You Are Peter: An Orthodox Reflection on the Exercise of Papal Primacy [Paperback]

Oilvier Clement (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2003

The papacy is clearly the greatest difficulty facing ecumenical dialogue today, and particularly the dialogue between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Yet there is a doorway of hope. In his encyclical, Ut unum sint, John Paul II expressed a desire for common reflection on the exercise of papal primacy. In You Are Peter the great Orthodox theologian Olivier Clement brilliantly responds to this request. He emphasizes the history and experience of the undivided Church, before recalling the contrasting developments of eastern and western Christianity and concluding with the tasks that call us to unity. Professor Clments response to John Paul II is solidly rooted in the Orthodox tradition, and represents the cordial and open mentality characteristic of the theologians of Saint Sergius. I would judge that it is almost exactly the kind of response for which Pope John Paul II was hoping. It is a pleasure to be able to present to Englishspeaking readers this concise, learned, and articulate presentation.... Professor Clments contribution ... is a sign of the progress in ecumenism thus far made and a beacon of hope for the future. From the Foreword by Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. Laurence J. McGinley Professor Fordham University, New York

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Olivier Clement is one of the foremost Orthodox theologians of the day. He teaches at the Institute of St. Sergius at Paris and is a member of the Ecumenical Institute founded by LInstitute Catholique. Of his many works, the bestselling Roots of Christian Mysticism and On Human Being are available in English.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: New City Press (August 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565481895
• ISBN-13: 978-1565481893
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,327 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Catholicism > Popes

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Papal Primacy and Christian Reconciliation, July 28, 2005

By 

K.H. - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: You Are Peter: An Orthodox Reflection on the Exercise of Papal Primacy (Paperback)

Oliver Clement, the author of "The Roots of Christian Mysticism" has produced a small, yet fine work on the place of the papacy in reconciling the Christian division between Catholics, Orthodox, and to a lesser extent, Protestants.

The first half of the book is more of a foundation with a quick lesson in history, mostly from an Orthodox perspective; however, the facts in these instances are undeniable by even unbiased historians. He writes about the different Popes, councils, and the relationship between the Western and Eastern states. He does not deny a papal primacy, but shows what that primacy meant in the early church.

He then proceeds to inform the reader of the Gregorian era and its devastating effects on Christian untiy. The reformation is also mentioned and so is the first and second Vatican Councils. He shows that since the second council, there are encouraging signs toward reconciliation and that the papacy does play a role in this process.

He ends with advice both to the Catholic Church and to the Orthodox Church. He shows the potential pitfalls and upsides in the issue at hand. This is a nice small book, written for the laymen, clergy, and scholar alike.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A realistic proposal for Orthodox and Catholic reunion, January 8, 2008

By 

Gabriel J. Ferrer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: You Are Peter: An Orthodox Reflection on the Exercise of Papal Primacy (Paperback)

In this book, Oliver Clement shows how Catholic and Orthodox views regarding the papacy can be reconciled so that communion may be restored. Quotations from various Church Fathers of the first millenium regarding the papacy are often used by polemicists on both sides to argue that their opponents have deviated from the Apostolic faith. He shows how this seemingly conflicting patristic evidence can be reconciled by showing how the _behavior_ of the united first millenium church contextualizes and explains what the various Church Fathers were trying to say.

As a Roman Catholic, I greatly appreciated how Clement shows a possible way in which the concept of infallible papal definitions can be understood and expressed so that it could also be acceptable to the Orthodox. Overall, the outline of a reunion proposal in Chapter 12 seems both reasonable and realistic (at least theologically).

The historical content of the book is concise and informative. He shows the divergence between the Catholic and Orthodox positions on papal primacy to be a gradual process, even during the contentious second millenium. His description (in Chapter 9) of how "a certain amnesia in the Orthodox tradition" about the primacy of the Bishop of Rome developed was especially interesting. His line of argument that Popes Paul VI and John Paul II have done much of what Orthodox Christians of the early second millenium demanded of the papacy commands much reflection.

It will be interesting to see if the corresponding hierarchies of the Catholic and Orthodox churches will ever be able to follow through on Clement's proposals. In any event, I highly recommend this book to all Catholic and Orthodox Christians who are interested in this topic. If more and more well-informed believers in both communions come to see reunion as desirable and possible, pray for reunion, and make this known to their priests and bishops, then the Holy Spirit may well work a miracle for us.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seeking a united Church, east and west, August 7, 2007

By 

matt (the reading room) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: You Are Peter: An Orthodox Reflection on the Exercise of Papal Primacy (Paperback)

One of France's leading Eastern Orthodox theologians, Clément is no stranger to ecumenical dialogue. Like Bishop Kallistos Ware, his charitable style, combined with a personal humility, makes him one of the more likeable characters on the ecumenical scene in Western Europe.

This work, aimed at bringing mutual understanding between the Orthodox and Romans, is something of a brief refresher on the subject, aiming to help all parties involved to move forward from confessional foxholes to a more realistic, historical and viable doctrine pf papal authority. Affirming the validity of papal authority in the ancient tradition, he avoids the common pitfall of turning Rome into just another bishopric that happened to be a capitol city. In his view, the Papacy did and should continue to play a role of authority on doctrinal matters as the locus of authority and union. At the same time, how that authority should be exercised must change to recognize the autonomy of local jurisdictions. It cannot be an authority of force. He calls for the papacy to reexamine its relatively recent teaching on universal and immediate jurisdiction, something that he believes neither theology nor history supports. At the same time, he argues that Orthodox need to chill out a bit on their own Romaphobia and accept the legitimate, properly exercised, role of the papacy.

Other books of interest may include: The Primacy of Peter: Essays in Ecclesiology and the Early Church, Power and the Papacy: The People and Politics Behind the Doctrine of Infallibility, Being As Communion: Studies in Personhood and the Church (Contemporary Greek Theologians Series , No 4), Eucharist, Bishop, Church: The Unity of the Church in the Divine Eucharist and the Bishop During the First Three Centuries and After Nine Hundred Years: The Background of the Schism Between the Eastern and Western Churches