Unit 1- "The Petrine Thoery"

Author Bio: The author of this article is Pope Leo I (c. 400-461 AD). Leo I was an Roman aristocrat and he was the first pope ever to have been called "the Great". He was most famous for encountering Attila the Hun, where Leo I persuaded Attila the Hun to draw back his invasion of Italy. Pope Leo I was also a Doctor of the Church.

Date/Context: During the early Middle Ages, the Catholic Church and the Church in the East were not unified. The Church in the East's members questioned whether or not the Pope was the leader of the Catholic Church. The Petrine Theory retells the actual role of the Pope in the Catholic Church

Summary:  The Petrine Theory is to confirm the declaration of Papacy in the Roman Catholic Church. Next, Leo I states that Jesus Christ gave the the papacy to all of the apostle, and that Jesus Christ made St. Peter the head of all of them. Leo I then goes on to explain the disapproval of those who feel separating from the papacy is better. Then, he states that the Bishops will take over the papacy after the apostles are gone. He gave the head of the churches to the successor of st, Peter.

Key Quotations:
- "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, caused his truth to be promulgated through the apostles."
- "And while this duty was placed on all the apostles, the Lord made St. Peter the head of them all, that from him as from their head his gifts should flow out into all the body."
- "But secular matters are based on one thing, ecclesiastical matters on another."
- "In my humble person he [Peter] should be seen and honored who has the care over all shepherds and sheep committed to him, and whose dignity is not lacking in me, his heir, although I am unworthy."