The Divine Primacy of the Bishop of Rome and Modern Eastern Orthodoxy: Letters to a Greek Orthodox on the Unity of the Church

Despite real progress in ecumenical relations between Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, the last several years have seen an increase in bitter attacks on papal supremacy and infallibility. In this newly revised and expanded work, James Likoudis treats in detail Eastern Orthodox ecclesiology and replies to objections made to critical elements of Roman Catholic doctrine on: The pope’s primacy of supremacy and infallibility, The procession of the Holy Spirit, The filioque clause, The dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Purgatory, and The development of doctrine. With The Divine Primacy of the Bishop of Rome & Modern Eastern Orthodoxy, Likoudis contributes to today’s Catholic–Orthodox dialog by going back to the “undivided Church of the First Millennium,” where we see clearly the existence of a papal primacy of universal jurisdiction. A convert from Greek Orthodoxy, James Likoudis is an apologist who has dedicated his life to reconciling his Eastern Orthodox brethren with the Catholic Church. Likoudis is the former president of Catholics United for the Faith and the author of a number of books, including The Pope, The Council, and The Mass. Likoudis received an honorary doctorate of divinity from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit in 2020. “In the remarkably fruitful Catholic–Orthodox dialogue begun in new and dramatic fashion in 1965, few if any lay persons have had the impact of James Likoudis. For decades now, Likoudis has dispelled myths and helped overcome what seemed like insurmountable obstacles to full communion between Catholics and members of the various Orthodox churches.” Tim Staples, Senior Apologist, Catholic Answers “I highly recommend this work for those Orthodox who desire to know why they should enter into Catholic communion, for Catholics who wish to defend their faith, and for all others who would like to understand the historical and theological controversies surrounding the Catholic and Orthodox divide.” Michael Lofton, Host and Founder of Reason & Theology

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