Apr 8, 2009
Book written by: Roger Collins. New York : Basic Books. 576 pages. Hardback. March 2009. ISBN 978-0-465-01195-7.
This informative book on the Popes of the Catholic Church includes several of the Pontiffs, but focuses on some of the more influential Popes such as St. Peter, Innocent III, St. Gregory the Great, St. Gregory VII, Boniface VIII, Alexander VI, Julius II, Bl. Pius IX, and several others. The history of the papacy is intertwined with the history of Europe and the world which includes interactions in between the Pope and various world leaders – for the good and the bad.
Collins shows the human side of the papacy and that it is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that the Church has been preserved from error as Jesus promised the first pope, St. Peter.
This is not a quick read, but it is not meant to be. Nor is it a dry history book. It will be of great interest to those interested in a serious history of the Catholic Church, Europe and world history, and the papacy and is highly recommended to them.
Roger Collins is an honorary fellow at Edinburgh University. He is on the advisory board of The Journal of International History. He is the author of several books on medieval history.
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