Aaron Crofut’s Reviews > The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, Vol. 1: In Two Parts; The Pope Under the Lombard Rule, St. Gregory I. The Great to Leo III., 590-795; Part II. 657-795 > Status Update
Aaron Crofut
is 33% done
The Amazon copy I bought helpfully omitted page numbers. In any event, St. Gregory the Great has passed. A fascinating and greatly underrated historical figure. Mann does a good job explaining the situation the world found itself in Gregory’s time; it was rough one. Surprised by how far afield Gregory’s mind reached, even in temporal affairs. Established the temporal role as a vacuum existed in a era of crisis.
— Jun 24, 2026 06:32PM
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Aaron Crofut
is 50% done
Finished the story of St. Martin. One can only wonder what he would think of most modern prelates. Pope Martin took on the wrath of the Emperor rather than drop the issue of one will/two wills in Christ. Ends up imprisoned and banished to Kherson (as in Ukraine), where he dies. What many of us would do to have such a Pope again, rather than siding with the indifferent "let's not discuss differences" inanity.
— Jun 29, 2026 05:46PM
Aaron Crofut
is 34% done
It hadn’t dawned on me that Gregory and Mohammed were contemporaries. Unfortunately, a 20 year period after Gregory’s death is a historical black hole concerning the Popes. The Muslims rise out of the desert dust just as the Patriarch in Constantinople is making claims to being the Universal Patriarch, and his support is instantly blasted away by the new power. Hard not to see Providence in that.
— Jun 26, 2026 07:46AM