Early Christian Beliefs About the Church of Rome
Early Christian writings treat the church in Rome as a major apostolic church tied to Peter and Paul. Irenaeus says it was founded and organized at Rome by the two apostles, and other writers connect Rome with Clement, Peter, and the chair of the church. The strongest early point is Rome’s apostolic authority and importance, while later details about rank and jurisdiction are less direct.
107 early-church witnesses · 179 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the church of Rome?
Early Christian writings treat the church in Rome as an important apostolic church with real authority and a long memory of Peter and Paul there. Irenaeus calls Rome the church founded and organized by the two most glorious apostles, and says other churches should agree with it because its apostolic tradition was preserved.
Tertullian and Caius also link Rome with Clement, Peter, and the chair of the church of Rome, while Cyprian speaks of the Roman church as a real church body that could judge, confess, and receive letters. The evidence is broad and early, but some later or secondary texts add details beyond the strongest witnesses, so the clearest point is Rome’s apostolic standing rather than a full later papal system.
Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Irenaeus treats Rome as a church founded and organized by Peter and Paul.
- Tertullian and Caius connect Rome with Clement, Peter, and the chair of the church of Rome.
- Cyprian speaks of the Roman church as a real church body with its own judgment and confession.
- The earliest evidence is strongest for Rome’s apostolic standing, not for later claims built on it.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians say the church of Rome was founded by Peter and Paul?
The clearest witnesses in the supplied set present the church at Rome as an apostolic church connected with Peter and Paul. Irenaeus explicitly says it was founded and organized at Rome by the two apostles, while Tertullian and related sources treat Rome as a place where apostolic authority was remembered and transmitted.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching
[we do this, I say,] by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul;
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Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Direct teaching
as also the church of Rome, which makes Clement to have been ordained in like manner by Peter.
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Caius, Fragments Direct teaching
...pse of John, and that of Peter, though some among us do not allow this latter one to be read in the Church. Moreover, Hermas wrote The Pastor very recently, in our own times, in the city of Rome, while his brother, bishop Plus, sat in the chair of the Church of Rome. Therefore it also ought to be read. But it cannot be made public in the Church to the people. Nor can it be placed among the prophets, since their number is complete, nor among the apostles to the end of time. Of the writings of Arsinous, also called Valentinus, or of Miltiades, we receive nothing at all. Those too are rejected who wrote the new Book of Psalms for Marcion, together with Basilides and the founder of the Asian Cataphrygians.
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Caius, Fragments Supporting witness
The Pastor, moreover, did Hermas write very recently in our times in the city of Rome, while his brother bishop Plus sat in the chair of the Church of Rome.
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Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Supporting witness
And while Nero reigned, the Apostle Peter came to Rome, and, through the power of God committed unto him, wrought certain miracles, and, by turning many to the true religion, built up a faithful and steadfast temple unto the Lord.
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Clement of Alexandria, Connection to 1 Peter 5:13 Supporting witness
"Marcus, my son, salutes you." Mark, the follower of Peter, while Peter publicly preached the Gospel at Rome before some of Caesar's equites, and adduced many testimonies to Christ, in order that thereby they might be able to commit to memory what was spoken, of what was spoken by Peter, wrote entirely what is called the Gospel according to Mark.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness
He it was who, coming to Rome in the time of Anicetus caused many to turn away from the aforesaid heretics to the Church of God, proclaiming that he had received this one and sole truth from the apostles,—that, namely, which is handed down by the Church.
How did early Christians describe bishops and succession in the church of Rome?
Several supplied sources describe a line of leadership in Rome, including named bishops and the idea of succession. Caius places Hermas in Rome while his brother Plus sat in the chair of the church of Rome, and the Apostolic Constitutions identify Linus as an early bishop ordained by Paul.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching
For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its pre-eminent authority, that is, the faithful everywhere, inasmuch as the apostolical tradition has been preserved continuously by those [faithful men] who exist everywhere.
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Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Supporting witness
Since, moreover, you are close upon Italy, you have Rome, from which there comes even into our own hands the very authority (of apostles themselves).
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
Far be it from the Roman Church to slacken her vigour with so profane a facility, and to loosen the nerves of her severity by overthrowing the majesty of faith;
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
As with you there is one mind and one voice, the whole Roman Church has confessed.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
...ove. He is a torch and a fire for stirring up the flames of sedition, a whirlwind and a storm for causing shipwrecks of the faith, the enemy of quiet, the opponent of calm, the enemy of peace. Finally, when Novatus withdrew from there, that is, when the storm and whirlwind departed from among you, some calm arose there. And the glorious and good confessors who had left the Church at his urging, after he left the city, returned to the Church. This is the same Novatus who first sowed among us the flames of discord and schism, who separated some of the brothers here from the bishop, and who, during the persecution itself, was like another persecution to our people, to overthrow the minds of the brothers. He is the one who, without my permission or knowledge, out of his own rebellious spirit and ambition, appointed his follower Felicissimus as a deacon. Then, sailing in his own storm to Rome also to overthrow the Church, he tried to do there the same things he had done here. He violently separated part of the people from the clergy and broke the harmony of the brotherhood that had been firmly joined together and was loving one another. Since Rome, because of her greatness, plainly o
Common Questions
Did early Christians think Rome had special authority?
Yes, some early writers gave Rome a special place because of its apostolic roots and preserved teaching, especially Irenaeus. The evidence is strongest for honor and apostolic authority, not for every later claim made about Rome.
Did the early church connect Rome with Peter and Paul?
Yes. Irenaeus says Rome was founded and organized by Peter and Paul, and Tertullian and Caius also connect Rome with Peter and the church's early leaders.
Did early Christians speak of the church of Rome as a real church body?
Yes. Clement writes as the church of God sojourning at Rome, and Cyprian later refers to the Roman church in a concrete way when writing to its presbyters and deacons.
Source Index for the church of Rome
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 152 ranked source links from 179 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 152 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 107
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
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Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Short Version)
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Clement of Alexandria, Connection to 1 Peter 5:13
Bible Passages 72 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
Related Resources
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