Absolute Power: How the Pope Became the Most Influential Man in the World

Theologian Collins (Papal Power) analyzes Catholic Church history from 1799 to the present to show how the papacy's influence has increased both inside and outside the church. Loss of territory and temporal power was offset by centralizing authority within the church to an extent previously unknown. Under Pius IX, who served from 1846 to 1878, the First Vatican Council defined the doctrine of papal infallibility despite opposition from some bishops. Collins calls Pius IX's reign the most momentous in history, but he terms John XXIII (r. 1958–63) the most important pope since the Reformation for convening Vatican II. He considers this the most important council of the second millennium with its aim of updating the church, although its goals were set back under John Paul II (r. 1978–2005) and Benedict XVI (r. 2005–13). Collins takes a more optimistic view of Pope Francis and terms Laudato si' the most important encyclical ever written with its concern for the planet. While the book is well documented and relies heavily on sources, the tone is occasionally subjective.