Dr. Gordon - Guest speaker

During the Second World War Vatican City was considered a neutral country. It was the home of 40 foreign ambassadors including representatives of the United States and Great Britain. Pope Pius XII, who was elected on the eve of the war, was confronted by perhaps the greatest series of crises that the Church faced in the 20th century.

This program will highlight how Pius XII and the Vatican struggled to keep the churches open and protect the oppressed peoples of Europe from Nazi tyranny. Was Pius XII “Hitler’s Pope” or a valiant defender of human rights? Through newly released research we will relive the dramatic events inside the Vatican that had an impact across Europe and the world.

Edward E. Gordon is a professional historian who has extensively studied Church history. He has taught at DePaul University in Chicago and is the author of 20 books. He has previously been a guest speaker at Sacred Heart Church on the history of the Vatican and other Church-related topics.

Edward E. Gordon is an internationally known historian, author, and speaker. For over 20 years he taught at DePaul University, Loyola, and Northwestern universities in Chicago. He has presented hundreds of historical programs across America at museums, universities, and libraries and to a wide variety of organizations and associations. He has been a speaker at the Palm Springs Air Museum for the past 20 years.

Dr. Gordon is also the is the author of 20 books and over 150 articles in the areas of history, business, and education. A paperback edition of his latest book Divided on D-Day will be published this spring.

He has appeared on the CBS network’s “The Early Show,” CNN, the PBS News Hour, National Public Radio, and many other media venues.

Dr. Gordon earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in history at DePaul University, Chicago, and his Ph.D. at Loyola University Chicago and pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago.

Inside the World War II Papacy of Pius XII (1939-1945)

Dr. Gordon's Bio