Pope Francis greets the crowds in St Peter's Square, Vatican (Reuters)
The Roman Catholic Church promotes itself as the ‘one true church’, largely based off their suggested succession of the Apostle Peter. To most of us (including myself), the Catholic Church appears to be just another Christian denomination among the many in the body of Christ.
However, lying behind the obvious differences within the Catholic Church and other denominations, lie some serious doctrinal issues.
Some of these doctrinal issues include: claiming to be under the apostolic authority of Peter, salvation is from works (through their seven sacraments) and the Pope has infallible power and authority. This belief in apostolic succession means, the Pope has been given supreme power in his interpretation of scripture. Thus, the Word of God has been reduced to an authority alongside the Pope, rather than superior to anyone and everyone.
While claiming a biblical foundation for their view on the Church and Pope; misinterpretation of scriptures, plus the degrading of scriptural authority has led to a Catholic Church (still today) with an unbiblical view of the scriptures, salvation and God’s sovereignty.
No Scriptural support for Papal authority:
There is a lack of scriptural support to promote the papacy. In fact, it is based on a misinterpretation of Peter’s confession of faith in Matthew 16 and Jesus’ response, “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him…’you are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church…’” (Matthew chapter 16, verses 16 and 18)
This passage has been interpreted by the Catholic Church to mean that Peter was going to be the rock upon which Christ would build his church. There is overwhelming evidence this is the incorrect meaning. Scripturally, there are many references throughout the bible that refer to Christ as the ‘rock’, e.g. Peter’s own declaration of Christ as the cornerstone (1 Peter chapter 2, verses 4-8) and Paul’s references to Christ as the cornerstone or rock (Ephesians chapter 2, verse 20; 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 11).
Furthermore, the bible does not place Peter above the other apostles, contrary to the Catholic belief. While Peter played an important role in the early church, his leadership complimented the other apostles. This is evident through Peter’s own writing again in 1 Peter, in which he expressed his equal leadership with other elders (1 Peter chapter 5, verse 1), Paul’s public rebuking of Peter (Galatians chapter 2, verses 11-14) and James’ chairing of the Jerusalem council (Acts chapter 15, verses 13-20).
There is also no biblical evidence Peter was ever a leader in Rome and the early church model, as seen throughout the New Testament, was for elders to be appointed as leaders of a church, not an apostle accepting the senior pastor role. In fact, the scriptures say Peter ministered in Jerusalem and Antioch and thus, if Peter was truly the chief apostle, both Jerusalem and Antioch have legitimate claims of being the heir of Peter’s supremacy.
Church history does not support the Papal authority
The Catholic Church relies heavily on church history and oral tradition to provide support to their cause, however “No Fathers of the first two centuries can be cited as supporters of the Roman Catholic interpretation of Matthew 16:18… and the overwhelming majority of the Fathers through the entire patristic age (Augustine, John of Damascus and many others) all disagree with the Roman Church’s interpretation of Matthew chapter 16 verse 18.
The vast majority of the Fathers do not recognise the personal prerogatives of Peter as being transferred in a personal way to the bishop of Rome, thereby making him the head of the Church.” (https://www.the-highway.com/papacy_Webster.html)
Where did the Papal authority come from?
Primarily, the supporting church history for papal authority developed from the bishops of Rome, who claimed their own supremacy. Bishops like Leo the Great was particularly influential in his role as bishop of Rome, and he asserted his religious dominance through demands of honor from other churches and his key leadership role in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire, particularly at the council of Chalcedon in 451 AD.
Then there was Gregory the Great, it was during his term that the word ‘pope’ was almost exclusively applied to the Roman bishop and he believed the pope had supreme authority throughout the world.
Admittedly, while Leo the Great and Gregory the Great are credited with really consolidating the idea of the papacy in the first 600 years after Christ’s ascension, the idea gradually developed throughout church history. Augustine, who is celebrated as a saint in the Catholic Church, held the Catholic idea of apostolic succession, but later published retractions of his beliefs and included a different interpretation of the Matthew 16 passage.
The Modern Catholic Church and Papal Authority:
The current concept of the pope is that he is infallible and has exclusive authority to interpret scriptures. This means whatever the Pope says about scripture and/or life is correct and without error. This is extremely troubling as Popes have been known to contradict the Bible and previous predecessors (and at one time there were three opposing popes fighting against each other!)
These frightening statements uphold the pope as supreme and ultimately equal in authority to Christ and the Scriptures. Doctrines of the church, such as salvation, therefore become the interpretation of man, rather than through the inspired Word of God.
While the Roman Catholic church was true to scripture in the early church era, similarities between Mormonism and Islam, with the Catholic Church become obvious when truth can apparently be ‘received and interpreted’ by man with divine authority. Mormonism and Islam have been rejected by the church as cults, a review of the current Catholic Church’s leadership and scriptural interpretation leads me to a similar conclusion regarding this denomination.
All of this is no way denies there are many Roman Catholics who simply put side in their minds this doctrinal and historical Catholicism by expressing their faith in Christ as does Protestantism, saved by Christ alone and rejoice in their Salvation.
Genevieve Wilson is a happily married stay at home, home-schooling mum of 3, whose passion is to see people come to know Jesus. She is a seminary wife to her amazing husband and has worked 8 years as a missionary with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). She has a heart for justice.
Genevieve Wilson is Canadian. a happily married home-schooling mum of 3, whose passion is to see people come to know Jesus. She is a seminary wife to her amazing husband.