Isabella Pace wrote: |
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Hi, guys —
I am considering becoming Catholic or Eastern Orthodox. I am looking into whether Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy is the church Jesus established.
The Eastern Orthodox Church claims that the Bishop of Rome only has a "primacy of honor".
- Is the Bishop of Rome, according to the Eastern Orthodox, just "first among equals"?
- Also, can you address the Eastern Orthodox claims for Conciliarism?
I greatly appreciate your time!
Thank you!
Isabella
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| { Is the Bishop of Rome, according to Eastern Orthodox, "first among equals? and on Conciliarism? } |
Eric replied:
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Dear Isabella —
This is obviously a huge topic, too big to discuss in a brief reply. I encourage you to go to You Tube and look up the videos on this topic by Michael Lofton; he discusses things at length. He also has a book,
A few notes from these:
- Lofton establishes conclusively that councils accepted by the East, and Eastern bishops as a whole, accepted the primacy and role of the pope of Rome.
- "Primacy of honor" as a concept meant much more back during the undivided church than it sounds to English-speaking ears today. It meant authority, not just pomp and circumstance.
Jimmy Akin, when he was converting, faced a similar question; this is how he described how he made his decision:
As an Eastern Catholic, I have studied this question myself. Here are a few observations I've made.
Pope Clement (or whichever pope Clement was acting on behalf of) wrote the Corinthians in the first century to rebuke them and intervened when they overthrew their priests.
- Why did he do this, if he did not regard himself as having universal jurisdiction?
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In the introduction to his epistle to the Romans, St. Ignatius of Antioch in 107 A.D., speaks very differently to them than he does the other six churches he writes to.
For example, he says:
Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, unto her that hath found mercy in the bountifulness of the Father Most High and of Jesus Christ His only Son; to the church that is beloved and enlightened through the will of Him who willed all things that are, by faith and love towards Jesus Christ our God; even unto her that hath the presidency in the country of the region of the Romans, being worthy of God, worthy of honor, worthy of felicitation, worthy of praise, worthy of success, worthy in purity, and having the presidency of love, walking in the law of Christ and bearing the Father’s name; which church also I salute in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of the Father; unto them that in flesh and spirit are united unto His every commandment, being filled with the grace of God without wavering, and filtered clear from every foreign stain; abundant greeting in Jesus Christ our God in blamelessness.
Lightfoot, J. B. with St. Ignatius of Antioch and St. Polycarp,
The Apostolic Fathers, Part II: St. Ignatius, St. Polycarp: Translations, Second Edition (London; New York: Macmillan and Co., 1889), II, 558–59 |
Note that he speaks of his "presidency" and how Rome is "filtered clear from every foreign stain". |
St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, 180 A.D., 3,3,2
But since it would be too long to enumerate in such a volume as this the successions of all the Churches, we shall confound all those who, in whatever manner, whether through self-satisfaction or vainglory, or through blindness and wicked opinion, assemble other than where it is proper, by pointing out here the successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient Church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul, that Church which has the tradition and faith which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the Apostles. For with this Church, because of its superior origin, all Churches must agree, that is, all the faithful in the whole world; and it is in her that the faithful everywhere have maintained the Apostolic tradition. |
Tertullian, Modesty, 21,9
I now inquire into your opinion, to see whence you usurp this right for the Church. Do you presume, because the Lord said to Peter, "On this rock I will build my Church, I have given you the keys of the kingdom of heaven", or "whatever you shall have bound or loosed on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven," that the power of binding and loosing has thereby been handed on to you, that is, to every Church akin to Peter? What kind of man are you, subverting and changing what was the manifest intent of the Lord when He conferred this personally upon Peter? On /you/ He says, I will build my Church; and I will give to /you/ the keys, not to the Church; and whatever /you/ shall have bound or /you/ shall have loosed, not what /they/ shall have bound or /they/ shall have loosed." |
St. Opatatus of Milevis, The Schism of the Donatists, ca. A.D. 367, 2,2:
You cannot deny that you are aware that in the city of Rome the episcopal chair was given first to Peter; the chair in which Peter sat, the same who was head — that is why he is also called Cephas — of all the Apostles; the one chair in which unity is maintained by all. Neither do other Apostles proceed individually on their own; and anyone who would set up another chair in opposition to that single chair would, by that very fact, but a schismatic and a sinner. . . . I but ask you to recall the origins of your chair, you who wish to claim for yourselves the title of holy Church. |
St. Ephraim (d. 373), Homilies, 4,1:
Simon, My follower, I have made you the foundation of the holy Church. I betimes called you Peter, because you will support all its buildings. You are the inspector of those who will build on earth a Church for Me. If they should wish to build that is false, you, the foundation, will condemn them. You are the head of the fountain from which My teaching flows, you are the chief of My disciples. Through you I will give drink to all peoples. Yours is that life-giving sweetness which I dispense. I have chosen you to be, as it were, the first-born in My institution, and so that, as the heir, you may be executor of my treasures. I have given you the keys of my kingdom. Behold, I have given you authority over all my treasures! |
Letter of Jerome to Pope Damasus, A.D. 374-379, 15,2
I follow no leader but Christ and join in communion with none but Your Blessedness, that is, with the chair of Peter. I know that this is the rock on which the Church has been built. Whoever eats the Lamb outside this house is profane. Anyone who is not in the ark of Noah will perish when the flood prevails. |
Letter of Jerome to Pope Damasus, A.D. 374-379, 16,2
The Church here is split into three parts, each teacher to seize me for its own. . . Meanwhile I keep crying: "He that is joined to the chair of Peter is accepted by me!" Meletius, Vitalis, and Paulinus each claims to be loyal to you, which I could believe did only one make the claim. As it is, either two of them are lying, or else all three. Therefore I implore Your Blessedness by the cross of the Lord, by the necessary glory of our faith, the Passion of Christ -- that as you follow the Apostles in dignity may you follow them also in worth,-- . . . tell me by letter with whom it is that I should communicate in Syria. Despise not a soul for whom Christ died! |
St. John Chrysostom (d. 407 AD):
- "The Church of Rome is the highest authority in the Church, and the apostle Peter was its first bishop."
- (Homily 81 on Matthew)
"The Roman Church is the teacher of the world, and the apostle Peter was its first teacher."- (Homily 82 on Matthew)
"And I say to thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." (Matthew 16:18) "This verse proves that the apostle Peter was the first bishop of Rome and the leader of the whole Church."- (Homily 81 on Matthew)
- "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church."
- (Matthew 16:18)
"This verse shows that the Church of Rome is the foundation of the whole Church, and the Pope is the successor of St. Peter."- (Homily 82 on Matthew)
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Pope St. Gelasius (died 496), Theil, Epistle 26:
"Yet, we do not hesitate to mention that which is known to the Universal Church, namely, that as the See of Blessed Peter the Apostle has the right to loose what has been bound by the judgments of any bishops, whatsoever, and since it has jurisdiction over every church, so that no one may pass judgement on its verdict, the canons providing that an appeal should be to it from any part of the world, no one is permitted to appeal against its judgement." |
St. Maximos the Confessor, d. 622, Opuscula theologica et polemica, 12-144C.4-12 (Migne):
"The Apostolic See ... from the very Incarnate Word of God and from all the holy synods of all the churches throughout the world in their sacred canons and definitions has received and possesses, in and for everything, dominion, authority, and power to bind and loose. With it the Word, set at the head of the heavenly powers, binds and looses in heaven." |
Pope St. Agatho (died 681), Letter to the 6th Ecumenical Council,
Mansi, XI, p. 233:
"...Peter's true confession was revealed from heaven by the Father, and for it Peter was pronounced blessed by the Lord of all; and he received also, from the Redeemer of us all, by a threefold commendation, the spiritual sheep of the Church that he might feed them. Resting on his protection, the Apostolic Church (of Rome) has never turned aside from the way of truth to any part of error and her authority has always been faithfully followed and embraced as that of the Prince of the Apostles, by the whole Catholic Church, and by all the venerable Fathers who embraced her doctrine, by which they have shone as most approved lights of the Church of Christ, and has been venerated by all orthodox doctors." |
Eric
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Bob replied:
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Dear Isabella,
Thanks for the question.
Here is an A.I.-generated summary of the Eastern Orthodox view on Conciliarism with "my take" followed below:
Conciliarism is the belief that the authority of the Church, particularly in matters of doctrine and governance, resides primarily in ecumenical councils rather than in the papacy or any single individual. The Eastern Orthodox Church has a unique approach to Conciliarism, which can be understood in the context of its ecclesiology (the theology of the Church).
In the Eastern Orthodox view:
- Conciliarity as the Essence of Church Governance: The Orthodox Church believes that the authority of the Church is expressed through synods (councils) of bishops, rather than through a singular papal authority as seen in Roman Catholicism. This means that the highest decisions about doctrine, dogma, and the direction of the Church are made by the collective agreement of bishops, not by one bishop or patriarch alone.
- Ecumenical Councils: For the Orthodox, an ecumenical council is one that is universally recognized by the whole Church, and it is convened to address doctrinal or theological issues that affect the entire Christian community. Historically, seven ecumenical councils (from 325 A.D. to 787 A.D.) are recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church as having authoritative and binding teachings. These councils were gatherings of bishops from across the Christian world to resolve disputes and define the orthodox (correct) teachings of the Church.
- Synodality in the Local Churches: The Eastern Orthodox Church operates through a system of synods at both local and regional levels. These synods involve bishops and other clergy who come together to address matters specific to their region. The synodal structure ensures that no single bishop or leader holds supreme authority, but rather that authority is distributed among the bishops.
- No Papal Supremacy: In contrast to Roman Catholicism, where the pope is seen as the supreme authority on Earth, the Eastern Orthodox Church rejects the idea of papal supremacy. Instead, each of the autocephalous (independent) Orthodox Churches is led by a patriarch or a synod of bishops, and each has equal authority within its own jurisdiction. The Patriarch of Constantinople, while regarded as "first among equals" (the primus inter pares), does not hold the same kind of centralized power or infallibility that the pope does in Catholicism.
- Conciliarity and the Holy Spirit: The Orthodox understanding of conciliarism is also tied to the belief that the Holy Spirit guides the decisions of the Church. The bishops, in synod, are considered to be acting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in making decisions that preserve and protect the true faith. The Church is seen as the Body of Christ, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit ensuring the protection of the faith, rather than a single person exercising ultimate authority.
In summary, the Eastern Orthodox Church views Conciliarism as the natural and proper way of governing the Church, with authority being shared among the bishops in synods and councils rather than concentrated in a single individual. This conciliar structure is rooted in the understanding of the Church as the collective body of believers, guided by the Holy Spirit and working together to maintain the purity of the faith.
Here's "my take":
Primacy without supremacy is wholly inadequate to provide unity for the Universal Church in matters pertinent to the retention of the true faith. Christ only established One Church, and in so doing made Peter a vicar, which is clearly manifest in the keys (Matthew 16:19) which he alone holds. When Christ gives the whole body of the Apostles authority in Matthew 18 there is no mention of “keys" specifically, because (only) in Matthew 16 Christ was playing off of Isaiah 22, when Shebna was removed as the master of the palace in the Davidic kingdom and replaced with Eliakim, who was given the keys in his stead.
This office from which Shebna was removed was like a prime minister, who alone could act in the name of the king in his absence. This was critical to the righteous administration of the kingdom, especially while David was absent fighting wars and conducting other business. The vicar’s power is not independent of his master but contingent upon it. The Orthodox lack this unifying authority and therefore have no means to resolve issues that can cause breakdown and separation. This clearly was something that Christ anticipated and prevented via his vicar. The Orthodox can have unity once again when they recognize the true role of the Pope.
In the end, honorary titles have no teeth and cannot effectuate acts necessary to maintain the unity of the whole Church.
Peace,
Bob Kirby
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