Indeed. Revisionists try so hard to paint a different picture about the early church. Try so hard to make it appear Protestant in nature. How absurd!
Here’s a classic case of bias in footnoting. As Brian noted, this translation of Irenaeus is from protestant Phillip Schaff… I refer to footnote #3313
#3313 is a footnote refering to the term “pre-eminent authority” used by Irenaeus. Schaff a protestant obviously felt readers needed his help in properly understanding a Catholic bishop, and the term he used, because it’s too Catholic and readers need to understand it from a protestant point of view.
Here is what Schaff said about “pre-eminent authority”
"The Latin text of this difficult but important clause is, “Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire ecclesiam.” Both the text and meaning have here given rise to much discussion. It is impossible to say with certainty of what words in the Greek original “potiorem principalitatem” may be the translation. We are far from sure that the rendering given above is correct, but we have been unable to think of anything better. [A most extraordinary confession. It would be hard to find a worse; but take the following from a candid Roman Catholic, which is better and more literal: “For to this Church, on account of more potent principality, it is necessary that every Church (that is, those who are on every side faithful) *resort; in which Church ever,
by those who are on every side, has been preserved that tradition which is from the apostles.” (
Berington and Kirk, vol. i. p. 252.) Here it is obvious that the faith was kept at Rome, by
those who resort there from all quarters. She was a mirror of the Catholic World, owing here orthodoxy to them; not the Sun, dispensing her own light to others, but the glass bringing their rays into a focus. See note at end of book iii.] A discussion of the subject may be seen in chap. xii. of Dr. Wordsworth’s
St. Hippolytus and the Church of Rome"
And who are Joseph Berrington, and Joe Kirk that Schaff mentions to support his footnote? 2 Ultra liberal Roman Catholics. Can clerics be contrary to the Church? Yep!! That-a-boy Schaff! Pick “Catholics” who contradict the Roman Church teaching to support you.
sheesh!!!
:tsktsk: Shame on Schaff, but predictable. Schaff probably didn’t even get the point, Irenaeus was writing AGAINST guys like Schaff.
Here is the text I used. What Shaff had problems with SHOULD give him problems. It shows how obvious and clear Irenaeus was.
“For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its pre- eminent authority**,**3313 that is, the faithful everywhere, inasmuch as the apostolical tradition has been preserved continuously by those [faithful men] who exist everywhere.
3. The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing [in his ears], and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone [in this], for there were many still remaining who had received instructions from the apostles.this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethren In the time ofat Corinth, the Church in Rome despatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians, exhorting them to peace, renewing their faith, and declaring the tradition which it had lately received from the apostles,…” [Book III, Ch 3, vs 2-3]
ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.iv.iv.html