St. Peter, His Name and His Office, as Set Forth in Holy Scripture

T.W. Allies undertook a meticulous examination of Holy Scripture to defend a proposition that would prove controversial in Victorian England: that St. Peter was uniquely constituted as the rock upon which the Church was built, and that this authority descends to his successors. Written in 1852, during Allies' intellectual journey toward Roman Catholicism, this treatise systematically dissects the biblical texts surrounding Peter's name, office, and commissioning. The author draws heavily on Father Passaglia's commentary, weaving together scriptural exegesis with historical interpretation to articulate a case for papal authority grounded not in tradition alone, but in the explicit witness of the New Testament. The work is rigorous, closely argued, and unswerving in its theological commitments. For readers interested in 19th-century debates about church authority, the Anglican-Catholic divide, or the scriptural foundations of ecclesiastical hierarchy, this volume offers a window into a pivotal moment in religious intellectual history. It remains a substantive contribution to the literature on Petrine primacy, even for those who ultimately disagree with its conclusions.