While the mission to
teach, signified by the notion of "chair" (cathedra), was
first given to Peter, it was also conferred with the same authority on all of
the apostles: "The other apostles were the same as Peter except that Peter
occupied a primal place of authority (primatus). This shows that there
is but one church and one seat of authority. All of the apostles are good
shepherds, yet there is one single flock that is led in one accord out to
pasture. This unity must be firmly defended, especially by those of us who are
bishops" (Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church 4-5). On the basis of
the earlier text of On the Unity of the Church, Peter's primacy emerges as a
symbol of and exhortation to unity. While Rome's privileged position could be
likened to the rights of a firstborn, or conferred due to its ecclesiastical
seniority, it did not mean that the Roman bishop had authority and jurisdiction
over his episcopal colleagues . . . According to Cyprian, next to Christ's eminent authority,
the Catholic church's greatest source of authority was the united collegium of
bishops speaking with one voice in Christ's name. This notion of collegiality
was especially developed among the African church leaders as bishops were
elected by the clergy and laity and were later consecrated by other key
provincial bishops. Hence, the bishop of Rome was not empowered with the
authority to single-handedly make doctrinal or disciplinary decisions for the
entire church. Firmilian's harsh words regarding Stephen have been noted:
"to cut himself off from the unity of charity, to alienate himself from
his brethren in everything" (Cyprian Letter 75.25.2). The Holy
Spirit should serve as the ultimate guide and judge for the universal church,
not the church at Rome. Thus, if the Roman bishop cut himself off from the
church, which speaks through its unified body of bishops, it is imperative for
the sake of unity that he be shown the error of his ways. In condemning
Marcianus of Arles, Cyprian had already written: "it is plainly evident
that a man does not hold the truth of the Holy Spirit with the rest of his
colleagues when we find that his opinions are different from theirs" (Cyprian
Letter 68.5). (François Decret, Early Christianity in North Africa [trans.
Edward L. Smither; Eugene, Oreg.: Cascade Books, 2009], 74-75, 75-76)
