we are not discussing brain surgery here,
Could we also not discuss Mary here?
It was pointed out shortly after I posted #211 that this thread is about Peter, so I stopped talking about Mary after #293. Can we all do the same?
I’m sure there will be ample opportunity to further discuss Mary on other threads.
I do so enjoy dry humor. No really, I do!
“this thread is about Peter...”
Great idea to try to get this thread back on track. Consider this:
The heresy of Nestorianism that has resurfaced within modern protestantism is actually a serious understanding of Christ’s true nature. This complete misunderstanding of the hypostatic union led to the same errors that occur today among those who think wrongly that Catholics make the Blessed Mother into a goddess.
This is ludicrous and the root of the error is a failure in understanding the correct nature of Christ Incarnate.
Back on topic:
Nestorius’s local Bishop, Cyril Of Alexandria, wrote to Pope St. Celestine to clear it up. St. Celestine immediately condemned Nestorius’s error and so now we are back on track that it is the successor of Peter who has the final say when doctrines are disputed. This does not preclude discussion and disagreement among Bishops during the processes of sorting things out. It does mean that there is a final arbiter to be consulted, Peter and those who succeeded him in the apostolic succession.
Matthew 16:18 (There is no doubt that the koine Greek refers to Peter singular.) Peter is further set apart when Jesus takes him aside with instructions to feed the sheep: John 21- 15-17.
Tertullian ca 160 Prescription Against Heretics,32
Irenaeus “Against Heresies” 3.24
Both were men from antiquity whose writings are still extant who held that Matthew 16:18 was Jesus givng Peter a place of primacy.
One would have to prove that their writings were in error to definitively state that Peter did not have a leadership position. They would have been in a position in history to be living the precedent as it unfolded.
We could; but after 666+ replies, almost ANYTHING is liable to pop up!
Jus' 'cause another shiny object appears; that does NOT mean we HAVE to go chasing after it.