The Papacy Confronts the Modern World (review)

Dr. Frank J. Coppa, professor of history at St. John's University, has provided this little volume for the Anvil Series of concise histories, which will be of use to the general reader and to the beginning student who looks to place the many historical details of the modern papacy (since 1775) into some chronological, as well as broad political, economic, social, and religious contexts. The 124 pages of very condensed history and analysis are followed by forty pages of small excerpts of thirty-one well chosen papal and other documents intended to illustrate points made in the text. The select bibliography consists of a helpful listing of English-language materials, "readily available" and "geared to the general reader." Though there are no illustrations or maps, there is a concise index.

Coppa examines the policies of sixteen papacies, from the time of the French Revolution through the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Considerably more attention is paid to the twentieth century than to the previous years addressed. Focusing on papal responses to modern cultural and political developments, the prose tends to present broad categories with little nuance. While replete with much useful information, scholars may occasionally find the work frustrating in those places where the author makes broad generalizations (e.g., p. xi: "John XXIII . . . has been selected by scholars and the faithful as the outstanding pope of the modern age."). In addition, Coppa's approach lends to a perspective in which there nearly always appear to be two "camps" within the Church, namely, those favoring accommodation and reconciliation with the contemporary age and those opposed. He leaves unresolved the question as to which of these positions the Church has ultimately embraced. The text might well prove to be a helpful short reference book or supplemental text for college students and readers interested in the modern papacy.