One of the most enduring and influential of all human institutions, the Papacy has also been among the most controversial. From the founding of the Christian Church in the first century AD to the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in the late twentieth century, the Popes have been central players in the history of Europe. In "Keepers of the Keys of Heaven," eminent medieval and religious scholar Roger Collins presents the entire, grand arc of papal history in an objective, accessible single volume. From the separation of the Greek and Latin churches to the contemporary controversies that threaten the unity of the many-million-strong Catholic Church, Collins shows how no one seeking to make sense of the modern world can neglect the vital role of the popes.