The Papacy in the First Two Centuries

For many Christians, the papacy is one of the greatest points of disagreement between Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants. But what did the earliest Christians actually believe?Tonight we’ll examine the evidence from the first two centuries of Christianity—before Nicaea, before Constantine, and long before the medieval papacy. We’ll look at the writings of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Hegesippus, Irenaeus, and the Muratorian Fragment to ask a simple historical question:What role did the Church of Rome and its bishop play in the earliest generations of Christianity?  We’ll discuss:The authority of Clement’s letter to CorinthWhy Ignatius says Rome “presides”Hegesippus’ investigation into apostolic successionIrenaeus’ famous statement that every church should agree with RomeWhether these sources support, challenge, or complicate modern claims about the papacyWhether you’re Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, or simply interested in Church history, this livestream is designed to engage the primary sources directly.If you'd like to donate to our ministry or be a monthly partner that receives newsletters and one on one discussions with Dr. Stephen Boyce, here's a link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7