The Papal Primacy During the First Three Centuries of the Post-Apostolic Period Cover Image

Папски примат у постапостолском периоду током прва три века
The Papal Primacy During the First Three Centuries of the Post-Apostolic Period

Author(s): Boban Dimitrijević
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, History of Church(es), Other Christian Denominations
Published by: Свети Архијерејски Синод
Keywords: primacy; Roman bishop; Roman church; catholicity; council; witnessing; authority

Summary/Abstract: In this paper we discuss the place and role of the Roman church and bishop during the first three centuries of the post-apostolic period. The events and scripts of the early Church history show that attitudes of Rome were accepted at almost all the most important discussions and disputes. It clearly points to the obligatory significance and spiritual authority of the Roman church related to others local churches. However, the same sources also prove that there was no common jurisdictional primacy of the Roman bishop during that time. We conclude that the special authority of the Roman church was out of question according to witnessing the truth about actual problems, but that such a position of the Roman church did not imply any church-legal domination above other local churches.

  • Issue Year: XLVII/2014
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 223-262
  • Page Count: 40
  • Language: Serbian