Crises in the History of the Papacy A study of twenty famous popes whose careers and whose influence were important in the development of the church and in the history of the world

"Crises in the History of the Papacy" by Joseph McCabe is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The book comprehensively examines the remarkable history of the Papacy, focusing on twenty pivotal Popes whose lives and influences significantly shaped both the Church and the broader spectrum of world history. It delves into the evolution of the institution, navigating through crises and transformations that have defined its role over centuries. At the start of the text, McCabe outlines the extraordinary and tumultuous history of the Papacy, noting its resilience through various social and political upheavals in Europe over fifteen centuries. The opening portion details how the early Christian community in Rome, consisting largely of impoverished believers living in obscurity, faced immense challenges, yet gradually rose to prominence. The text introduces the dynamics of early church leadership, particularly the struggles between influential figures like St. Callistus and the scholar Hippolytus, as they navigated theological disputes and the complexities of church governance. The setting encapsulates a time when Christianity was burgeoning but far from mainstream acceptance, laying the groundwork for the Church’s eventual ascendancy. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Joseph Martin McCabe was an English writer and speaker on freethought, after having been a Roman Catholic priest earlier in his life. He was "one of the great mouthpieces of freethought in England". Becoming a critic of the Catholic Church, McCabe joined groups such as the Rationalist Association and the National Secular Society. He criticised Christianity from a rationalist perspective, but also was involved in the South Place Ethical Society which grew out of dissenting Protestantism and was a precursor of modern secular humanism.