JSRG
Well-Known Member
- Apr 14, 2019
- 1,499
- 867
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Single
These questions seem a bit redundant; #1, #2, and #4 all seem to be asking basically the same question. I'm also confused as to why you ask for a source that says Clement "sat in Peter's chair", with the quotation marks indicating you're giving some kind of quote--but the only usage of "chair" by Xeno.of.athens was to refer to the presidential chair of the President of the United States.
But your main question, as shown by the fact it's asked multiple times, is whether Clement was referred to as pope in the first or second century. The title of "Pope" developed in the third century as a term for various bishops, though it later on--at least in the West--became an exclusive title for the Bishop of Rome. Nowadays the term "pope" is interpreted in the English world to refer to the Bishop of Rome. But since that was a later thing, obviously you won't see "Pope Clement" (let alone "Pope St. Clement") used as a phrase in the first or second centuries.
However, even if the specific term "pope" was not used, as has been noted, pope in English is simply used as shorthand for "Bishop of Rome". So if someone referred to Clement as a bishop of Rome, then that is the equivalent. As an analogy, Martha Washington was obviously the First Lady of the United States, but was never referred to during her lifetime--the phrase "First Lady" to refer to the President's wife only developed later. But she was referred to as George Washington's wife, and Washington was the President, and therefore the title fits even if the title wasn't devised until later.
So the question becomes, did anyone refer to Clement as being the bishop of Rome in the first or second century? And the answer is yes. Irenaeus did so in Against Heresies Book 3 Chapter 3 (note for context, the "blessed apostles" mentioned at the start are Peter and Paul):
"The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing [in his ears], and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone [in this], for there were many still remaining who had received instructions from the apostles. In the time of this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethren at Corinth, the Church in Rome despatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians, exhorting them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which it had lately received from the apostles, proclaiming the one God, omnipotent, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Creator of man, who brought on the deluge, and called Abraham, who led the people from the land of Egypt, spake with Moses, set forth the law, sent the prophets, and who has prepared fire for the devil and his angels. From this document, whosoever chooses to do so, may learn that He, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, was preached by the Churches, and may also understand the apostolical tradition of the Church, since this Epistle is of older date than these men who are now propagating falsehood, and who conjure into existence another god beyond the Creator and the Maker of all existing things. To this Clement there succeeded Evaristus. Alexander followed Evaristus; then, sixth from the apostles, Sixtus was appointed; after him, Telephorus, who was gloriously martyred; then Hyginus; after him, Pius; then after him, Anicetus. Sorer having succeeded Anicetus, Eleutherius does now, in the twelfth place from the apostles, hold the inheritance of the episcopate. In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles, and the preaching of the truth, have come down to us. And this is most abundant proof that there is one and the same vivifying faith, which has been preserved in the Church from the apostles until now, and handed down in truth."
As this is a big list of the bishops of Rome, it is obvious that Irenaeus is attesting that Clement was a bishop of Rome and a successor of Peter (and Paul). He also refers to Linus being granted his position by Peter and Paul. There's no surviving first century document saying Linus was given this, but we wouldn't expect there to be; we have almost no Christian documents aside from the New Testament from the first century. However, Irenaeus clearly describes the event as happening in the first century when he says they "committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate."
Last edited:
Upvote
0
