Thursday, October 29, 2020

François Decret on Cyprian and the Roman See

 

 

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)

 

 

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