Discover the Faith

Many people are unaware that Clement, who is the third successor of Peter the Apostle and the fouth Pope. He wrote a letter as early as 80 A.D. to the Church in Corinth. In the letter he commands the congregation to reinstall their presbyters. This book was the first writing showing that the Church of Rome had authority over the other Churchs.  I just want to show the first passage and a few others.

The Church of God which sojourns at Rome, to the

Church of God sojourning at Corinth, to those who are

called and sanctified by the will of God, through our Lord

Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace, from Almighty

God through Jesus Christ, be multiplied.

Owing, dear brethren, to the sudden and successive

calamitous events which have happened to ourselves,

we feel that we have been somewhat tardy in turning

our attention to the points respecting which you

consulted us; and especially to that shameful and

detestable sedition, utterly abhorrent to the elect of God,

which a few rash and self-confident persons have

kindled to such a pitch of frenzy, that your venerable

and illustrious name, worthy to be universally loved, has

suffered grievous injury. For who ever dwelt even for a

short time among you, and did not find your faith to be

as fruitful of virtue as it was firmly established? Who did

not admire the sobriety and moderation of your

godliness in Christ? Who did not proclaim the

magnificence of your habitual hospitality? And who did

not rejoice over your perfect and well-grounded

knowledge? For you did all things without respect of

persons, and walked in the commandments of God,

being obedient to those who had the rule over you, and

giving all fitting honour to the presbyters among you.

You enjoined young men to be of a sober and serious

mind; you instructed your wives to do all things with a

blameless, becoming, and pure conscience, loving their

husbands as in duty bound; and you taught them that,

living in the rule of obedience, they should manage their

household affairs becomingly, and be in every respect

marked by discretion.

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Chapter 7

These things, beloved, we write to you, not merely to

admonish you of your duty, but also to remind

ourselves. For we are struggling in the same arena, and

the same conflict is assigned to both of us. So let us

give up vain and fruitless cares, and approach to the

glorious and venerable rule of our holy calling. Let us

attend to what is good, pleasing, and acceptable in the

sight of Him who formed us. Let us look steadfastly to

the blood of Christ, and see how precious that blood is

to God, which, having been shed for our salvation, has

set the grace of repentance before the whole world. Let

us turn to every age that has passed, and learn that,

from generation to generation, the Lord has granted a

place of repentance to all who would be converted to

Him. Noah preached repentance, and as many as

listened to him were saved. Jonah proclaimed

destruction to the Ninevites; but they, repenting of their

sins, propitiated God by prayer, and obtained salvation,

although they were aliens [to the covenant] of God.

CHAPTER 44

Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ,

and there would be strife on account of the office of the

episcopate. For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they

had obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, they

appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and

afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall

asleep, other approved men should succeed them in

their ministry. We are of opinion, therefore, that those

appointed by them, or afterwards by other eminent men,

with the consent of the whole Church, and who have

blame-lessly served the flock of Christ in a humble,

peaceable, and disinterested spirit, and have for a long

time possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be justly

dismissed from the ministry. For our sin will not be

small, if we eject from the episcopate those who have

blamelessly and holily fulfilled its duties. Blessed are

those presbyters who, having finished their course

before now, have obtained a fruitful and perfect

departure [from this world]; for they have no fear lest

any one deprive them of the place now appointed them.

But we see that you have removed some men of

excellent behaviour from the ministry, which they fulfilled

blamelessly and with honour.

Chapter 59

1 But if some should be disobedient to the things spoken by him through us, let them know that they will entangle

themselves in no small transgression and danger,

2 but that we shall be guiltless of this sin; and we will ask, making with earnestness our prayer and supplication, that the Maker of all

things may keep uninjured in all the world the number of those that have been numbered as his elect, through his beloved Son, Jesus

Christ, through whom he hath called us from darkness unto light, and from ignorance to a knowledge of the glory of his name.

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How intersting is it that by 80 A.D. the Bishop of Rome was exercising his perogative as successor to Peter. He was commanding in a gentle and fatherly way, the members of the Church of Corinth to reinstate the presbyters that they had removed without authority. We also see the early evidence of Apostolic Succession. This is the succession that was started by Jesus through the Apostles to carry on the OFFICE of the episcopate/bishop. The Bishop’s position was considered an office, just like it is today. Amazing. Peter and Paul founded the Church of Rome and the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter.