PAPAL POWER ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT: Its Origins and Development Paperback – 1 Nov. 2000 by HUDSON HENRY

In recent years, front page headlines have proclaimed, 'John Paul Superstar'. David Sanford, wrote in Harper's Magazine: 'The pope is more popular than the Beatles who, according to John Lennon, were more popular than Jesus Christ; where this leaves Jesus Christ is not clear.' Morris West, in his television documentary, The Paradox of the Papacy, repeatedly made reference to the contrast between the lives and ministry of the New Testament apostles and the lives and ministry of the men who claim to sit on the 'throne' of St Peter. How can the contrast be explained? How does one begin to account for the popularity and the power of the Roman pontiff? A 'trajectory' which begins with Simon Peter and reaches to a man who today can lay claim to possessing primacy over the whole world, and to the personal prerogative of ex-cathedra infallibility, is a paradox indeed. This well-documented book will help the reader to answer these questions and to explain the paradox. Dr Henry Hudson has lived in Italy for several years. He is at present pastor of Calvary Chapel, Massillon, Ohio, U.S.A. His academic qualifications in the field of history and theology equip him to write on the subject of this book.