We would all be exceedingly wise to be more bias against Roman Catholicism, Nate.

You would I’m sure be interested in Dr. John Robbins’ book “Ecclesiastical Megalomania: The Economic and Political Thougth of the Roman Catholic Church,” 1999. His PhD in political philosophy comes from John Hopkins, yet his self-published book is only available on his web site, http://www.trinityfoundation.org — which is another whole story.

From the back cover:

“In his Aquinas: Selected Political Writings, A.P. D’Entreves argues that ‘it is hardly possible for the modern man to accept the system which St. Thomas [Acquinas] founded… without renouncing the notion of civil and religious liberty which we have some right to consider the most precious conquest of the West.’

“Professor D’Entreves perceived the conflict between Roman Catholic political theory and human freedom; this volume explores that conflict in detail, relying on official pronounciations of the Vatican to demonstrate that Roman Catholic political and economic thought and the Roman Catholic Church have been hostile to constitutional government, political and economic freedom, and the private property order for centuries. Roman Catholic political and economic thought have engendered feudalism, the corporate state, liberation theology, the welfare state, and fascism. Those who wish to preserve human freedom must understand the philosophy of the Roman Catholic Church.”

What? You haven’t heard, either? The papacy “is” the Nazis. A host of Jewish authors these days are figuring this out, finally. See: The Popes Against the Jews, Unholy Trinity, for example. But my other two personal favorites, by a couple of Gentiles, are Paul Blanshard’s “American Freedom and Catholic Power,” 1958  alibris.com) and Edmond Paris’ “The Secret History of the Jesuits”  chick.com or alibris.com). Paris was quietly murdered, somewhere in Europe, after later exposing the Vatican’s role in Povolich’s atrocities in Croatia during WWII.

I see you’re reading about the Protestant Reformation. By all means, Nate, consider your source. Most textbooks these days leave out any discussion of the Magna Charta, for instance, on purpose. The best history of life before Martin Luther, and beyond, I found on the Internet, believe it or not. See http://www.fbinstitute.com, Books, “History of Protestantism,” by James A. Wylie (1808 - 1890) — and his section on Wycliffe, in particular.

God’s speed, fellow Protester,

RoS