The Bishop of Rome in Late Antiquity - 9781472455512

Taylor & Francis

The essays in this volume examine the bishop of Rome in late antiquity from the time of Constantine in the fourth century to the death of Gregory the Great in the seventh. The volume canvasses a wide range of opinions about the nature of papal power by concentrating on how the holders of the office exercised their episcopal responsibilities and prerogatives within the city or in relation to both civic administration and churches in other areas. > At various times over the past millennium bishops of Rome have claimed a universal primacy of jurisdiction over all Christians and a superiority over civil authority. Reactions to these claims have shaped the modern world profoundly. Did the Roman bishop make such claims in the millennium prior to that?\nThe essays in this volume from international experts in the field examine the bishop of Rome in late antiquity from the time of Constantine at the start of the fourth century to the death of Gregory the Great at the beginning of the seven.