The Popes against the Protestants: The Vatican and Evangelical Christianity in Fascist Italy

by Kevin J. Madigan

An account of the alliance between the Catholic Church and the Italian Fascist regime in their campaign against Protestants

Based on previously undisclosed archival materials, this book tells the fascinating, untold, and troubling story of an anti-Protestant campaign in Italy that lasted longer, consumed more clerical energy and cultural space, and generated far more literature than the war against Italy’s Jewish population.
 
Because clerical leaders in Rome were seeking to build a new Catholic world in the aftermath of the Great War, Protestants embodied a special menace, and were seen as carriers of dangers like heresy, secularism, modernity, and Americanism—as potent threats to the Catholic precepts that were the true foundations of Italian civilization, values, and culture. The pope and cardinals framed the threat of evangelical Christianity as a peril not only to the Catholic Church but to the fascist government as well, recruiting some very powerful fascist officials to their cause.
 
This important book is the first full account of this dangerous alliance.

Genres: History, Religion, Nonfiction, Politics, Italy

368 pages, Hardcover

First published August 17, 2021

About the author

Kevin Madigan is Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School. He specializes in the study of medieval Christian religious practice and thought. His books include Olivi and the Interpretation of Matthew in the High Middle Ages and The Passions of Christ in High-Medieval Thought: An Essay on Christological Development, and he is co-author of Ordained Women in the Early Church: A Documentary History and Resurrection: The Power of God for Christians and Jews. He lives in Cambridge, MA.

Reviews

[Darya Silman]

In-depth, well-reasoned research into the pre-World War II religious confrontations in Italy.

Everything associated with religion requires a delicate approach; the history of religion is not an exception. To provide a measured look in his book 'The Popes against the Protestants: The Vatican and Evangelical Christianity In Fascist Italy,' Kevin Madigan uses the Vatican and Roman archives that became available to the scholars only in 2016. According to the author's words, his study is the first one that partly contradicts and partly complements the previous researches, whose authors were mainly sympathetic to the Protestant's cause. The book outlines the mainframe of the events (the relationship between fascist officials, Mussolini included, with Catholic clergy) and gives specific examples of confrontations between two religions.

The author delivers a clearly academic, objective angle, reflecting viewpoints of both sides. The length of the appendix list and quotes that naturally fit into the text exemplify what perfect research should look like. I can name not a single negative feature about the book. However, due to the book's narrow topic, I don't think it suits well for the broad audience, which more willingly reads general overviews.

I'm adding Kevin Madigan as a brilliant non-fiction author to my following list.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jean-Luc]

An astonishing but not very surprising account of another very malevolent attempt by the Vatican to use its influence with the fascist regime of Mussolini in order to strike at the Protestant presence on the Italian Peninsula especially throughout the years leading to WWII.
Brilliantly researched, this book is an exhaustive look at the meddelsom and spiteful shenanigans of the Vatican and at a ruthless Catholic Church that didn't hesitate one moment to manipulate Benito and be in cahoots with fascism in order to annihilate every shred of protestant faith and ideology within Italian society.
Fascinating and disturbing, this magnificent journey into a little known episode of 20th century Italian politics should definitely please anyone interested by the ambiguous role played by the Church within the Italian fascist movement.
Highly recommended and to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever👍

Many thanks to Netgalley and Yale University for this terrific ARC

[Dave Wheeler]

Well this is a difficult one for me to review so first I will say why I have given it 5 stars.
The amount of research that has gone into it is vast and a credit to Kevin Madigan the author, the size of appendix says all that needs to be said about the detail. A lot of work and time has gone into this it is a challenging read for anyone to not be moved by it.

There is a well known saying its wise to know your enemies I feel this book shows just how wise it is to know who your enemies are something I feel the Church so often misses. This is written by a Catholic and I'm reading it from the side of attending Methodist Church's as a child and Pentecostal as a Adult (the joy of having my own transport). I liked being linked with many of the Protestant Groups surprised to find we are all described as Cults and shocked to be put on the same plane as Bolshevik's, Freemasons, Jehovah witnesses, we were also grouped with Jews that's ok for me Christians were Jews that believed in Jesus. It becomes clear this is obviously about the politics of Church organisations rather than the Church of the Bible which is about faith and Jesus. We may worship differently and have different stand points but for me if you Love Christ accept Him as the Son of God then acknowledge his death was because of our sins then your in. The last thing I want to see is Christians fighting Christians so for me this book wasn't so much about the Church as an entirely different fight.

It's accepted that many groups don't see eye to eye but wow fighting each other when some of the most evil groups of people were growing and killing our brothers and sisters, the cause of the Jews Hitler I'm wondering how many tears God much have shed. How ashamed we should be.

So yes this was a very difficult read for me which I promised to do for an honest review, and I do enjoy reading about other people alternative views, after all is how we learn none of us have it all figured out I know I don't. This time my honest view is one of sadness. I completely get this is the story of what was happening pre WW2 Its how one set of people saw things and I've learnt a lot hence 5 stars. We rarely can see things from another's view 👈 👉 unless we move or are open this can be painful but to move forward you can't stand still (I know its obvious sorry not trying to insult your intelligence). So do I recommend you read this, yes if it stirs your heart to want to stand up for Christ for all other denominations including Catholic. I met some amazing born again Catholics if you don't like that expression sorry it means a change of heart or realisation of who Christ is put very simply.

For me the Church plain and simply is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth 🌎 and that is my honest viewing review. So yes please read this its good to see how not to do things and from my prepsective focus on Christ not the way of others. For me there is a lot to disagree about if we want it there is Christ to focus on and then to love others whichever side you feel you are on I believe there are 2 sides the Kingdom of God or the real enemy which the Bible is very clear about its Satan. I'm on the the side of God as Joshua said chose today who you will serve, can you guess what I'm thinking

[Ian McGaffey]

This was a good read with a lot of information in it. The impressive amount of detail and research is great, but at times it seemed to lose the narrative in the details.
I was alternately astonished by the churches choice to attack the protestants rather than address some of the issues that lead to successful evangelizing.
A good read about a period of history I knew little about.

[CASPER HILEMAN]

Dr. Madigan after teaching at the Harvard Divinity School for over twenty years has written a very interesting book about a long-running subject, the schism of the Protestant and Catholic Christian denominations. Both movements in today's world may seem like a relic of the historical past politically but during the 20th century, both still had tremendous influence politically amongst their followers. This is the story of the interregnum between the First World War and the Second World War and the Catholic Churches attempt to regain even more relevancy after the turbulent nature of change caused by a changing world.

[Annarella]

I was really interested in this book as my mother was born in the Italian Waldesian Valleys in the 30s and I remember what she used to tell about her Waldesian friends.
It's a well researched and balanced book, I learned a lot and liked the style of writing.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine