It is only recently that the Roman Catholic Church has called for a reappraisal of the Christian roots of anti-Semitism and made a commitment to coming to terms with its responsibility for the Holocaust. One important sign of this commitment was made when David I. Kertzer became one of the first scholars selected for access to the previously secret historical archives of the Inquisition.

The result is a book as shocking as it is important: whilst focussing primarily on the last two hundred years, The Popes Against the Jews exposes the centuries-long history of systematic abuse, humiliation and demonization. Despite its focus, it is not an anti-Catholic book, but seeks a balance of judgment and understanding. It reveals the origins of the church's anti-Semitism as a product of sincere religious beliefs, a theology based on the understanding that it was God's work that was being done.