John W. O’Malley, a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus, is currently University Professor in the Theology Department of Georgetown University, Washington, DC. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. His specialty is the religious culture of early modern Europe. Father O’Malley has written and edited a number of books, several of which have won best-book awards. For instance, The First Jesuits, perhaps his best known work, received both the Jacques Barzun Prize for Cultural History from the American Philosophical Society and the Philip Schaff Prize from the American Society for Church History. It has been translated into ten languages. In 2008, he published with Harvard University Press What Happened at Vatican II, which is a companion to his book from the same press, Trent: What Happened at the Council (2012).
Father O’Malley has lectured widely in Europe and North America to both professional and general audiences. He is past-president of the Renaissance Society of America and the American Catholic Historical Association. He holds the Johannes Quasten Medal from The Catholic University of America for distinguished service in religious studies. In 1995 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 1997 to the American Philosophical Society, and in 2001 to the Accademia di san Carlo, Ambrosian Library, Milan. He holds lifetime achievement awards from the Society for Italian Historical Studies, the Renaissance Society of America, and the American Catholic Historical Association.
“John W. O’Malley, S.J., is not only the dean of American Catholic historians, he is also one of the church’s greatest and most accomplished teachers.”– James Martin S.J., author of My Life with the Saints
Donald –
practically like a conversation
2,000 years of Papal History with Fr john O’Malley, SJ, has a style of presentation that makes it practically like a conversation, and insights step-by-step in a complex history. The course made me wish he could have gone on into Benedict, and even Francis = realizing of course that the lessons were completed during Benedict’s time, and now Francis.
Pat –
I learned so much. I found it inspirational
I learned so much. I found it inspirational
Terry –
Made each Pope very real to me.
Hearing about each of the popes in turn and the interesting details about their lives and interactions with the Church, with others, and their internal struggles made them very real to me.
Timothy –
An engaging and informative course!
John O’Malley’s encyclopedic mastery of church history, combined with his creative and humorous command of English, synergize to create an engaging and informative course!
Raymond –
This is an excellent adjunct to any course on the history of the Catholic Church.
This is an excellent adjunct to any course on the history of the Catholic Church.
Marie –
So necessary
I particularly liked the overview of the History of the Popes as it set the Papacy in perspective – so necessary in this time of change and transformation of the role by Pope Frances. Blessings on John O’Malley!
J.v. T., NY –
Fall Survey: October 2016
We Catholics know so little about our history and our faith. The course on the Popes was an eye opener. We can’t go forward without knowing what you are built on.
Patrick T., IN –
Summer 2018 Survey
Presentation of the ups and downs of Church history through the story of the bishops of Rome