GOD'S JURY The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World

The history of the 14th-16th-century Inquisition of the Catholic Church is made accessible to current listeners by drawing parallels to modern times. Robertson Dean’s engrossing narration tells how present-day surveillance, censorship, information gathering, torture—and the bureaucratic structure that enforces these practices—all have precursors in the Inquisition. Murphy downplays the lurid details in favor of an overview that counterbalances the more common sensationalist histories of the Inquisition. For him, the real horror of the Inquisition is the foundation it set for the state-sponsored terrorism of today. Dean’s gently authoritative voice is clear, articulate, and unbiased in describing the most notorious institution of religious enforcement—and its legacy. F.T. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2012]