I found the references online, and much much more. It will take a good sitting, but the
whole page (not just the material that might agree with your personal opinion) is well worth reading. I was up all night with this page:
http://www.christiantruth.com/fathersmt16.html
This collection shows that both opinions (and more, including that the rock was Peter’s confession) were established in the Church from the earliest times. Even Saint Augustine and those that agree with his interpretation state clearly that Peter was the chief Apostle, Peter was the chief foundation of the Church, Peter was made the source of unity, etc., etc. The consensus patrum, far from making me less of a ultramontanist, provided me an even greater faith in the divine plan for St. Peter, who denied for a time and still became our truly solid rock which supports the Lord’s faith, and on which the church is in every way founded (Epiphanius).
Christ is source, the builder and the ultimate foundation of the Church, and in this much I agree with Saint Augustine and the others who have made this important assessment. It is important that we never forget the fundamental fact that any power held by the Church, the Church holds because of Jesus Christ working through her. Peter then was true; or rather was Christ true in Peter? (Augustine). However, on the other hand, we can not forget the consensus patrum when it states that in (Peter) himself the Church was reared; that is, through (Peter) himself (Tertullian), and Oh Peter, upon whom Christ founded his Church (Paul Orosius), and he [Jesus] spoke to one [Peter], that from one [Peter] he [Jesus] might found unity (Pacian), and this is the highest of the apostles, Peter, also called Cephas, who furnished in his confession of faith the foundation for the building of the Church (Nilus of Ancyra), and this Church, symbolized in its generality, was personified in the Apostle Peter,
on account of the primacy of his apostleship (
Augustine).
Actually, Fr Ambrose, your objections to Peter’s primacy seem to wither in light of what many of these Fathers had written.
This page also highlights an important fact: while there is much agreement between Fathers, there is no absolute agreement on details. There is much that can contribute to a “consensus patrum”,
but disagreement among the Fathers begs the question of who establishes this consensus patrum (?). For those who understand that Divine Revelation is complete only when all three of its elements are present (Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium) this question finds its answer. The writings of the Fathers are part of and contribute to our understanding of Sacred Tradition, and as such are subject to the divinely guided authoritative interpretation of the Magisterium, the same as is Sacred Scripture. While determining to some degree a consensus patrum is important from a theological perspective of rendering service to the Church’s understanding of the divine mysteries, ultimately it is the Holy Spirit through the agency of the Church’s Magisterium that provides our understanding of Tradition.
), as I would have to visit the Notre Dame library to read them… unless, of course, you can post a link to an online version of these references to Saint Augustine.
What you really mean is that they do not have the same organisational structure as the Roman Catholic Church. Believe me, there are other and more spiritual ways of unity than being in subjection to one man. The Church is not a business nor an international corporation.