Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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25 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
HILARIOUS, FASCINATING READ!, 15 Sep 2000
I can't remember when I've laughed so much! This book reads like a Stephen King thriller. I used to think that the Borgias represented a low point in the papacy, but they don't come close to the depravity under Sergius III, John XI, John XII and the ambitious Marozia, the time around 904 to 963 AD. Much fun was also had during the great schism and al through the renaissance. It is truly a tale of scandal, intrigue and crime and makes compulsive reading. Contains a useful Chronology, List of Popes with dates, Councils of the church, a very good bibliography (of documents and books) and index. This book contains enough material for more than one TV mini-series.
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18 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully entertaining read, 21 Aug 2000
By A Customer
This is one of the most interesting historical books I've ever read, a papal history full of murder, "romance", war and treachery. From start to finish it is engaging. The book paints a very unflattering picture of Catholicism and the popes throughout history, and may leave you questioning some of your own beliefs. I would recommend it to anyone interested in history or religion, and anyone looking for an interesting and thought provoking read.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping, potentially infuriating, highly entertaining, 10 Feb 2008
De Rosa catalogues the ups and downs of papal leadership through the centuries - focusing particularly on the downs. He contrasts each pope with others, so that changes in policy over time appear glaring. For those who believe no human is infallible the lesson seems obvious, but still De Rosa's history lessons are fascinating. Why did the Roman pontifs turn to requiring celibacy for priests in the 11th century? Was it to prevent the rise of dynastic families and family property within the church? If so, why was this measure not needed to protect property in Islam, Judaism, or Eastern Christianity?
De Rosa points out that in 580, Pope Pelagius II tried to achieve control of church property without challenging clerical families. He just ruled that no wives or children of priests could inherit any church wealth. To enforce this, Pelagius directed that each clergyman must give an inventory of all property in his care on taking office, with a full accounting for the same on his departure. (p. 566.) Likewise in the Eastern Church, Justinian's Code of the 500s forbade any member of the clergy from giving, selling, or bequeathing anything belonging to the church. So it might be possible to block inheritance to clerical families without destroying the families themselves. On the other hand, the rules against privatizing church wealth might be violated even with all clerical families destroyed -- especially if the church was a hierarchy in which the higher ranks were not accountable to the lower orders. So, even after the great Gregorian reform had finally banned clerical families around 1074, Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) channeled approximately one fourth of all church income to his extended relatives. (p. 570.) Most of his subordinates felt they could not protest, due to the supposedly Christian obligation of unquestioning obedience to superiors.
All told, the book is gripping and potentially infuriating -- but that's the way we like our history books, no?
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