In this fascinating historical study, Murphy explores the origins and evolution of the papacy, tracing its development from the early Church to the present day. With its detailed analysis of the papal office, its controversies and challenges, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history and theology of the Catholic Church. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.