Book excerpt: The Chair of Saint Peter surveys the history of the papal office from the first century to the current papacy of Pope John Paul II. At the approach of the third millennium, the office of the papacy remains a vital sign of unity in the Catholic church and a link with the earliest church. But the papal office in its current form is the product of a long and conflicted history of evolution. The Chair of Saint Peter is an essential resource for future discussions about the shape of the church to come.