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So you are saying that Peter (and the supposed succeeding "popes") could run the church in whatever way they wanted, and God would approve?
The Holy Spirit works through the Pope and the Magisterium. So don't fear, God is still ultimately in charge.
An interesting point from The Augustine Club at Columbia University, 1999:
"One charge leveled against the Catholic Church is that the Magisterium, or teaching authority, is continuously revealing the teachings of Christ. In actuality, the Church teaches that the period of divine revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle. The Magisterium only re-presents the sacred deposit of Christ's teachings to each new generation, explaining to each age using in terms of its particular language and ideas the same unchanging truths of faith.
The Divine Tradition is part of this sacred deposit of Divine Revelation that Christ entrusted to the Church and which her Magisterium guards from all falsehood. The other part of that sacred deposit is Sacred Scripture."
Every attempt to refute that Peter was the rock in Matthew 16 has failed. Since Peter was made the head of His Church and was given the Authority to head his Church and set the rules, one of which is how to choose a successor. Why would Jesus say that the powers of death would never prevail but the Authority along with it's Church would end in just one life time - Peter's lifetime. It clearly makes no sense. The Catholic (universal) Church was created for all people for all times. Anything short of that makes no sense and diminishes Jesus's work on this earth.
The Early Church Fathers concurred on Peter's Authority:
Tertullian (Rome, 160 - 220 AD), On Monogamy, Chapter 8 Peter alone do I find ... to have been married. Monogamist I am led to presume him by consideration of the church, which, built upon him, was destined to appoint every grade of her Order from monogamists.
Clement (Alexandria, 150 - 215 AD), Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?, Chapter 21 Therefore, on hearing those words, the blessed Peter, the chosen, the pre-eminent, the first of the disciples, for whom alone and Himself the Savior paid tribute, quickly seized and comprehended the saying. And what does he say? "Lo, we have left all and followed Thee."
Cyprian (Carthage, 200 - 258 AD), On the Unity of the Catholic Church, Chapter 4 Upon him (Peter), being one, He (Christ) built His Church and although after His resurrection He bestows equal power upon all the Apostles, and says: "As the Father has sent me, I also send you. Receive the Holy Spirit: if you forgive the sins of anyone, they will be forgiven him; if you retain the sins of anyone, they will be retained" (Jn 20:21), that He might display unity, He established by His authority the origin of the same unity as beginning from one.
Cyril (Jerusalem, 315 - 387 AD), Catecheses, No. 2:19 Peter, the chiefest and foremost of the Apostles, denied the Lord thrice before a little maid: but he repented himself, and wept bitterly.
Augustine (Numidia, now Algeria, 354 - 430 AD), Letters, No 53 For, if the order of succession of Bishops is to be considered, how much more surely, truly and safely do we number them from Peter, to whom, as representing the whole Church, the Lord said: "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Mt 16:18). For, to Peter succeeded Linus, to Linus Clement, to Clement Anacletus, to Anacletus Evaristus ...
No doubt Peter fulfilled His mission and calling, he passed the mantle to many, many people... it was never to be through another other than Christ, certainly not one that says they are the Holy Father.
And ofcourse the early Popes took authority, how else could they keep the power over man. They are up to 266.
So the Holy Spirit was behind the Inquisition, where many Christians who were truly following God were tortured and put to death.
That's absurd. When Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against it, He didn't mean that hell wouldn't TRY to prevail against it. The humans running the show are as imperfect as you or I. The Pope goes to confession, too. Admittedly, the Catholic Church has had it's share of problems both long ago and currently, but like Jesus said it would, is still here today almost 2000 years later.
No doubt Peter fulfilled His mission and calling, he passed the mantle to many, many people... it was never to be through another other than Christ, certainly not one that says they are the Holy Father.
And ofcourse the early Popes took authority, how else could they keep the power over man. They are up to 266.
godspeed,
freedom
The writings of the Early Church Fathers would contradict what you just wrote. If I had to make a choice between a disciple of the Apostle or a man living in the 21 century, I would choose the former.
Just do some research of YOUR own. What I say really doesn't amount to anything. I don't have any Authority either.
The Early Church Fathers disagree and so do I. Just do some research of YOUR own. You shouldn't take my word for it.
Thanks, i have researched and understand how the blind have led the blind and they have all gone to the grave because of it.
The best thing that churches have done throughout the centuries is to keep the word of God available to those that wish to seek God first, unfortunately the many that are called do not get chosen because they have fallen into the trappings of the arm of flesh. Truly cursed is He who trusts in the arm of flesh, or maketh flesh his arm.
As well, there is only ONE Holy Father, and HE is God.
Thanks, i have researched and understand how the blind have led the blind and they have all gone to the grave because of it.
The best thing that churches have done throughout the centuries is to keep the word of God available to those that wish to seek God first, unfortunately the many that are called do not get chosen because they have fallen into the trappings of the arm of flesh. Truly cursed is He who trusts in the arm of flesh, or maketh flesh his arm.
As well, there is only ONE Holy Father, and HE is God.
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