Dark History of the Catholic Church: Schisms, wars, inquisitions, witch hunts, scandals, corruption

by Michael Kerrigan

Overview

The world’s largest Christian organization with 1.2 billion members, the Catholic Church is one of the world’s oldest institutions and has played a crucial part in the development of Western civilization. But in its rise from Jewish sect to global faith, it has been both the persecuted and the persecutors; it has become powerful but guilty of corruption; and it has preached moral purity but has been marred by abuse scandals.

From the persecution of the early Christians in ancient Rome, through the terrors of the anti-heresy witchhunts of the notorious Grand Inquisitor, Torquemada, to papal collaboration with the Nazis during World War II, Dark History of the Catholic Church tells the stories of heretics and pogroms, Mother Teresa and martyred priests, papal purges and crooked clergy, false prophets and faithless pontiffs.

Illustrated with 180 photographs, paintings, and illustrations, Dark History of the Catholic Church reveals the infamous underside of the world’s oldest Christian faith.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782741794
Publisher:	Amber Books
Publication date:	03/13/2014
Series:	Dark Histories
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	61 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	16 - 18 Years

About the Author

Michael Kerrigan was educated at St. Edward’s College and University College, Oxford, England. He is the author of The History of Death, A Dark History: The Roman Emperors, Ancients In Their Own Words, World War II Plans That Never Happened, and American Presidents: A Dark History. He is a columnist, book reviewer, and feature writer for publications including the Scotsman and the Times Literary Supplement. Michael Kerrigan lives with his family in Edinburgh.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1) Via Dolorosa: Early Persecutions

2) Growing Pains

3) Sacred Slaughter: The Crusades

4) Squabbles and Schisms

5) The Power and the Money

6) Enforcing Orthodoxy: The Inquisition

7) The Splendour and the Squalor

8) From Reformation to Enlightenment

9) Missions and Massacres

10) The Devil’s Century

11) Not So Saintly...

12) ‘Give Me a Child...’

Bibliography

Index