what is the history of the papacy. has the pope always been the leader of the church. espescially for anglicans, what backs up this claim. im not trying to debate. the doctrine of papal infalibillity just doesnt make senze if paul rebuked peter for distancing himself from gentiles and sinners, and if he denied christ 3 times. is there any truth to the pope being the vicar of christ
2006-09-10 12:22:10 · 17 answers · asked by the fonz 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
http://www.catholic-pages.com/dir/pope.asp
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pope0000.htm
2006-09-10 12:25:00 · answer #1 · answered by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Pope is only Infallible when He speaks from the Seat of Peter about Faith or Morals. The Holy Spirit keeps him from saying something incorrect in that case.
In other areas it is ok for a Pope to make a mistake like Peter did with the Gentiles, or when he denied Christ. These were personal mistakes, and he did not make either of them into official Church teachings. (He may have been thinking about doing so in the case with Paul, but he never followed through with it.)
The Pope is the Vicar of Christ. The Pope is an ambassador for Christ and is like a second in command who is left in charge while the leader is away.
2006-09-10 19:29:00 · answer #2 · answered by Dysthymia 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
+ Vicar of Christ +
Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:17-19)
The Catholic Church believes the Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.
Pope Benedict XVI is the direct successor of Simon Peter.
+ Anglicans +
King Henry VII split from the Catholic Church when the Pope would not grant him a divorce. The Pope has never been the head of the Anglican Church.
+ Infallibility +
The Catholic Church teaches that the Pope is infallible at closely defined times.
The Pope is only infallible when he, in union with the body of bishops, solemnly teaches that a doctrine as true.
This comes from the words of Jesus to Peter (the first Pope) and the Apostles (the first bishops), "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matthew 18:18) and "He who hears you hears me" (Luke 10:16).
+ Peter not perfect +
God rarely selects perfect people to fulfill His plans.
I received this in an email a while ago.
God does not call the qualified. God qualifies those He calls.
Noah was a drunk.
Abraham was too old.
Isaac was a daydreamer.
Jacob was a liar.
Leah was ugly.
Joseph was abused.
Moses couldn't talk.
Gideon was afraid.
Sampson had long hair, and was a womanizer!
Rahab was a prostitute!
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young.
David had an affair and was a murderer.
Elijah was suicidal.
Isaiah preached naked.
Jonah ran from God.
Naomi was a widow.
Job went bankrupt.
John the Baptist ate bugs.
Peter denied Christ.
The Disciples fell asleep while praying.
Martha worried about everything.
Mary Magdalene was demon possessed.
The Samaritan Woman was divorced, more than once!
Zaccheus was too small.
Paul was too religious and a persecutor of Christians.
Timothy had an ulcer.
And
Lazarus was Dead!
God can easily use you to to fulfill His plans.
+ With love in Christ.
2006-09-11 01:34:08 · answer #3 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church that the Pope is the vicar of Christ, and leader of the church.
But there is not Biblical proof that Peter was designated by Jesus to be the sole leader of the church
That is not the tradition of Christian Churches. In Galatians, Paul writes about James, Cephas, and John as seeming to be the "pillars" of the church at Jerusalem.
2006-09-10 19:34:54 · answer #4 · answered by Bob L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the pope is the vicar of Christ. He has special authority to govern the Church given to him by Christ. This was done with Peter, our first pope, and with every other pope in history up to the present day, with Pope Benedict XVI. Papal infallibility refers to the actions of the pope when he speaks on matters of faith and teaching. It does not refer to everything single thing he says and does, like if you asked him what his favorite color is, or what he thinks a balanced breakfast should be. Those things are his opinions. But when he speaks from the office of his position, as pope, to teach or instruct in a matter of the faith, he is said to speak in ex-cathedra, which is infallible because he is teaching in Christ.
2006-09-10 19:42:29 · answer #5 · answered by Danny H 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A vicar is a priest that substitutes for a higher ranking clergyman. In this case that would be Christ. If you are Catholic you would believe that the Pope acts in place of Christ.
I believe such authority was lost when the church became a political institution.
2006-09-10 22:45:12 · answer #6 · answered by Isolde 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No all the popes in history are imposters.
All of the Apostals were hand pick by the Christ who was named Jesus. They were begoten by holy spirit...
Popes are voted by the Cardinals no holy spirit here.
The history also tells us of the Catholic Religion how they tortured during the crusades and caused many in our time to die at the hands of Hitler and Mouselini The pope refused to say any thing against these enimies of humanity. The Pope got a lot of flak from many countries about his silence.
After the resurection of Jesus he at one time while Peter was fishing, to feed his sheep and so forth.
He even told Peter he would deny him three times before this happen.
Is the pope the vicar of Christ? HELL NO.
2006-09-10 19:41:28 · answer #7 · answered by Donaldsan theGreatone 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes. Peter is indeed qualified to represent Christ on earth, because he was FORGIVEN three times by Jesus and told to 'feed my lambs/sheep'. Yes, Paul rebuked him on a matter NOT of faith or morals, but generally, all of the Apostles and disciples looked to Peter as the leader of the group. That is history, and not up for debate. But people will believe what they want regardless of facts. Here's another fact: Mary Magdelene understood more of what Jesus said than any of the men He chose.
But He kissed her on the forehead.
2006-09-10 19:31:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
just a copy and paste here from where you asked this same question in the other one you'd psted so...
A title of the pope implying his supreme and universal primacy, both of honour and of jurisdiction, over the Church of Christ. It is founded on the words of the Divine Shepherd to St. Peter: "Feed my lambs. . . . Feed my sheep" (John 21:16-17), by which He constituted the Prince of the Apostles guardian of His entire flock in His own place, thus making him His Vicar and fulfilling the promise made in Matthew 16:18-19.
Source(s):
newadvent.org
2006-09-10 19:27:31 · answer #9 · answered by Marysia 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is founded on the words of the Divine Shepherd to St. Peter: "Feed my lambs. . . . Feed my sheep" (John 21:16-17), by which He constituted the Prince of the Apostles guardian of His entire flock in His own place, thus making him His Vicar and fulfilling the promise made in Matthew 16:18-19.
2006-09-10 19:26:48 · answer #10 · answered by pbuchta 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The title Vicar of Christ is from the Latin, which translated means Anti-Christ. And there's no evidence that Peter was ever Pope.
2006-09-10 19:25:57 · answer #11 · answered by ted.nardo 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋