Papal Primacy (Theology) [Paperback]

Klaus Schatz (Translator), Linda M. Maloney (Translator), John A. Otto (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Theology | Publication Date: January 1, 1996

This book traces the development of the idea of a papacy as center of teaching and jurisdiction from its earliest Roman beginnings, through centuries of development, the great papal schism and the struggles over conciliarism and Gallicansim.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: The Liturgical Press (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081465522X
• ISBN-13: 978-0814655221
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #427,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Catholicism > Popes
  • #69 in Books > History > Europe > Vatican

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overview, July 22, 2004

By 

I. J. Lindgren "avid church history reader" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Papal Primacy (Theology) (Paperback)

I strongly recommend Klaus Schatz "Papal Primacy" for any who want balanced overview of the history of primacy in the papacy. While maintaining the validity of Catholicism's current perception of the papacy, Schatz attempts to mark out the road that lead to this understanding with honesty and impartiality towards its adversaries. Of additional value are the extensive footnotes Schatz uses to document his account. These are useful in their own right for any interested in doing further research into the foundational primary and secondary texts.

Briefly, he organizes the primacy history around the theme of a central concept of raw and largely undefined initial primacy that then goes through subsequent historical interpretations, including the conversion of aristocratic Rome, the Germanic migration into Europe, Feudalism, the rise of absolute monarchism, and then the enlightenment and modernity, each with its own perception of what that primacy meant. Through this churning kaleidoscope of historical context, he records the contests the papacy had for supremacy in the Church with the Roman empire, other episcopal sees in both the East and West, Western European kingdoms and conciliarism, with the culmination of its victory over these various forces in Vatican I.

Vatican II is viewed very much as a work in progress, and with its integration with Vatican I still in doubt, Klaus ends with a note of caution that its efforts to rebalance Catholic ecclesiology with greater collegiality and a communio based ecclesiology are in danger of being perceived in opposition to Vatican I with a renewal the sorts of contests that ultimately rejected Gallicanism in favor of Ultramontanism.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!, May 26, 2005

By 

Eric Sammons (Gaithersburg, MD United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Papal Primacy (Theology) (Paperback)

This is a very worthwhile book, and does much to explain the development of papal primacy over the centuries. Schatz is well-balanced; he doesn't flinch from episodes in history that call into question this doctrine, nor does he hesitate to show where it was clearly exercised in the past.

Some who are orthodox Catholics may object to this book, as it admits that papal primacy has developed, and is not practiced today exactly like it was practiced in the early Church. But Schatz is simply relating the true story, in all it's fullness. I consider myself a faithful and orthodox Catholic, and I think this book should be required reading for anyone - Catholic or non-Catholic - who wishes to understand this often-misunderstood doctrine.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing work of European scholarship, November 11, 2003

By 

Jorge Gomez (Fort Lee, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Papal Primacy (Theology) (Paperback)

Schatz brings a refreshing work of outstanding historical scholarship and theological analysis on the development of the primacy, unlike his North American counterparts. He assumes a Catholic readership and a basic background of patristics and church history. He avoids the common historical pitfalls that are typical of current polemical discussions, where even Catholic apologists sometimes hastily introduce modern concepts into the early developments of the Church. Rather, he asks how the standards for Church unity were established and what the significance of the Roman church was in that context?