Brief History of the Roman Papacy

Perichoresis

This article aims to provide a philosophical case for the veracity of the doctrine of the papacy. This specific case will be presented as an a priori argument that will be formulated in light of the work of Richard Swinburne and Linda Zagzebski-which, in combination, will provide us with grounds for believing in the veracity of the papacy from a philosophical perspective, and thus help to further bolster up the historical arguments that are usually brought in support of this doctrine.

2005

This paper is at once a defense of the papacy, an analysis of the political dynamics that have made it so difficult for the papacy to fulfill its vocation, and a program for the long-term future of the institution. Specifically, I will argue that not only the Roman Catholic Church but also humanity in general desperately need an institution which can hold the public authorities accountable before the court of natural law, and that the imperfections of the papacy result from the extraordinary difficulty of maintaining both the autonomy necessary both to stand up to unjust social structures and the political power to act effectively in the global political arena. The Church has relied too narrowly on the papacy as a guarantor of the Church’s autonomy and political power. Only an institution strong in head and members can successfully stand up to the combined forces of unjust social structures and the ruling classes that benefit from them.

2010

Stellenbosch Theological Journal , 2024

The idea of the Church of Rome "as Mother of the churches" is central to Roman Catholic ecclesiology. It gained prominence from the time of Pope Nicholas I (858-67). Afterwards, it became customary to refer to the Church of Rome as "Omnium Ecclesiarum Magistra, mater et caput" " (Teacher of all the Churches, mother and head). Within that ecclesiological conception stands solidly the place of the papacy with its centripetal function as the principle and foundation of Catholic unity. Ironically, the same institution that functions as a magnetic centre of unity in the Catholic Church is perceived as a polarising force by other churches within the Christian oikumene. However, starting essentially from Pope John XIII, the papacy has ecumenically sought to extend its unifying role beyond the ecclesiological confines of the Church of Rome. It jettisoned its previous "ecumenism of return" policy and became more disposed towards ecumenical dialogue. Pope John Paul II called the bishop of Rome "the first servant of unity." He was convinced that the promotion of Christian unity is "… a specific duty of the Bishop of Rome as the Successor of the Apostle Peter" (John Paul II 1995: ##4). This research is poised to look at the ecumenical place of the papacy and its polarity within ecumenical conversations and in the general orbit of "Global Christianity" that embraces unity and diversity as its very essence.

The Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 2011

Rechtsgeschichte 20, 361-362, 2012

The Heythrop Journal, 2011