The Oxford Dictionary of Popes

by Michael Walsh, J.N.D. Kelly, Michael Walsh

Book Overview

This biographical dictionary is an unrivalled source of information about the astonishing succession of churchmen who have loomed large on the world scene for almost 2,000 years.
The Dictionary contains concise accounts not only of all the officially recognized popes from St. Peter to John Paul II, but also of all their irregularly elected rivals, the so-called antipopes; it also has an appendix recording the once generally credited but long discarded,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192139649
• ISBN13: 9780192139641
• Release Date: June 1986
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 356 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

What a great book for so little money

I have never purchased any reference work of such exquisite quality for such a small price. Two thousand years of history of the Holy See within anybody's reach. Highest quality research. No hagiographies but merely a stating of historical facts. This book is truly a great treasure to me.

You don't need to be a Catholic to enjoy this book

- I'm not, but I did. A compelling collection of hard historical fact, complex theological issues and magnificent trivia, this is not only a great reference book but read cover-to-cover makes a great yet compact history of the Roman Church - and indeed of Rome, Italy, Europe, western civilization etc.

Mirabilis!

Without a doubt, this is the best available general resource source on papal histories, well referenced and organized with a no-nonsense writing style that makes it both an invaluable source of information for scholars and a fun book to just open to a random page and read.The collection of papal mini-biographies here is the most complete I know of, including even the various anti-popes and the historically questionable Pope Joan. Where the available information is incomplete or contradictory, author, editor and researcher J.N.D. Kelly usually points that out. Other books give more information about specific aspects of the papacy, but none offers such a wide range of information between two compact covers.My one complaint is a minor one: Mr. Kelly's judgments about what did and did not happen and who should and should not have been pope (regarding everything from Pope Joan and the anti-popes to conspiracy theories surrounding the unexpected death of Pope John Paul I in 1978) tend toward the official Vatican view more often than I'd like. But a book has to take some point of view, and if Mr. Kelly had done the opposite I'd probably be complaining now that he was a bit too antagonistic for my taste.All in all, this is an irreplaceable resource for any theologian, religious scholar, or intellectually curious reader.

Excellent

This book is excellent. I don't know where to start. Often, we study history with respect to different countries, geographical areas, or religions. This book draws them all together. It provides insight into what these men were thinking, and the personal and political influences they had to deal with. Really interesting.

Top Notch Theological Resource

For the serious theologian, be it of the lay or ordained variety, this is a great resource.Here, chronologically, the renowned historian Kelly provides insightful, concise historical background into the papacy.One can be assured that his research is spotless, since his early church knowledge and expertise is renown. This is continued here. Great to have the bibliographical resources for each entry, knowing that Kelly has sorted the possibilities out and provided valuable service in providing primary assets to investigate.I'll be referring to mine often in historical research. Anyone who delves into this prominent area will want this valuable, economic resource in their library.