The Pope was in DC for the past few days. He drew crowds of tens of thousands, and the city has a happy vibe to it. Pope Francis is the 266th Pope, and the history of the Vatican and Catholic church are long and very, very interesting. I think it's only appropriate that this month's Variations on a Theme focuses on that subject.
Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes
Eamon Duffy
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy
Roger Collins
One of the most enduring and influential of all human institutions, the Papacy has also been among the most controversial. From the founding of the Christian Church in the first century AD to the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in the late twentieth century, the Popes have been central players in the history of Europe. In Keepers of the Keys of Heaven, eminent medieval and religious scholar Roger Collins presents the entire, grand arc of papal history in an objective, accessible single volume. From the separation of the Greek and Latin churches to the contemporary controversies that threaten the unity of the many-million-strong Catholic Church, Collins shows how no one seeking to make sense of the modern world can neglect the vital role of the popes.
Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
Ross King
King tells how Michelangelo Buonarroti, known as a sculptor not as a painter, spent four years painting the ceiling of the newly restored Sistine Chapel for Pope Julius II while power politics and personal rivalries swirled around him. He was 33 when he was summoned back to Rome, from which he had fled vowing never to return
Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal - Building St. Peter's
R.A. Scotti
In this dramatic journey through religious and artistic history, R. A. Scotti traces the defining event of a glorious epoch: the building of St. Peter's Basilica. Begun by the ferociously ambitious Pope Julius II in 1506, the endeavor would span two tumultuous centuries, challenge the greatest Renaissance masters-Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante-and enrage Martin Luther. By the time it was completed, Shakespeare had written all of his plays, the Mayflower had reached Plymouth-and Rome had risen with its astounding basilica to become Europe's holy metropolis. A dazzling portrait of human achievement and excess, Basilica is a triumph of historical writing.
The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe
David I. Kertzer
The Pope and Mussolini tells the story of two men who came to power in 1922, and together changed the course of twentieth-century history. In most respects, they could not have been more different. One was scholarly and devout, the other thuggish and profane. Yet Pius XI and “Il Duce” had many things in common. They shared a distrust of democracy and a visceral hatred of Communism. Both were prone to sudden fits of temper and were fiercely protective of the prerogatives of their office. (“We have many interests to protect,” the Pope declared, soon after Mussolini seized control of the government in 1922.) Each relied on the other to consolidate his power and achieve his political goals.
The Vatican Diaries: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Power, Personalities, and Politics at the Heart of the Catholic Church
John Thavis
For more than twenty-five years, John Thavis held one of the most remarkable journalistic assignments in the world: reporting on the inner workings of the Vatican. In The Vatican Diaries, Thavis reveals Vatican City as a place struggling to define itself in the face of internal and external threats, where Curia cardinals fight private wars and sexual abuse scandals threaten to undermine papal authority. Thavis also takes readers through the politicking behind the election of Pope Francis and what we might expect from his papacy. The Vatican Diaries is a perceptive, compelling, and provocative account of this singular institution and will be of interest to anyone intrigued by the challenges faced by religion in an increasingly secularized world.
Other Pope & Church Titles
Absolute Monarchs - John Julius Norwich
The Church Ascending - Diane Moczar
A History of the Popes - John W. O'Malley
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization - Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
The Pope's Last Crusade - Peter Eisner
Selecting the Pope - Greg Tobin
The Secret Archives of the Vatican - Maria Luisa Ambrosini
The Sistine Secrets - Benjamin Blech and Roy Doliner
St. Peter's Bones - Thomas J. Craughwell
Triumph: The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church - H.W. Crocker
The Vatican - Michael Collins
The Vatican Pimpernel - Brian Fleming
Eamon Duffy
This abundantly illustrated book encompasses the extraordinary history of the papacy, from its beginnings nearly two thousand years ago to the reign of Pope John Paul II. Duffy offers a comprehensive overview of the 2,000-year history of the papacy. This digestible survey provides a compelling introduction to one of the most durable and significant institutions to influence the course of Western civilization.
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the PapacyRoger Collins
One of the most enduring and influential of all human institutions, the Papacy has also been among the most controversial. From the founding of the Christian Church in the first century AD to the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in the late twentieth century, the Popes have been central players in the history of Europe. In Keepers of the Keys of Heaven, eminent medieval and religious scholar Roger Collins presents the entire, grand arc of papal history in an objective, accessible single volume. From the separation of the Greek and Latin churches to the contemporary controversies that threaten the unity of the many-million-strong Catholic Church, Collins shows how no one seeking to make sense of the modern world can neglect the vital role of the popes.
Ross King
King tells how Michelangelo Buonarroti, known as a sculptor not as a painter, spent four years painting the ceiling of the newly restored Sistine Chapel for Pope Julius II while power politics and personal rivalries swirled around him. He was 33 when he was summoned back to Rome, from which he had fled vowing never to return
Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal - Building St. Peter'sR.A. Scotti
In this dramatic journey through religious and artistic history, R. A. Scotti traces the defining event of a glorious epoch: the building of St. Peter's Basilica. Begun by the ferociously ambitious Pope Julius II in 1506, the endeavor would span two tumultuous centuries, challenge the greatest Renaissance masters-Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante-and enrage Martin Luther. By the time it was completed, Shakespeare had written all of his plays, the Mayflower had reached Plymouth-and Rome had risen with its astounding basilica to become Europe's holy metropolis. A dazzling portrait of human achievement and excess, Basilica is a triumph of historical writing.
David I. Kertzer
The Pope and Mussolini tells the story of two men who came to power in 1922, and together changed the course of twentieth-century history. In most respects, they could not have been more different. One was scholarly and devout, the other thuggish and profane. Yet Pius XI and “Il Duce” had many things in common. They shared a distrust of democracy and a visceral hatred of Communism. Both were prone to sudden fits of temper and were fiercely protective of the prerogatives of their office. (“We have many interests to protect,” the Pope declared, soon after Mussolini seized control of the government in 1922.) Each relied on the other to consolidate his power and achieve his political goals.
The Vatican Diaries: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Power, Personalities, and Politics at the Heart of the Catholic ChurchJohn Thavis
For more than twenty-five years, John Thavis held one of the most remarkable journalistic assignments in the world: reporting on the inner workings of the Vatican. In The Vatican Diaries, Thavis reveals Vatican City as a place struggling to define itself in the face of internal and external threats, where Curia cardinals fight private wars and sexual abuse scandals threaten to undermine papal authority. Thavis also takes readers through the politicking behind the election of Pope Francis and what we might expect from his papacy. The Vatican Diaries is a perceptive, compelling, and provocative account of this singular institution and will be of interest to anyone intrigued by the challenges faced by religion in an increasingly secularized world.
Other Pope & Church Titles
Absolute Monarchs - John Julius Norwich
The Church Ascending - Diane Moczar
A History of the Popes - John W. O'Malley
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization - Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
The Pope's Last Crusade - Peter Eisner
Selecting the Pope - Greg Tobin
The Secret Archives of the Vatican - Maria Luisa Ambrosini
The Sistine Secrets - Benjamin Blech and Roy Doliner
St. Peter's Bones - Thomas J. Craughwell
Triumph: The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church - H.W. Crocker
The Vatican - Michael Collins
The Vatican Pimpernel - Brian Fleming
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