The purpose of this article is to examine the theological thought of selected Church Fathers and Christian writers in the first three centuries of Christianity. The idea of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, understood in a modern way – that the Bishop of this Church is the head of all particular Catholic communities – was not always perceived as such. The Church required reflection and time to develop such an idea.
The article presents the following detailed issues: reflection on primacy by prominent bishops of the first three centuries of Christianity: Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Irenaeus of Lyon. The reflections of these bishops lead to a clear thesis: the community of the Roman Church, together with its bishop, held a supreme role in the universal Church.
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