The “Protestant Peril”: The Church and Italian Catholics on the Issue of Religious Freedom, 1922–1955. By Paolo Zanini. Leiden: Brill, 2025. 240 pp. 118. 00.

Key Points

• This work examines the relationship between the Catholic Church and Italian Catholics regarding the issue of religious freedom during a critical historical period.
• Historical analysis of church documents, writings, and public statements from 1922 to 1955.
• Review of social and political contexts influencing church policies and Italian Catholic responses.
• Analysis highlights the Church's fears of Protestantism undermining Catholic authority.
• Findings show an evolution in the Church's stance toward religious freedom, influenced by social tensions and political changes.
• Documents reveal the Church's attempts to unify Catholics against perceived Protestant threats.