The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church

_The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church_ by the late traditionalist Roman Catholic priest Father Malachi Martin is a fascinating account of the history of the church progressing from the earliest beginnings to Constantine's eventual relationship with the church during the reign of Pope Silvester I up until the post Vatican II popes and Pope John Paul II. The book shows the transformations that took place in the papacy as the relationship between temporal power and spiritual authority was worked out throughout the years. Also, the book shows how the early popes were chosen, including how many were appointed by kings or their predecessors (often involving intrigue and poisonings), up until the invention of the conclave. While the Roman Popes certainly were not impeccable, their spiritual authority in matters of faith and morals is guarranteed by the words of Christ himself. Much of this book is spent reviewing the many scandals and intrigues of the popes who often acted in a manner more befitting a petty despot than the spiritual authority of the world's strongest religion. Father Malachi Martin's thesis is that the church exists in a state of steady decline, brought about by a defection from its true principles, and an abandonment of spiritual authority for temporal power. Indeed, the sins of man are many, due to his fallen nature, and throughout the centuries they have come to corrode the very structures upon which Christ built his church. This book, written in 1981 is somewhat dated but its prophecy for the coming decades remains valid. The complications which have arisen since the Second Vatican Counsel, the brazen disobedience of Christ's supposed faithful to the authority of the pope and his predecessors, the collusion of the hierarchy with liberalism, modernism, and Marxist revolution, and the moral decline of the modern age are issues which currently confront the church more than ever. Perhaps the modern age can be made sense of in terms of prophecy by rereading those prophecies of the saints which reveal a hidden meaning behind historical events. I regret only that the author did not provide adequate footnotes to his book so that his facts could be checked against standard sources. He appears to take some liberty with things that may be unjustifiable. Nevertheless, for its important remarks concerning the coming and continuing crises within the church (recently brought to light in the many scandals among the priesthood and the hierarchy) this book remains of fundamental interest to all who want to understand the history and progression of the Roman Catholic Church and its papacy.

As a Catholic, I found Dr. Martin's book to be bracing, and yet it never denies that the Catholic Church is truly the institution founded by Christ. Indeed, the first pope(St.Peter) denied Christ three times, and one of the first bishops betrayed his Master and committed suicide!Ultimately, the Church needs to return to the ideal of it's founder, and reject temporal power in exchange for the power of the Spirit.

I bought the book in '81 and found it absolutely fascinating; witnessed the death of Morozia (you have to read about HER!) and learned that the trouble all started with Gregory the First, when he acquired the first land for the Church. For the first millenium, the Church thrived on the good will of it's members and with no visible means of support, managed to become the most in- fluential religious force in the world. The difference for today? In the old days, you told John the Baptist you wanted to know God; he dragged you into the creek and Baptised you-- and there you are! Today, you go through accusatorial investigations of your family history and pay fee after fee, --the Church has become like the money changers in the Temple who were chased out by Jesus! Not a good thing.