Pope Fiction: Answers to 30 Myths & Misconceptions about the Papacy

But of course there was once a woman pope. Her name was Joan. If it were not so, Whoopi Goldberg would not have confirmed it from her pulpit in the center of the Hollywood Squares. Or, at least, the commanding comedienne wouldn't have hogged the microphone after her turn had passed to make the pronouncement -- and with the seriousness of a distinguished historian presenting a research paper at a university symposium.No, this was clearly something the Whoopster felt she had to get through to a world in denial.In truth, Whoopi said it, I didn't buy it, and that settled it. Then I read Patrick Madrid's new book and found out just how tall the tale really was. Suffice it to say that Whoopi probably had no idea just how much of a whopper she had bitten into by believing and repeating that particular "pope fiction."In laying out the lapses in logic lurking beneath this and 29 other frequently parroted fallacies about the papacy, along with the bends scandalmongers force on historical facts -- unwittingly or deliberately -- Madrid makes a startlingly simple, yet thorough, defense of the binding spiritual authority of St. Peter and his successors on all who would call themselves Christians. The world gives skeptics plenty of reasons to doubt divine initiative behind, and protection over, the Church's highest office. Madrid dissects all the most popular ones and takes on enough less-familiar salvos that the book ends up reading as much like a brief history as an apologetics exercise.The best part is, it's a fun read. Madrid, editor-in-chief of the spunky Catholic evangelization magazine Envoy, is an adroit wordsmith as well as a seasoned defender of the Faith. This is an apologetics lesson as taught by a favorite high-school teacher -- the one who draws in even the most disinterested students, gets them to laugh out loud, then feeds them a whole lot of truth while their mouths are still open.There's St. Peter, "the rock that will not roll." Here comes Pope Vigilius, a somewhat chicken-hearted sort, "poultry in motion." And there go Clement VII, Benedict XIII and John XXIII -- a few of the Middle Ages' "smooth-talking antipopes."Yet, while Madrid's playfulness should indeed appeal to younger readers, Pope Fiction won't disappoint those of any age looking for a substantive encounter with the actualities behind the allegations. This favorite teacher doesn't fail to amuse -- but, by the time the final bell rings, he's also filled his students with facts and inspired them to want to know more."All popes, even the saintly ones, have been sinners in need of God's mercy and grace," reads a section on papal infallibility. "Some, unfortunately, were heavy-duty sinners who seemed to give no thought to the eventual hellfire that awaited them if they refused to repent and change their wicked ways. But even their gross sinfulness didn't change by one fraction the fact that, as popes, they enjoyed the charism of papal infallibility. They may have lived horrible lives, b

Just a note of thanks to patrick Madrid for crafting such a fine work. Written in a clear and well reasoned format this book will be of great value to Catholic Christians who find themselves on the receiving end of criticisms about the Papacy and the Catholic faith. It will also serve to answer questions that non-Catholics have about the Church and the Papacy. There are many anti-Catholic individuals and organizations that continue to bear false witness against the Catholic Church. Madrid's book is a compassionate and loving response. I encourage you to click that mouse and add it to your shopping cart now. You won't be sorry.

Then this book may help. Pope Fiction provides in-depth responses to 30 of the major misconceptions and myths about the Pope and the papacy.The chapters clear up such commonly believed myths as Pope Joan (which is being made into a motion picture), Galileo and the pope, and the most recent controversy surrounding Pope Pius XII.Madrid tackles each misconception with both wisdom and wit (as evidenced by his clever subtitles including "She blinded him with science," and "Where's the beef?"The nice thing about Pope Fiction is that the reader can read one chapter at a time, free to set the book down and easily pick up again where he or she has left off, or they can jump around reading those myths that interest them most.

I couldn't put it down. Each chapter begins with a commonly heard proposition that claims to refute the Catholic position on the papacy -- the primacy of Peter and its consequent teaching authority of the office. The remainder of the chapter is a refutation of the particular "pope fiction." The book does not shy away from addressing some of the more "sticky" situations that the Church has found itself in due to poor decisions of certain pontiffs: Honorius and the monothelites, Sixtus and the Vulgate. The history is accurate enough in its detail to illustrate the Catholic position without getting bogged down. On occaision the author does point out that certain un-Christian behavior, like burning heretics, was not the exclusive domain of the Catholic Church, yet maintains the intellectual honesty not to use that fact as "evidence" in his argument. This one should be read by both Catholics and Protestants, perhaps it will provide a basis for informed discussion on the papacy.

For nearly 2,000 years, the visible leader of the Catholic Church has been attacked. Whether by persecutions of the Roman Empire in the early Church or by verbal assault from present day Fundamentalist Christians, one thing has remained the same - those outside of the Catholic Church do not trust the Pope. Their lack of trust comes from either a lack of faith or a lack of knowledge. In Pope Fiction, Patrick Madrid does an outstanding job trying to correct the latter. He meticulously refutes 30 popular myths that are used to attack the Papacy. Unlike most apologetic books on the Papacy, Pope Fiction goes way beyond the biblical and early historical proofs of the Papacy. The book covers common misconceptions throughout history such as the Inquisition and the Crusades. The one major mistake people make in regard to the Papacy is confusing infallibility (ie, incapable of making error that officially binds all believers) and impeccability (ie, incapable of making poor decisions). This is why things such as the Inquisition get in the way of people accepting the divine authority Christ bestowed upon Peter and his successors (Mt 16:18). Pope Fiction does an outstanding job explaining to the reader that most objections are not valid because Christ did not protect his Church from making poor choices, but he protected his Church from officially teaching error. This fact is made clear over and over again in the book. I just hope people will be open enough to see it. The real strength of Pope Fiction comes from its easy to read style. Each chapter is concise enough not to lose the reader, but filled with enough material to effectively answer the objection. The readability as well as the cute title, makes Pope Fiction a perfect book to "accidentally" leave on your coffee table. Or, for that matter, someone else's coffee table. Reviewed by Gospel Truth Ministries.