Heaven or Heresy

Madden, a professor at a Jesuit university, covers the history of the Inquisition from its beginnings in Roman law and medieval church practice to its petering out more recently than one might think. While his voice is neither strong nor distinguished and his delivery rather plain, Madden is cogent and clear, despite some "ums." He makes the information, which is interesting, complex, and wide in scope, relatively easy to follow aurally. One unaccountable flaw: in a world rife with fanaticism, he's unable to think of a contemporary parallel to medieval religious intolerance. This is a solid introduction to the subject, with much to say about European history and the history of religion in general. A supplemental booklet and online material were not seen by AUDIOFILE. W.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine