Sometimes we compare other reading. We are currently reading
Conclave by Robert Harris. When a contemporary novel presents fictional public figures like Presidents or Prime Ministers or, in this case, Cardinals and a Pope, its narrative takes one sideways step into alternative history. (In the third
Godfather film, a newly elected Pope takes the name, "
Joannes Paulus Primus," so that is
not alternative history!) As we have seen, Poul Anderson's Technic History presents Jerusalem Catholicism in our near future. Harris presents a dead alternative Pope and his successor in our even nearer future. Thus,
Conclave is potentially the opening instalment of a future history series although, of course, there is no intention to take it in that direction. But there is some common ground between Anderson and Harris. Read both and see the
Conclave film. (I suggest.)
6 comments:
I think the convention is that fictional people and places don't make mainstream literature alternate history. Cf., Faulkner's fictional Yoknapatawpha County in Mississippi.
Kaor, Paul!
I've not read Harris' book, but I have seen reviews of the movie based on it, CONCLAVE, and they were largely negative. There were complaints about both minor and major errors in it. Setting aside a ridiculous plot device, some criticisms were that the film traduced the cardinals, that they were allegedly corrupt, hypocritical, secret atheists, etc. Nothing I've seen or read about the recent conclave which elected Pope Leo XIV made me think the great majority of the real cardinals, whatever their human frailties, were anything but sincerely devout believers in Christ.
Old tho' it is now, Morris West's 1963 novel THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN was a far better, historically grounded fictional treatment of the Papacy. But, he disavowed any connection with the filmed version because of how the script distorted what he had written in the book.
I've also read Frederick Rolfe's (a Stirlingian name!) HADRIAN VII (1904), a wish fulfillment fantasy of the author being elected pope. Interesting and worth reading despite the author's questionable character.
I'm also rereading Anderson's "A Chapter of Revelation," which mentions a Pope Benedict!
Hope this attempt uploads.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Harris' cardinals are not atheists but the author clearly does not understand the sacrament of Confession. The book is worth reading and I think you'll see what I mean about Confession.
Paul.
Yeah, Harris doesn't understand how the Catholic church's upper echelons work. Also, he underestimates the sincerity of their beliefs. You don't make a career like that, usually, unless you're a true believer.
The current Pope is an example -- he worked very hard, in uncomfortable places.
"You don't make a career like that, usually, unless you're a true believer."
True, though sometimes a true believer will start a career like that and later stop believing. That has to be a difficult situation. The career switch needed for honesty would be harder than most career changes.
An example is Dan Barker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Barker
The article includes a link to "The Clergy Project" which Barker helped found which is to ease such a change.
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