing Press

Posted: 07/23/2021 | Innovation

It’s common to walk into someone’s home and see bookshelves piled high with a wide variety of reading materials: magazines, novels, cookbooks, and often a Bible. This has not always been the case. Before the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, books were owned primarily by the wealthy, and most lower-class citizens were illiterate. 

Johannes Gutenberg changed the course of history when he introduced the printing press. 

Though few details are known about Gutenberg’s upbringing, we do know that he was the son of a German patrician who worked with ecclesiastic mint. Since his life predates the Reformation, Gutenberg was almost certainly Catholic. After many years of keeping his work secret from business partners, he unveiled his first working printing press in 1450. 

Gutenberg combined technologies from different technical and scientific fields into one invention, demonstrating innovation and creativity that changed the world as people knew it. His printing press ushered in a new era referred to as the Gutenberg Revolution. For the first time in history, reading materials could be mass produced and made available to different social classes. Among the first things that Gutenberg printed was the Bible, and only a few copies of the original Gutenberg Bible remain in the world today. 

Because texts could now be mass produced, literacy rates increased, and people were able to read important documents and writings like the Bible. Ironically, Martin Luther was able to capitalize on an increase in literacy by sharing his thoughts on reforming the Church. But he has a Catholic to thank for the invention that opened that door! 

Share