On February 21, 2009, Father Peter Kennedy, of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in South Brisbane, was sacked by his Archbishop for contravening aspects of Catholic doctrine.

This book, Peter Kennedy – The Man Who Threatened Rome, is an assembly of voices looking at Peter Kennedy the man, the priest and the maverick.

With an introduction by former Catholic priest and media commentator Paul Collins, Peter Kennedy – The Man Who Threatened Rome, contains essays international theologian Hans King, singer/songwriter Shane Howard and Frances Devlin-Glass, Michael Morwood, Brian Doyle, Sr Veronica Brady, John Shelby Spong, Fr Roy Bourgeois, Sr Joan Chittester, Fr Peter Norden, Tom Uren and others.

There is a secular portrait of Kennedy as a man by journalist Martin Flanagan. Flanagan asks, not so much what has Kennedy done, but who is he? Freelance writer and author Michele Gierck stands with the congregation. Her book, 700 Days in El Salvador, is an account of the civil war in El Salvador which she saw from the inside. Now she stands inside the church now known as St Mary’s In Exile and describes 11 of the parishioners as she sees them.

There are a variety of viewpoints on Kennedy and the Church today, what he has done and what the Roman Catholic church has done in banning him from his church. The voices range from singer/songwriter Shane Howard to international theologian Hans Kung.

Martin Flanagan has the last word after meeting Kennedy for a second time. Who is this man who threatens Rome? Is Christianity, as Kennedy claims, dying in Australia?