Pope Peter cover art

Pope Peter

Defending the Church's Most Distinctive Doctrine in a Time of Crisis

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Pope Peter

By: Joe Heschmeyer
Narrated by: Joe
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

The papacy is no stranger to controversy. In many ways it’s Catholicism’s defining doctrine—but also its most divisive. From medieval pontiffs who acted like princes to a modern pope whose every casual statement sets off a social-media firestorm, there has been plenty for non-Catholics to criticize and for the faithful to feel anxious about.

We profess that Jesus made St. Peter the visible head of his Church on earth and that his successors throughout the ages are guided by the Holy Spirit to govern, teach, and sanctify it. How can we strengthen this belief in the papacy in the face of challenges (both outside the Church and within it) and so strengthen our faith in the One who instituted it?

In Pope Peter, Joe Heschmeyer says that papal flaws are an opportunity to understand what the papacy really means, not to abandon it (or the Church). Drawing deeply on the scriptural and historical witness, he offers a thorough but accessible defense of the papal office and an edifying picture of the extent—and limits—of its authority.

Jesus made Peter the Rock of the Church and promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Pope Peter will confirm your faith in that promise and help you proclaim its truth to others.

©2020 Catholic Answers Press (P)2023 Catholic Answers Press Christian Living Christianity

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Why We're Catholic cover art
The Bible Is a Catholic Book cover art
Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist cover art
Reading the Church Fathers cover art
The Lamb's Supper cover art
Angels and Saints cover art
The Incredible Catholic Mass cover art
The Spirit of the Liturgy cover art
The Case for Jesus cover art
The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of The Little Flower (TAN Classics Edition) cover art
Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week cover art
Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary cover art
The Day Is Now Far Spent cover art
Catholicism cover art
They Flew cover art
Walking with God cover art
All stars
Most relevant
Joe did an excellent job. His work in "Pope Peter" is truly commendable. This book provides invaluable insights into why the Church Jesus founded has a pope. It's a compelling and enlightening read that sheds light on the significance of the papacy in Christianity. looking forward to more audible books by Joe, maybe the early church was the Catholic Church next 😉

Joe is fantastic

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I'm an Anglican, not Catholic, but I enjoyed the book. Joe writes with clarity and generosity towards his readers. I didn't feel spoken down to, harangued or slandered which is often a problem in works that attempt to proselytise across traditions. Joe's critique of Protestantism is, I think fair and forceful, even if he doesn't say anything us protestants don't already painfully know. The fractured, ego-driven nature of much of Protestantism is a dire warning to us all about the failures of the reformation and the chaos it unleashed. Reading the words Jesus spoke about the unity and oneness of the church and then looking at the denominational smorgasbord that has erupted from a million interpretations of scripture should be enough to make one pause and question how it is we got here. Whatever it is that we are doing we are surely not honouring Christ's wishes for his church. Joe does a good job placing the papacy in context and clearing away a lot of the misunderstandings that we protestants might have about it. Does Joe do enough to compel this Christian to join the Catholic church? Not quite. Am I less squeamish about the idea than I was before reading the book? Actually, yes. There are still issues one can have with Catholicism that are not addressed here but I will be reading some of Joe's other works with an open mind.

Joe does a great job of defending the papacy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.