Protestant criticisms of the Catholic Church frequently target the medieval Catholic Church as a prime example of the Church’s problematic relationship with politics and the secular order. These critics often claim that the medieval Church was ruled by a greedy hierarchy bent on increasing its power in Europe and abroad, eager to silence or even eliminate its detractors or opponents, and rocked by internal scandals, corruption, and ultimately confusion. The seeds of the Reformation, so many Protestants believe, were sown during this tumultuous period where attempts at reform, like conciliarism, were destroyed underfoot by power-hungry popes.

To address these common objections, Called To Communion recently sat down with Thomas F. Madden, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University. Dr. Madden has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The History Channel as an author and historical consultant. Dr. Madden’s recent books include Venice: A New History, The Concise History of the Crusades, and Empires of Trust. He has also written and lectured extensively on the ancient and medieval Mediterranean as well as on the history of Christianity and Islam. Dr. Madden is also a practicing Catholic who serves as an adjunct professor at Kenrick Glennon Seminary.

[podcast]https://www.calledtocommunion.com/media/MaddenInterview.mp3[/podcast]

Download the mp3 by right-clicking here.

The post An interview with Dr. Thomas Madden on the Medieval Catholic Church first appeared on Called to Communion.