Blish's CASE OF CONSCIENCE and Urth

In the past on this list there have been periodic reference to Blish's book, by three or four people hereabouts. Well I just read it, myself, and I liked it a lot more than the BLACK EASTER books, with which it shares obvious similaries (including, IMHO, a weak ending--but now I'm getting ahead of myself). So I would like people to take this opportunity to chat about COC, compare and contrast with the Urth Cycle. I know that at least a few of you have read it, and most likely many more have, since it is an award winning (Hugo, I believe?) classic.

Because here is a clear and obvious case of Roman Catholic sf; there is a certain similarity between the Jesuit hero and Severian, in that both must destroy a world; etc. =mantis=