More than a billion Roman Catholics throughout the world today look to the pope for guidance and leadership. Despite the papacy's enormous influence, how much do you really know about this ancient and powerful institution? Catholics and non-Catholics alike will enjoy these 24 illuminating lectures about this remarkable institution. Professor Noble gives you priceless insights into the dramatic history of the papal office and the lives of the men who represented it. You'll follow four critical strands of papal history over 2,000 years: the history of the "Petrine" idea; the history of an institution; the history of popes and antipopes; the history of Western civilization; and you'll look inside the Vatican's doors and discover fresh views on the institution's people, ideas, traditions, and routines, as well as the important roles played by organizations like the Curia and the Secretariat of State. You'll investigate the mechanisms by which the church not only ministers to its worldwide flock but also deals with the practical realities of its administration. Filled with interesting stories and remarkable insights, this course promises to educate, enlighten, and entertain you.
T**D
Excellent Discussion of the Popes and the Origin of the Papacy
Dr. Thomas Noble does an excellent job of discussing the origins of the Papacy in Rome and the development of Catholic theology surrounding the popes. The first few lectures provided some much needed analysis of the early church; which so often gets overlooked in other courses. The same can be said for his discussion about church politics and the involvement of the Franks, Germans, Normans and other regional players in the process that has led to the creation of the modern Papacy located in the Vatican City today. Dr. Noble did a particularly in depth job covering the popes of the late 19th and early to mid 20th Century; addressing the problems faced by popes during the 1st and 2nd World Wars. I would definitely recommend this lecture series to anyone with an interest in the history of the Catholic Church or the Papacy that directs it.
I**A
More good news from amazon and great courses
A great course an excellent instructor a perfect gift for a person who wants to know more about their faith
L**R
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B**N
An apology for the Roman Catholic Church
This review, like all reviews, is personal. To be fair it should be stated the reviewer has seen the lecturer on variousGreat Courses videos and doesn't like him. If the reader is enamored of the Roman Catholic Church he will like this series. This is an apology for the Roman Church and the popes are pictured as saints. The bad popes, e.g. Alexander VI, Julius II, Leo X and others, were not evil, only mischievous boys, no worse than the temporal leaders of their time. It is nonsense to expect different actions from the popes simply because they were the leaders of the church. This justificastion is carried throughout the series. A whole lecture is dedicated to Pious XII. True he supported the Spanish dictator Franco, but Franco was fighting the communists. He gave absolution to Nazi pilots who bombed schools, orphanages,and hospitals because they were fighting communists. Pious supported the Japamees in World War II because the Jappenese controlled areas where many Roman Catholics lived. Germany was supported when it fought Russia because it was fighting communism. Lately some books have been written that condemn Pious for his support of anti-democratic governments and silence on anti-Jewish policies in the modern world.This, of course, was because of his education and diplomatic training. Many world leaders were against social progress and welfare. Why should the church take a different stand?Many recent books with no relation to facts have criticized Pious XII and these have no basis in fact and are probably written by atheists. This is the belief of the lecturer. not the reviewer.
K**R
Great transaction!
Great item, great transaction, thank you!
S**N
came quickly in great shape
Came quickly in great shape and was a great Christmas present.
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