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A History of the Popes tells the story of the oldest living institution in the Western world-the papacy. From its origins in Saint Peter, Jesus' chief disciple, through Pope Benedict XVI today, the popes have been key players in virtually all of the great dramas of the western world in the last two thousand years. Acclaimed church historian John W. O'Malley's engaging narrative examines the 265 individuals who have claimed to be Peter's successors. Rather than describe each pope one by one, the book focuses on the popes that shaped pivotal moments in both church and world history. The author does not shy away from controversies in the church, and includes legends like Pope Joan and a comprehensive list of popes and antipopes to help readers get a full picture of the papacy.

This simultaneously reverent yet critical book will appeal to readers interested in both religion and history as it chronicles the saints and sinners who have led the Roman Catholic Church over the past 2000 years. The author draws from his popular audio CD lecture series on the topic, 2,000 Years of Papal History , available through Now You Know Media (www.nowyouknowmedia.com).

hor draws from his popular audio CD lecture series on the topic, 2,000 Years of Papal History , available through Now You Know Media (www.nowyouknowmedia.com).hor draws from his popular audio CD lecture series on the topic, 2,000 Years of Papal History , available through Now You Know Media (www.nowyouknowmedia.com).hor draws from his popular audio CD lecture series on the topic, 2,000 Years of Papal History , available through Now You Know Media (www.nowyouknowmedia.com).

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Preface(p. ix)
• Introduction(p. xi)
• Part I From the Margins to the Center of the Roman World
• 1 Peter: Bishop of Rome?(p. 3)
• 2 After Peter and Paul(p. 13)
• 3 Constantine: The Thirteenth Apostle(p. 23)
• 4 Prosperity to Crisis: Damasus and Leo the Great(p. 33)
• 5 Gregory the Great(p. 43)
• Part II Bringing Order Out of Chaos
• 6 Greeks, Lombards, Franks(p. 53)
• 7 Charlemagne: Savior or Master?(p. 65)
• 8 Their Darkest Hour(p. 75)
• 9 Saving the Papacy from Itself(p. 85)
• 10 Gregory VII: Who's in Charge Here?(p. 95)
• Part III Development, Decline, Disarray
• 11 Compromises, Crusades, Councils, Concordats(p. 109)
• 12 Innocent III: Vicar of Christ(p. 119)
• 13 Boniface VIII: Big Claims, Big Humiliation(p. 129)
• 14 Avignon: The Babylonian Captivity(p. 139)
• 15 Three Popes at a Time: The Great Western Schism(p. 149)
• Part IV Renaissance and Reformation
• 16 The Restored Papacy(p. 161)
• 17 The Renaissance Popes(p. 171)
• 18 Luther, Leo, and the Aftermath(p. 179)
• 19 Paul III: A Turning Point(p. 189)
• 20 Five Popes and a Council(p. 199)
• 21 The New Rome(p. 209)
• Part V Into the Modern Era
• 22 The Storm Breaks(p. 221)
• 23 Pius VII: Bowed Down and Raised Up(p. 231)
• 24 Beleaguered, Infallible, and Prisoner Again(p. 239)
• 25 Leo XIII: Searching for Solutions(p. 251)
• 26 Pius X: Confronting Modern Culture(p. 261)
• Part VI The Papacy as a Global Institution
• 27 War, Peace, Fascism(p. 271)
• 28 Pius XII: Saint or Sinner?(p. 281)
• 29 John XXIII: Peace and Reconciliation(p. 291)
• 30 Paul VI: In a Tight Spot(p. 303)
• 31 John Paul II: The World Is My Parish(p. 313)
• Epilogue(p. 325)
• List of Popes(p. 331)
• Notes(p. 337)
• Index(p. 341)
• About the Author(p. 351)

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Library Journal Review

Jesuit historian O'Malley (religion, Georgetown Univ.; What Happened at Vatican II) offers a sweeping but scholarly account of the history of the papacy, concentrating on those popes who played critical roles in the shaping of the institution, with the aim to show how the papacy came to play the part it does in the Catholic Church. O'Malley takes the time to explain concepts that would not be familiar to non-Catholics. His book is not a hagiography; at one point he questions why the eighth-century Pope Paul is listed among the saints. Libraries with significant Catholic collections will certainly want to purchase O'Malley's work, although those already owning Roger Collins's Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy may consider it an optional, though worthwhile, addition. Catholics seeking a more detailed account of papal history would be well served by Eamon Duffy's Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes, in its third edition. Verdict O'Malley's is a finely crafted one-volume history of an institution that has served in a significant capacity in world affairs.-Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Documenting fifteen hundred years of history in 300 pages is a daunting task, but one that priest and Georgetown University professor O'Malley handles with gusto and a fair hand; considering the level of emotion that the Papacy can inspire, O'Malley reserves his enthusiasm for the unexpected twists of history, rather than any particular character or school of thought. In concise but engaging prose, O'Malley manages to find virtue in popes maligned by history, and a critical approach to the frequently-lauded, while keeping an eye on the world at large. Though the book can feel rushed-O'Malley can blow through a series of minor popes in a paragraph each-readers eager for a breezy survey of papal history will be pleased, so long as they bring along a basic understanding of Catholic doctrine and history (or at least a capable glossary). (Nov.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

CHOICE Review

O'Malley (Georgetown Univ.; The First Jesuits, CH, Feb'94, 31-3213; What Happened at Vatican II, CH, Feb'09, 46-3194) has now written a short, readable history of the popes. The author does not shy away from controversial topics and popes, but he generally offers an explanation from the popes' points of view. Thus, he carefully comes to the conclusions that the traditions indicating that Peter was the leader of the Christian church in Rome were likely true and that his burial place is likely under St. Peter's. At the same time, O'Malley does not avoid problems such as Liberius's subscription to an Arian creed under duress and the scandals surrounding Pope Damasus I; he sometimes oversimplifies issues. The book has an inadequate index, and it lacks a bibliography; readers are sent to Eamon Duffy's excellent bibliographical note in Saints and Sinners (3rd ed., 2006; 2nd ed., 2001). Readers wanting more detail or a more critical attitude should go to Duffy's book or to Roger Collins's Keepers of the Keys of Heaven (CH, Feb'10, 47-3312). Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers. L. S. Creider New Mexico State University Library

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

John W. O'Malley, S.J., was a Roman Catholic priest and professor of religion at Georgetown University. He lived in Washington, D.C., and is the author of numerous books, including What Happened at Vatican II and Four Cultures of the West .