The Chair of St Peter: Primacy and Authority

One of controversies in the Church is about the Roman Catholic claim about St Peter's - and, subsequently, the Pope's - primacy. For Eastern Orthodox believers, he was merely primus inter pares or first among equals. Hence he does not enjoy the recognition given him by the Roman Catholic Church as Prince of the Apostles. Together with the problem on primacy is of course the question of authority. If St Peter is merely first among equals, then he cannot have an authority over and above that of the other Apostles. There must be some sharing of authority and the Roman Catholics Church's claim of the Pope's primacy is indeed unjust with regards to the other Churches established by the other Apostles.

Image from catholictradition.org

Today's Feast - the Chair of St Peter - celebrates the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church about St Peter's primacy and authority. Some of the key Biblical passages upon which St Peter's primacy and authority have been claimed to be founded are that which speaks of his being given a new name of Peter, which means ROCK, from his former name of Simon followed by the Lord's declaration that UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and somehow seconded by the giving of keys - that is why St Peter's image always have keys; the choice of the Lord to go up his boat to preach to a large crowd followed by the Lord ordering him to cast his net in deep waters even if for the whole night they caught nothing [Luke 5: 1-11]; the Lord's admonition to him that after he overcomes his sin of denying the Lord during His trial he should encourage his brethren [Luke 22:32];  John's action of not entering the burial cave and letting Peter first though he was first to arrive there when Peter and he ran to the place after Mary Magdalene told them about the empty tomb [John 20: 2-8]; the Lord's special talk with him after their breakfast asking him thrice if he loves Him and commanding him to feed His flock [John 21: 15-19]; the Lord's claim about one Flock and one Shepherd [John 10:16]; and more. Clearly, St Peter was given an important and special role as head of the Church hence where Peter is, there is the Church.

Connected to this dogma of the primacy and authority of St Peter is of course the primacy and authority of his successors: the Popes. The celebration of the Chair of St Peter is a celebration not of the person of St Peter [we celebrate him together with St Paul on June 29] but of this primacy and authority: hence the Chair, or Cathedra [that is why the main church of a diocese is called Cathedral because it is where the Bishop - and the Pope is the Bishop of Rome - speaks hence the term Ex Cathedra or from the Chair]. It is not an ordinary Chair that we are celebrating - it is the Chair of primacy and authority granted by the Lord Jesus Himself to St Peter in order to guide and lead the Church which He founded upon this very same ROCK [Peter means Rock].

The early history of the Roman Catholic Church would show that indeed St Peter has the recognition of having primacy and authority as attested to by leading men of the Church. Actually, the unfortunate side issue that made such recognition seem to have been disregarded later was more of a political one due to the events that took place during the establishment of Constantinople as an important center of the Eastern Roman Empire later to be called the Byzantine Empire, and after the Fall of Rome. However, it must be understood that only the political regime of the Western Roman Empire fell. The Roman Catholic Church remained alive and actually kept the western civilization aflame.

Abuses by some clergy in the Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages caused Protestantism which the Roman Catholic Church countered through the Tridentine Reforms. But the Protestant movements already caused division especially with the issue of Papal authority: they claimed that St Peter did not have the primary authority after all as evidenced by these Biblical events: when St Paul questioned his withdrawal from the Gentiles upon the arrival of Jewish Christians in Antioch [see Galatians 2:11]. They claimed that if St Peter was "head" St Paul would not question him like that. And St James' decision during the Jerusalem Council [see Acts 15] as if it was St James who "ruled" the Church. They also claimed that there is no need for a central Church administration hence no need for a Pope to govern all Christians which resulted to the multiplicity of Christian churches and denominations consequently negating what the Lord said to the Apostles about having one Flock and one Shepherd. They also regarded the Bible alone as sole authority that Christians should follow - not the Pope, the Bishops and the priests, not even the Church Councils. 

In our modern times, it's quite amusing that many assemblies, denominations, sects, and churches question the primacy and authority of St Peter while somehow holding on to some kind of primacy and authority on the matter misusing the Bible as their sole source of it as if the Roman Catholic Church have disregarded the Bible as basis of St Peter's primacy and authority. Together with many Protestants, they argue that the Papacy is not Bible-based hence an irrelevant office. However, their leaders observably without voicing it claim the same authority and primacy through their actions and decisions which seem to be law - divine law at that - to their followers. Some of them even claim to be especially chosen ones misusing and misinterpreting the Bible to support their claim - ironically, they attack the Catholic Church of these abuses! These new fundamentalists or Bible-only Christians differ so much from mainline Protestantism and are actually causing some Protestants to trace back their roots to the Roman Catholic Church. 

When the Lord came He clearly intended to establish a community, which He calls "Church" to supplant the House of Israel for its failure to recognize Him. That is why the Church is called the New Israel or the New People of God [see 1 Peter 2:9]. Establishing a community also means establishing the necessary elements for its operations hence the need for leadership. To let His followers understood this, He told them about the necessity of having one Flock and one Shepherd. Since He was going back to the Father, He entrusted the "Church" to His chosen one and that one is St Peter, to whom he entrusted the encouragement of his brethren who felt afraid and lost after He was arrested, tried, crucified, died and buried. 

Consequently, since St Peter would not live forever on earth, a successor would have to retain the same primacy or authority - or the Chair - or else there will be confusion and chaos in the Church - something that the Lord surely does not want to happen by choosing a leader among His chosen ones. Even our earthly governments have mechanisms to avoid chaos upon the vacancy of the head of government through various means: law of succession for monarchies, election for republics, etc. How much more the Church which has to fulfill the very important mission of serving God's people and ensuring their readiness to face the Lord when He comes as Judge. 

We must understand that the time in which the early Church was established was so different from ours. Today, we have the Papal Conclave to choose a new Pope. During their time, it was not so convenient to call representatives from all over the Roman Empire to attend to the election of a new Pope especially since they were being persecuted. Hence, automatically, the one to succeed to the Papacy would have to be the one who was with St Peter in serving the Church in Rome, and it was St Linus. The election of Pope evolved in accordance with the evolution of the society wherein the Church existed. There was a time when even lay people participated in the election. It was only later that only the Cardinals were given that privilege which somehow made it impossible for a non-cleric to be elected as Pope during our time.

During this celebration, especially after the sudden resignation of Pope Benedict XVI from the Chair of St Peter, let us pray that God may send someone who will steer the Church through troubled waters in these very challenging times. The Church is attacked by outside forces and also being gnawed internally through members who do not accept the Pope's - and the Bishops' - authority anymore. Like a ship being bombarded by forces outside and crews and passengers causing leaks from within, the Church has to have a very capable Captain who will navigate firmly in the name and for the glory of the Great Heavenly Admiral amid the spiritual and moral battle that is currently raging.