The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Putnam
)

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church is a 1981 non-fiction book by Catholic priest and author Malachi Martin.

Content

Martin wrote this book to analyse the sudden and rapid decline of the

doctrinal unity since the Second Vatican Council
(1962–1965).

The book is an account of the history of the Roman Catholic Church progressing from the earliest beginnings and Roman Emperor

Pope Silvester I up through the post Vatican II popes and Pope John Paul II
.

Martin shows the transformations that took place in the institution of the

conclave
.

The last two chapters of the book—concerning popes

Augustine Bea
, who was the source for this information.

The book was translated into Spanish, French and German.[citation needed]

Reception

Reviews of the book noted its controversial character.

Glasgow Herald characterized it as a "highly dramatised, not to say sensational, tour through the history of the papacy", the author's main purpose being to depict what he sees as the church's long and problematic association with state power.[2] On the other hand, National Catholic Reporter journalist Peter Hebblethwaite found parts of the book to be "incoherent" and "dogmatic" and wrote that Martin "seems to be making it all up".[3]

References

  1. ^ "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church" (review), Kirkus Reviews, October 26, 1981.
  2. ^ Christopher Small, "Against Idolatry in Church and State", The Herald (Glasgow), February 29, 1982.
  3. ISBN 1-55612-814-2
    .


Stub icon

This article about a book on the Catholic Church is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Decline_and_Fall_of_the_Roman_Church&oldid=1220087046"