Peter Apostle for the Whole Church

by Pheme Perkins

Perkins describes the search for the historical Peter, and the influence his image has had, in Roman Catholic and Protestant ecumenical discussions. Pointing to portrayals of Peter in the Pauline and Johannine traditions, the synoptic Gospels, and the Book of Acts, Perkins argues that precisely because there is no single Petrine tradition in the New Testament, the apostle might serve as a unifying figure for incongruous forms of Christianity. Perkins argues that Peter should be viewed as a harmonizing figure who captures the Christian imagination not only because he is the most prominent of Jesus' disciples, but also because his weaknesses and strengths present a character accessible to the average Christian.

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

About the author

Pheme Perkins (PhD, Harvard University) is professor of theology at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. She is the author of numerous books, including Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels, Reading the New Testament, Peter: Apostle for the Whole Church, Gnosticism and the New Testament, and several commentaries.

Reviews

[Ephrem Arcement · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for a little more from this book in terms of insight and perspective. Everything here is solid exegesis, but Perkins' writing style here and elsewhere is difficult for me to find compelling.