The Babylonian Captivity of the Popes: Lessons for the 21st Century Church Leaders

Abstract

Since the death and resurrection of Christ, the church has been a focal point in the history and development of the human race.
Church as an institution has been a determinant factor in the socio-economic, politico-cultural and religious segments of the
society. As a great player, its success has been the success of the society and its failure the failure of humanity. However, this
institution has affected the society positively and negatively through her various stages it has passed since inception. Nevertheless, looking at the present church characterized with politics of rancor, struggle for power, excesses and abuses, intolerance, corruption, divide and rule, ethnicity, favoritism
among others, it seemed as if to say that the church has not learnt from her passed. The captivity of the popes has a great volume of lesson for present leaders in a view to have rethink. Therefore, this work ventures at investigating why this captivity in order to prevent such event in this present time.