Theological Lectures - The Church and the Roman Pontiff - Volume VIII - Giovanni Perrone

Theological Lectures: The Church and the Roman Pontiff, Volume VIII by Giovanni Perrone is a scholastic treatise in ecclesiology and fundamental theology that examines the nature, constitution, and authority of the Church. It situates the Church as a visible, divinely instituted society founded by Christ for the salvation of souls.

A central concern of the volume is the primacy and jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff. Perrone analyzes the biblical, patristic, and theological foundations for papal authority, including questions of Petrine primacy, apostolic succession, and the role of the pope in governing the universal Church.

The work also addresses objections raised by historical and theological critics regarding the limits of ecclesiastical authority and the relationship between the pope, bishops, and ecumenical councils. Overall, it presents a systematic defense of the Catholic doctrine of the Church’s visible structure and the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.