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Summary A narrative history of the early Near East is virtually impossible, confessed archaeologist Paul Collins, the curator for the ancient Near East at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, in his 2016 study,
Mountains and Lowlands: Ancient Iran and Mesopotamia.
The Sumerians, Collins s latest contribution to the Lost Civilizations series, eschews narrative in favor of separate chapters on, for example, The first cities and The first writing. Even the book s opening chronology refers to Sumerian only as a descriptor of language and script, not as a people, state, dynasty, or empire.
This is the cover of Absolute Power: How the Pope Became the Most Influential Man in the World by Paul Collins. The book is reviewed by Brian T. Olszewski. (CNS)
Help us expand our reach! Please share this article Absolute Power: How the Pope Became the Most Influential Man in the World by Paul Collins. PublicAffairs (New York, 2018). 367 pp, $28.
Early in Absolute Power, Paul Collins says 1799 was probably the lowest point in the history of the papacy. What follows is a look at Catholic history as shaped by world affairs, the institution of the papacy and its power, and how the successors of St. Peter from the early 19th century through Pope Francis have used that power.
Martin Warde
11 min read Gay Travellers are a minority within a minority. Ruby, who is trans, faces another level of prejudice
Imagine a world where you live in fear, and with each waking hour that fear grows to a point where the only escape comes from the promise of closing your eyes forever. Imagine being born into a life without choice or consultation, without the option of bartering the terms and conditions.
Imagine then, that you persevere through the hardships and navigate your way through the obstacles on a perilous journey that you had no part in choosing. While people from many backgrounds in modern Ireland must make this journey, it is a common experience for the LGBT+ community, who do so without any chart or map.
Court Packing Isn t a New Prospect. Is This Time Any Different?
On 4/21/21 at 11:13 AM EDT
A group of Democratic lawmakers led by Representative Jerry Nadler of New York and Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts introduced a plan to expand the number of the justices on the U.S. Supreme Court last week.
The Judiciary Act of 2021 would increase the Court s members from nine to 13 and comes at a time when many Democrats feel aggrieved by Republican behavior toward the Court, including refusing to hold a confirmation hearing for former President Barack Obama s nominee Merrick Garland in 2016.
The idea of expanding the Court often referred to as court packing is not a new one. The last major proposal came from President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. It was ultimately not carried through but the current effort has brought it back into the spotlight. Many are wondering if 2021 will prove different to 1937.