Allen, John L.

Reveals the inner workings of the Vatican and examines the work of Pope Francis and how he is steering the Church from the right back to the center and tackling topics that have been long avoided including gays, the role of women in the Church, and the sexual abuse scandals.

The author presents a comprehensive analysis of the election of Pope Benedict XVI, and describes the direction he will take the Catholic Church and the impact he will have around the world.

Articles by environmentalists, educators, researchers, and writers provide perspectives on today's important topics in the study of environment.

Presents a comprehensive biography of Pope Benedict XVI, tracing Joseph Ratzinger's childhood growing up in Adolf Hitler's Germany and his early academic career, and examines his philosophical and theological opinions on several issues that have plagued the Catholic church in the last several decades.

Offers an inside-look at the inner workings of the Vatican, revealing how decisions are made, how papal bureaucrats think, and how careers in the Roman Curia are shaped.