Did the Early Church Have a Pope - Part III - The Early Witnesses

In the previous note I surveyed the statements of the early Popes themselves.  Those quotes seemed to express the idea that they were the successors of Peter and had a special ministry to care for the entire Church. 

But I closed with a question; was this ministry recognized by others? 

We will conclude this series with two notes addressing that question.  Today we will focus on three of the earliest witnesses.

Ignatius’s Greeting:  Turkey, 110AD

First we will look at the letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.  As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, he was a bishop who was taken from Antioch to Rome for his execution.  During this journey he wrote several letters to local churches along his path. 

For most of those letters, he began by saying something like, “To the church at [location], which has obtained mercy from Jesus, and is worthy of happiness, I greet you.”

But in his letter to Rome, he began:

“The Church which is beloved and enlightened by the will of Him that wills all things which are according to the love of Jesus Christ our God, which also presides in the place of the region of the Romans, worthy of God, worthy of honor, worthy of the highest happiness, worthy of praise, worthy of obtaining her every desire, worthy of being deemed holy, which presides over love, is named from Christ, and from the Father, which I also salute in the name of Jesus Christ." - Epistle to the Romans, 110AD.

This highly elevated level of praise for the Church at Rome indicates something special about it.  Most notably the language of Rome “presiding” and being worthy of obtaining its desires.

 Irenaeus Points to the Standard: France, 180AD

Irenaeus was the Bishop of Lyons, France at the close of the second century.  His lone surviving work is a massive tome called “Against All Heresies”.  In it he notes that heresies are most reliably refuted by referring to the teachings present in the church at Rome:

"Since, however, it would be very tedious [] to reckon up the successions of all the Churches, we put to confusion all those who []  assemble in unauthorized meetings by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul.  As also by pointing out the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops. For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its pre-eminent authority." - Against Heresies, 3:3:2,  180AD.

Cyprian Appeals for Unity:  Carthage, 250AD

Cyprian was the Bishop of Carthage in the middle of the third century.  Reading his biography reveals just how tumultuous things got in the early church.

During his time there was a schism in Rome when the validly elected Pope Cornelius was opposed by a false claimant named Novatian.  Cyprian wrote a letter addressed to those who had split away from Cornelius to join the usurper.  He wrote:

“And though to all His Apostles He gave an equal power yet did He set up one chair, and disposed the origin and manner of unity by his authority. The other Apostles were indeed what Peter was, but the primacy is given to Peter, and the Church and the chair is shown to be one. And all are pastors, but the flock is shown to be one, which is fed by all the Apostles with one mind and heart. He that holds not this unity of the Church, does he think that he holds the faith? He who deserts the chair of Peter, upon whom the Church is founded, is he confident that he is in the Church?” - Treatise 1: The Unity of the Church, 4, 251AD.

A year later Cyprian had some problems with a band of heretics claiming to follow the true bishop of Carthage, who was really a usurper.  The heretical group sent emissaries to Rome in an attempt to get the approval of Pope Cornelius.  Cyprian also sent a letter sent a letter to Pope Cornelius saying:

“After such things as these, moreover, they still dare — having appointed a false bishop — to set sail and to bear letters from schismatic and profane persons to the throne of Peter, and to the chief church whence priestly unity takes its source.”  - Epistle to Cornelius, 19,  252AD

Now, astute readers may note that this is the same Cyprian whom I mentioned last time as objecting vociferously to Pope Stephen’s decision on the baptism of heretics.  While he was loud and disrespectful, Cyprian did not deny that Pope Stephen held the office of Peter and the keys.  

Taking a Pause:

We’ve covered a few of the early witnesses concerning the ongoing ministry of Peter through his successors.  There is more data to look at, but for the sake of length we will take a pause here. 

When we return, we’ll look at some of the witnesses from the fourth century of Christianity – particularly some names you may be familiar with. 

See you then.  [Link!]