POPES AND THE PAPACY

Professor Noble is so robust a teacher that papal history, itself a lively adventure, takes on additional energy and meaning. With obvious affection for the papacy, though not individual popes, he first looks at the roots of the papal idea in scripture and early church tradition, then papal history within the context of world events. Along the way Professor Noble examines the biographies, short and longer, of many of the 265 men who made significant contributions to the papacy, or were involved in controversies at great moments of history, notably Pius XII’s role in WWII and John Paul II’s in the collapse of the Soviet Union. There is a helpful course guide, but the good professor is scholar and teacher enough to make it rewarding all along the way. P.E.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]