Upon This Rock: The Life of St. Peter

The acclaimed novel of the early years after the Resurrection, and the power of a Gospel, a Church, and a new World, is available again as a new paperback. Walter F. Murphy, author of the bestselling THE VICAR OF CHRIST, engages the epic grandeur of the Resurrection and the heroic struggle of Simon Peter to spread the good word that the kingdom of God is at hand. His journey is harrowing: he flees from Jerusalem to Galilee and, after further fascinating travels, finally arrives in Nero's Rome. The story unfolds in epic scope filtered through the skeptical but insightful Greek scholar Quintus, who follows Simon Peter in his journeys.

In UPON THIS ROCK, Murphy humanizes the disciples as never before: they are filled with love for the Master, but like every man they are at times petty, selfish, vain. Simon Peter himself is a man of spacious moods, resenting Jesus' love for John and envying the spiritual power Mary of Magdala's vision of the risen Master brings. And Peter can be crude, angry, and self-pitying, for he is an uneducated man with a tragic past that fuels his nagging spiritual doubt. His faith wavers, even fails, but ultimately triumphs - conquering even the brutal torture of the disciples by Nero's Romans. Upon this rock a Church was built. Just as the Master envisioned.

A novel previously published by Macmillan and Ballantine, this work is now available from Quid Pro Books in this authorized paperback, with the original maps retained from the hardcover edition.