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About
Established by the Catholic Church in 1231, the Inquisition continued in one form or another for almost seven hundred years. Though associated with the persecution of heretics and Jews-and with burning at the stake-its targets were more numerous, its techniques were more ambitious, and its effect on history has been greater than many understand.
The Inquisition pioneered surveillance, censorship, and "scientific" interrogation. As time went on, its methods and mindset spread far beyond the Church to become tools of secular persecution.
The Inquisition pioneered surveillance, censorship, and "scientific" interrogation. As time went on, its methods and mindset spread far beyond the Church to become tools of secular persecution.
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Reviews
"Cullen Murphy's account of the Inquisition is a dark but riveting tale, told with luminous grace. The Inquisition, he shows us, represents more than a historical episode of religious persecution. The drive to root out heresy and sin, once and for all, is emblematic of the modern age and a persisting danger in our time."
Michael J. Sandel, author of Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?
"From Torquemada to Guantanamo and beyond, Cullen Murphy finds the 'inquisitorial impulse' alive, and only too well, in our world. His engaging romp through the secret Vatican archives shows that the distance between the Dark Ages and Modernity is shockingly short. Who knew that reading about torture could be so entertaining?"
Jane Mayer, author of The Dark Side
"God's Jury is a reminder, and we need to be constantly reminded, that the most dangerous people in the world are the righteous, and when they wield real power, look out. At once global and chillingly intimate in its reach, the Inquisition turns out to have been both more and less awful than we thought. Murphy wears his erudition lightly, writes with quiet wit, and has a delightful way of seeing t
Mark Bowden, author of Guest of the Ayatollah