Similarly, no one can deny that this Pope's message of peace and tolerance was more than Papal doctrine and became, instead, Vatican Foreign Policy, delivered in person by someone who "walked the walk and talked the talk." Precisely because of this, the book gives the contemporary reader insights into a tenuous time -- a time of Cold War tensions, a time when the economic stability of much of the world was unknown, and most especially a time in which many feared the coming millennium. Ironically, one of the final public scenarios presented in the book deals with the then Cardinal Ratzinger, prefect for the Congregation of the Faith, authoring and espousing the primacy of the Catholic Church. Despite the seeming arrogance of such a statement, the Pope called the documents "close to my heart" and explained that, "our confession . . . . isn't arrogance that deprecates other religious but an expression of joyous gratitude…. A dialogue without foundations is destined to degenerate into empty words" (199).

Useful for classroom work in literature,...

In addition, religious scholars and those wanting to peer beyond the official, beyond the myth, and into the depths of the man himself.
REFERENCES and WORKS CONSULTED

Flynn, R., R. Moore, J. Vrabel. (2002). John Paul II: A Personal Portrait of the Pope

And the Man. St. Martin's Press.

Gertz, S. (October 1, 2003). "Christian History Corner: John Paul II's Canonization Cannon."

Christianity Today. Cited in: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/octoberweb-only/10-20-52.0.html

Hewitt, H. (April 6, 2005). "Criticizing John Paul II -- Yet Another Thing the Mainstream

Press Doesn't Understand About the Catholic Church." WeeklyStandard.com. Cited in: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/454iylel.asp

Stourton, E. 92006). John Paul II: Man of History. Hooder and Stoughton.