If pope Benedict XVI is currently holding the keys to the kingdom then I should pray to him to let me in?
God Bless
2007-07-20 16:46:22 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That is not what is meant by the keys.
"Jesus entrusted a specific authority to Peter: 'I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' The 'power of the keys' designates authority to govern the house of God, which is the Church. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, confirmed this mandate after his Resurrection: 'Feed my sheep.' The power to 'bind and loose' connotes the authority to absolve sins, to pronounce doctrinal judgments, and to make disciplinary decisions in the Church. Jesus entrusted this authority to the Church through the ministry of the apostles and in particular through the ministry of Peter, the only one to whom he specifically entrusted the keys of the kingdom." -- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 553
http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p122a3p3.htm
2007-07-20 16:54:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Matthew 16:17-19 states: "Blessed are you Siman Bar Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter (which is Greek for rock, these are my words.), and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." NIV.
Jesus said that Peter would be the Foundation of his church and that he had the authority to bind and to loose. Jesus didn't say to pray to Peter and the Catholic Christian Church doesn't teach anyone to do that. The Pope is the last in the line of the Bishops of Rome that this authority has been handed down to by the laying on of hands since the apostle Peter.
Why do you imply negative things about the Catholic Church and negative things about the Pope? Why not read the entire Bible and also find out what the official teachings of the Catholic Christian Church really are?
Do you know that the followers of Jesus (the Christian Church), originally called themselves, "The Way". This is found in the book of Acts. About the year 100, the followers of Jesus started to call themselves Christians.
About the year 200, the followers of Jesus started calling themselves, The Catholic Christian Church. In the 1600's some groups of people broke away from the Catholic Christian Church. These people called themselves, Protestants.
I don't know why you have a bias against the Catholic Church, but I would suggest that the real issue is, is a person a "follower of Jesus"? Does a person know the entire Bible, not just some verses out of context that someone preaches from the pulpit? Does a person try to put the teachings of the prophets, Jesus, and his apostles into practice in his life?
As for Churches to belong to, which one's official teachings come the closest to the teachings of Jesus? Answering that question is only 1 of the reasons that I am a member of the Roman Catholic Christian Church.
2007-07-20 17:29:49 · answer #2 · answered by Smartassawhip 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Praying to the Pope will not gain you entrance to heaven. It is the path you lead in this life. Thru faith and works, following the commandments and seeking God, seeking forgiveness and repenting.
2007-07-20 16:51:03 · answer #3 · answered by tebone0315 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you should NOT! If you are a catholic then you believe him to be a religious leader, not a deity (god). He cannot force you to do so either way, because then he would be excommunicated (condemned or blocked from Faith) as a heretic (enemy) of the church for breaking one of the most sacred of all catholic commandments: You shall Worship No other God Except God.
2007-07-20 16:53:13 · answer #4 · answered by hdemonking 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Do you really think you should pray to anyone but god? I am catholic and you have it all wrong Pray to God and that will show you the way.
2007-07-20 16:50:07 · answer #5 · answered by kikers 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why not just send him an email.
benedictXVI@vatican.va
2007-07-20 17:44:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋