History of the Popes - by Sj John W O'Malley (Paperback)

About the Book

A History of the Popes tells the story of the oldest living institution in the Western world-the papacy. From its origins in Saint Peter, Jesus' chief disciple, through Pope Benedict XVI today, the popes have been key players in virtually all of the great dramas of the western...

Book Synopsis

A History of the Popes tells the story of the oldest living institution in the Western world--the papacy. From its origins in Saint Peter, Jesus' chief disciple, through Pope Benedict XVI today, the popes have been key players in virtually all of the great dramas of the western world in the last two thousand years. Rather than describe each pope one by one, this engaging narrative focuses on the popes that shaped pivotal moments in both church and world history.

Review Quotes

.A History of the Popes: From Peter to the Present is a well-written synthesis succeeding in its unpretending aim to be an accessible guide through the immensely complicated terrain of 2000 years of papal history.


A History of the Popes has all the characteristic virtues of Father John W. O'Malley's scholarship. It is clear and straightforward, balanced and fair, lively and informative. He is quick to reveal the warts of the popes but equally quick to recognize their virtues. He is alert to demolish many myths that have grown up around papal history, but his approach is never polemical or iconoclastic. This will quickly be recognized as the work of a well-respected historian who has taught this material and reflected upon it over a period of many years, and should attract a wide readership well beyond the confines of the Catholic Church.

A compact, readable, and reliable work on the papacy by one of our very best church historians.


Documenting fifteen hundred years of history in 300 pages is a daunting task, but one that priest and Georgetown University professor O'Malley handles with gusto and a fair hand; considering the level of emotion that the Papacy can inspire, O'Malley reserves his enthusiasm for the unexpected twists of history, rather than any particular character or school of thought. In concise but engaging prose, O'Malley manages to find virtue in popes maligned by history, and a critical approach to the frequently-lauded, while keeping an eye on the world at large. . . . Readers eager for a breezy survey of papal history will be pleased.

For a fair-minded, lively, easy-to-read account of the oldest surviving institution in the Western world, O'Malley's offering is hard to beat.

Fr. O'Malley is a gifted writer, and though he must by necessity move fairly quickly through the centuries, he is capable at lingering on these characters enough to give a sense of their personality and place in the historical drama around them. He is also good at showing the movement and growth of the papacy throughout the past two millennia.

In serving up this kind of hard-nosed history of so many saints and sinners, O'Malley surely does not disappoint. . . . O'Malley's treatment of the medieval popes is consistently clear and engaging, but he really hits his stride when he reaches the popes of the early modern period, his own area of specialization. . . . A fine example of a successful synthesis of a vast and complicated topic. And its publication is just one more reason O'Malley rightly deserves the title of dean of American Catholic church historians.

In John O'Malley's history of the popes, the accent is on the mischievous -- typically highlighting popes flouting their authority or shouldering the burdens of office without the requisite aplomb.

John W. O'Malley has written a fine narrative history of the papacy. Learned but accessible, lively but judicious, this is a story not just of personalities but context, as well-one that speaks to our own time as well as the past. Historical analysis at its best.

John W. O'Malley provides a short, clear . . . direct, and readable but still informative history of popes and the papacy.

John W. O'Malley, S.J., is not only the dean of American Catholic historians, he is also one of the church's greatest and most accomplished teachers. In his superb new book, Father O'Malley combines immense learning, sparkling prose, and fascinating insights to introduce readers to the always colorful history of the papacy. There can be no better guide for the educated reader to the story of the popes than Father O'Malley.

John W. O'Malley's A History of the Popes is a fast-paced narrative crammed with skillful vignettes of a colorful and varied cast of pontiffs from saints to sinners. The underlying theme of the narrative is the emergence of the papacy as a global institution and the development of its modern powers, many surprisingly recent in origin.

Libraries with significant Catholic collections will certainly want to purchase O'Malley's work. . . . O'Malley's is a finely crafted one-volume history of an institution that has served in a significant capacity in world affairs.

O'Malley gives a thorough and engaging overview of 'the oldest living institution in the Western world.' He seeks to 'provide a recognizable path through complicated terrain' and help readers to keep their bearings while including 'details that enliven it and at the same time illuminate bigger issues.' . . . Father O'Malley has once again written an excellent book.

O'Malley has produced yet another remarkable text and places us all in his debt. To take on such a monumental task as compiling a single-volume historical account of the 266 generally accepted church leaders who have followed in the footsteps of Peter is a truly daunting task.

This volume is a gem that will inform, entertain, amuse, and inspire countless readers from widely differing backgrounds.

O'M has deliberately written this book for a wider audience, and its prose, as ever, is wonderfully lucid and stylish, peppered with fascinating anecdotes and lesser-known aspects of history that grip the reader's attention throughout

O'M is not afraid to get embroiled in the most contentious historical questions alone the way, including some of the most significant of all in this field of study

His observations on some of the most critical questions pertaining to the papacy and the church in general are consistently thoughtful and measured

Throughout, with characteristic succinctness, wit, and historiographical elegance, O'M. explores the personal and social origins and backgrounds of his subjects and tries to discern their personalities throughout.

This book will make a wonderful textbook at various levels, as well as a discussion text for parish groups and perhaps especially for ecumenical discussion groups. It will also be a cherished companion for readers seeking a less dense but nonetheless stimulating immersion into nearly 2000 years of history, regardless of their level of theological and historical training. Above all else, time and again O'M stirs the reader to think about individual popes, historical periods, and ecclesiological questions in a different way--no mean feat, given the multitude of similar textbooks that have passed under the bridge

O'Malley provides an interesting and informative overview of the papacy and its ambivalent journey within the history of the church.

O'Malley's offering is simple and straightforward, a perfect introduction to the subject and an easy read.

The debate will continue about why the institution, one which Protestantism has tried to live without, persists anyway. . . . That question about the institution called papacy persists most of all and its current issues are well presented by John O'Malley's A History of the Popes. It's an excellent addition to any serious theological library but it's also an approachable story for the general reader which most everyone will find as a good and compelling introduction to these important men of Christian history.

This is a paperback edition of the highly readable and engaging 2010 book by O'Malley, a Jesuit who teaches theology at Georgetown University. It's far from a simple listing or a series of encyclopedia-like entries. Rather, it's an explanation of the context in which the various popes served, including some of the history that, frankly, the church would much rather forget or at least ignore. O'Malley, though clearly a committed Catholic, is willing to look at the obvious questions surrounding the idea that the Apostle Peter can be considered the first pope--at a time when there was barely even a Christian church. Despite all the ups and downs, the great men and the knaves who have occupied the Vatican throne, 'the papacy has proved to be a remarkably resilient institution, ' the author concludes. In fact, it has undergone many changes over the centuries and today it may be at (or just past) the peak of its power and reach. Whether it can survive in its current form and state is an unanswerable question, though the history O'Malley gives us suggests some kind of change eventually is inevitable.


With a twinkle in his eye, eminent church historian John W. O'Malley, S.J., walks the reader through this dizzying roster. . . . In this whirlwind tour of the corridors of church power, O'Malley also takes care to highlight the saintly figures of various eras who had far more influence on the faith than many popes had.

"Documenting fifteen hundred years of history in 300 pages is a daunting task, but one that priest and Georgetown University professor O'Malley handles with gusto and a fair hand; considering the level of emotion that the Papacy can inspire, O'Malley reserves his enthusiasm for the unexpected twists of history, rather than any particular character or school of thought. In concise but engaging prose, O'Malley manages to find virtue in popes maligned by history, and a critical approach to the frequently-lauded, while keeping an eye on the world at large. . . . Readers eager for a breezy survey of papal history will be pleased." --Publishers Weekly

"Libraries with significant Catholic collections will certainly want to purchase O'Malley's work. . . . O'Malley's is a finely crafted one-volume history of an institution that has served in a significant capacity in world affairs." --Library Journal

"In serving up this kind of hard-nosed history of so many saints and sinners, O'Malley surely does not disappoint. . . . O'Malley's treatment of the medieval popes is consistently clear and engaging, but he really hits his stride when he reaches the popes of the early modern period, his own area of specialization. . . A fine example of a successful synthesis of a vast and complicated topic. And its publication is just one more reason O'Malley rightly deserves the title of dean of American Catholic church historians." --America: The Jesuit Review of Faith & Culture

"The debate will continue about why the institution, one which Protestantism has tried to live without, persists anyway. . . . That question about the institution called papacy persists most of all and its current issues are well presented by John O'Malley's A History of the Popes. It's an excellent addition to any serious theological library but it's also an approachable story for the general reader which most everyone will find as a good and compelling introduction to these important men of Christian history." --Crossings

"In John O'Malley's history of the popes, the accent is on the mischievous -- typically highlighting popes flouting their authority or shouldering the burdens of office without the requisite aplomb." --The Living Church

"O'Malley gives a thorough and engaging overview of 'the oldest living institution in the Western world.' He seeks to 'provide a recognizable path through complicated terrain' and help readers to keep their bearings while including 'details that enliven it and at the same time illuminate bigger issues.' . . . Father O'Malley has once again written an excellent book." --St. Anthony Messenger

"O'Malley has produced yet another remarkable text and places us all in his debt. To take on such a monumental task as compiling a single-volume historical account of the 266 generally accepted church leaders who have followed in the footsteps of Peter is a truly daunting task. . . .This volume is a gem that will inform, entertain, amuse, and inspire countless readers from widely differing backgrounds. . . .O'M has deliberately written this book for a wider audience, and its prose, as ever, is wonderfully lucid and stylish, peppered with fascinating anecdotes and lesser-known aspects of history that grip the reader's attention throughout. . . .O'M is not afraid to get embroiled in the most contentious historical questions alone the way, including some of the most significant of all in this field of study. . . .His observations on some of the most critical questions pertaining to the papacy and the church in general are consistently thoughtful and measured. . . .Throughout, with characteristic succinctness, wit, and historiographical elegance, O'M. explores the personal and social origins and backgrounds of his subjects and tries to discern their personalities throughout. . . .This book will make a wonderful textbook at various levels, as well as a discussion text for parish groups and perhaps especially for ecumenical discussion groups. It will also be a cherished companion for readers seeking a less dense but nonetheless stimulating immersion into nearly 2000 years of history, regardless of their level of theological and historical training. Above all else, time and again O'M stirs the reader to think about individual popes, historical periods, and ecclesiological questions in a different way[.]" --Liturgical Press

"With a twinkle in his eye, eminent church historian John W. O'Malley, S.J., walks the reader through this dizzying roster. . . . In this whirlwind tour of the corridors of church power, O'Malley also takes care to highlight the saintly figures of various eras who had far more influence on the faith than many popes had." --U.S. Catholic

"This is a paperback edition of the highly readable and engaging 2010 book by O'Malley, a Jesuit who teaches theology at Georgetown University. It's far from a simple listing or a series of encyclopedia-like entries. Rather, it's an explanation of the context in which the various popes served, including some of the history that, frankly, the church would much rather forget or at least ignore. O'Malley, though clearly a committed Catholic, is willing to look at the obvious questions surrounding the idea that the Apostle Peter can be considered the first pope -- at a time when there was barely even a Christian church. Despite all the ups and downs, the great men and the knaves who have occupied the Vatican throne, 'the papacy has proved to be a remarkably resilient institution, ' the author concludes. In fact, it has undergone many changes over the centuries and today it may be at (or just past) the peak of its power and reach. Whether it can survive in its current form and state is an unanswerable question, though the history O'Malley gives us suggests some kind of change eventually is inevitable." --Faith Matters

"O'Malley provides an interesting and informative overview of the papacy and its ambivalent journey within the history of the church." --Verbum Svd

".A History of the Popes: From Peter to the Present is a well-written synthesis succeeding in its unpretending aim to be an accessible guide through the immensely complicated terrain of 2000 years of papal history." --Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses

"This is a paperback edition of the highly readable and engaging 2010 book by O'Malley, a Jesuit who teaches theology at Georgetown University. It's far from a simple listing or a series of encyclopedia-like entries. Rather, it's an explanation of the context in which the various popes served, including some of the history that, frankly, the church would much rather forget or at least ignore. O'Malley, though clearly a committed Catholic, is willing to look at the obvious questions surrounding the idea that the Apostle Peter can be considered the first pope -- at a time when there was barely even a Christian church." --The Book Corner

"John W. O'Malley provides a short, clear, direct, and readable but still informative history of popes and the papacy." --The Catholic Historical Review

"A compact, readable, and reliable work on the papacy by one of our very best church historians." --The Review of Politics

"For a fair-minded, lively, easy-to-read account of the oldest surviving institution in the Western world, O'Malley's offering is hard to beat." --National Catholic Reporter, December 2009, National Catholic Reporter

"Fr. O'Malley is a gifted writer, and though he must by necessity move fairly quickly through the centuries, he is capable at lingering on these characters enough to give a sense of their personality and place in the historical drama around them. He is also good at showing the movement and growth of the papacy throughout the past two millennia." --Catholic Sun, November 5, 2009, The Catholic Sun

"O'Malley's offering is simple and straightforward, a perfect introduction to the subject and an easy read." --The Tablet, November 14, 2009, The American Spectator

"John W. O'Malley, S.J., is not only the dean of American Catholic historians, he is also one of the church's greatest and most accomplished teachers. In his superb new book, Father O'Malley combines immense learning, sparkling prose, and fascinating insights to introduce readers to the always colorful history of the papacy. There can be no better guide for the educated reader to the story of the popes than Father O'Malley." --James Martin S.J., author of "Jesus: A Pilgrimage" and "My Life with the Saints"

"John W. O'Malley's A History of the Popes is a fast-paced narrative crammed with skillful vignettes of a colorful and varied cast of pontiffs from saints to sinners. The underlying theme of the narrative is the emergence of the papacy as a global institution and the development of its modern powers, many surprisingly recent in origin." --Jill Ker Conway, former president, Smith College; author of The Road from Coorain

"A History of the Popes has all the characteristic virtues of Father John W. O'Malley's scholarship. It is clear and straightforward, balanced and fair, lively and informative. He is quick to reveal the warts of the popes but equally quick to recognize their virtues. He is alert to demolish many myths that have grown up around papal history, but his approach is never polemical or iconoclastic. This will quickly be recognized as the work of a well-respected historian who has taught this material and reflected upon it over a period of many years, and should attract a wide readership well beyond the confines of the Catholic Church." --Msgr. Thomas J. Shelley, Fordham University

"John W. O'Malley has written a fine narrative history of the papacy. Learned but accessible, lively but judicious, this is a story not just of personalities but context, as well-one that speaks to our own time as well as the past. Historical analysis at its best." --Leslie Woodcock Tentler, The Catholic University of America

About the Author

John W. O'Malley, S.J., was a Roman Catholic priest and professor of religion at Georgetown University. He lived in Washington, D.C., and is the author of numerous books, including What Happened at Vatican II and Four Cultures of the West.