How can the Roman Catholic Church claim apostolic authority?

Question

The continued claim, which has zero basis in the Bible, that an earthly authority has been established in one, only one human being is based on the work of Peter. The claim is that there hasbeen a continual and unbroken line of this apostle from Peter until today.
By their number in papal succession, the following gaps of more than one year when there existed no reigning pope:

29-30, 3+ yrs
70-71, 1+ yrs
180-181, 1+ yrs
184-185, 2+yrs
192-193, 1+yrs
196-197, 1+yrs
206-207, 1+yrs
This list is not exhaustive, just what's visible through a cursery view of the list of popes.
"At this point, as again in the mid-eleventh century, we come across elections in which problems of harmonizing historical criteria and those of theology and canon law make it impossible to decide clearly which side possessed the legitimacy whose factual existence guarantees the unbroken lawful succession of the Successors of Saint Peter"quoted from the Holy See's annual directory, Annuario Pontificio

The quote above is dealing with the clouded succession of claimed popes and claimed anti-popes

The above list is not exhaustive and there are many, many more large (6 months or more) where there existed NO head of the Catholic church.

so even the OFFICIAL CATHOLIC PUBLICATION DENIES THE ABILITY TO SUBSTANTIATE THE CLAIM!
If the Church itself, admits that it is not possible to know who was and who was not really the elected pope, why continue the charade?

Follow this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope
And read about the election process. Why should such holy men have to take such steps when they are doing what God, himself, has directed them to do? Why have there benn numerous burned ballots that have not contained the correct number of votes?
Why the constant attempts at fraud in such a holy group of church leaders? And the pope comes from this esteemed group, to become infallable (until that time, he is totally fallible)

As for the idea that the election is biblically based, following the election of Mattius, we see in Acts 1 : 18-20 and in 1Cor 15: 1-9, that the filling of the space left by Judas Iscarriot was not filled by the earthly election, but by Saul, who God renamed Paul.
If the Catholic church wishes to follow the example of the election of Mattius, then they should also accept that this was not God's will!
So powerful in faith was mattius, we find nothing of him or his works ever again! (even the apostles made mistakes, including Peter, a man who NEVER accepted any type of position or authority that the Catholic church attributes top him

Mattius=Mathias=Matthias
As I have seen, in various places and translations these spellings, just so there is no confusion

the apocrypha, to which you allude, are many heresies that true Christianity rejects,it is the foul satanic roman catholic church who ADDS!
proof? The books, and you mention maccabbees, are not now, were not ever, accepted as JEWISH canon! But the Catholic church insists that they were and that is the reason for the inclusion!
as for the word churches (plural) you CAN indeed, find that there are Churches listed in the Bible, even the corrupted catholic version. Look up the word in a concordance.
paul praised the bareens for searching the scriptures to find out if what the apostles were sying was true or not, but the Roman catholic church outlawed the word of God, Burned Bibles and had translators murdered.
Yes, oh YES, very Godly!, very much the example of Christ!
NOT!!!!!!

Answer 1

There have been short periods of time when there has not been a Pope. But apostolic authority does not rest only in the Pope, the successor of Simon Peter.

Apostolic authority rests in the entire college of bishops, the successors of the Apostles. The laying on of hands from one generation of bishops to the next is unbroken back to the time of the Apostles.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

They can claim anything they want, hey the Pope can claim to be the Easter Bunny but that does not make it so. The Church Jesus founded is not about Pagan rituals, like the Rosary beads that honor Mary 10 times for each reference to Jesus, the Altar they borrowed from the Celtic Druids, the Statue veneration they got from the Greeks, or the Trinity they borrowed from the Babylonians, or perhaps the Celts, for they borrow many Pagan rituals to make it easer to get people to join their church in order to build bigger buildings and make the Pope a world leader instead of a man of God. Jesus taught that if any would be great among you let him be the servant of all. Have you seen the Pope serving others or being served/ The maid at the Vatican is held in higher esteme by God than the Pope.

Answer 3

Your point is? You are some protestant who thinks he knows it all. Reality check, you only know what your minister tells you. You parrot your protestant beliefs. protestant-- those who protest the papacy and the Catholic church. You ridicule the Church started by Jesus HIMSELF, entrusted unto Peter. You deny the verse in the Bible that says, "You are Peter the rock on which I will build me CHURCH"--not churches. And you call yourself a Christian; what irony!!!
Let me educate you on something junior. The Bible you read The KJV or NIV was not approved by Rome, although it is printed that it was. Both these versions are missing books. Where in the KJV and NIV is the book of Maccabees? At the council of Nicaea the New Testament books and OT books were compiled. Yet in the KJV and the NIV some of those books are omitted. Why do you think they are? Because they are not in line with mainstream protestant beliefs. So you protestants have again violated the Bible. I quote: "You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." deu 4:2

Answer 4

outing. St Augustine for one -- a Catholic to the feet -- did no longer interpret that section the way you do. 2) the translation works the different of ways you're doing. that's an element of the religion that Jesus ordinary a Church. The Bible can not be interpreted how Pope You needs. 3) Apostolic authority is going agains Sola Scriptura. in basic terms think of of 'that's my physique, that's my Blood'. constantly undergo in recommendations the previous shaggy dog tale ; what's the version between Catholics and Protestants. answer: Catholics basically have one Pope !!!

Answer 5

And what was your answer to the question about the number of angels on the head of the pin? Get real. The Roman Catholic Church and the Pope who leads the Church is the spiritual descendant of the man (Peter) whom Jesus invested earthly power. Gaps in lineage are best left to the Windsor scholars.

Answer 6

What's really interesting is how they claim bishops succeeded Apostles when only Apostles can succeed Apostles.

Of course, dealing with the fact that there were no Apostles after they were all murdered, the Church had to conclude that the Bishops succeeded them or else they would have to conclude that they were in Apostasy and lost key priesthood authority. And they couldnt accept the second.

Answer 7

How can they? They just say so - and plenty of people believe it. Asserting an earthly authority is a control issue, of course. It started from the beginning, when they had to stop people from listening to the Jews, Gnostics, and Pagans around them.

Answer 8

they certainly have no right from God they make themselves the head of the church rather than Jesus.

Answer 9

The Catholic Church receives its authority from Jesus Christ himself through apostolic authority. In Matthew 28: 18,19, Jesus says, “ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Jesus tells us he has received all power in heaven and on earth. In John 20:21 Jesus appears to the apostles and says to them “…Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Here we see that Jesus sends forth the apostles with “all the authority in heaven and on earth”. In John 16:13 he tells his apostles “But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.” So he also gives them through the Holy Spirit the knowledge of all truth. John re-iterates this in his first letter, 1 John 4:6, “We belong to God, and anyone who belongs to God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.” Also in Matthew 28:18,19, Jesus refers to “all nations” and ends the passage with “until the end of the age”. The apostles were only 12 and lived at the most 60 years after Christ’s death. So, for this to be true there must have been a need for additional apostles and we have yet to achieve the “end of the age”. In Acts 1:15-26, Peter, in his leadership, calls for a replacement of Judas. This establishes the apostles as an office not just persons. Mathias filled the office of apostle through the casting of lots. As the church grew, so did the amount of apostles or as we know them, Bishops. The best example of this is Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy 2:2,3, where he says “And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will have the ability to teach others as well. Bear your share of hardship along with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” This shows 4 generations of ordained teachers from Paul to Timothy to “faithful men” to “others”. This also pertains to Simon. Simon, in Matthew 16:14-19, has his name changed to Peter and is given the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. He is also told that the “gates of hell will not prevail against this church built upon him. If this isn’t enough, in John 21:15-19, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loved Him, and upon each positive response, he is told to “…feed my sheep…tend my sheep…feed my sheep” thereby appointing him shepherd over His flock. Jesus affirms Peter’s position in Luke 22:31,32 when he says. “ Simon, Simon, behold Satan had demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen you brothers. Peter here is given the position of leading and re-enforcing the faith of the other apostles. Finally, in 2nd Peter 1:12, Peter states “Therefore, I will always remind you of these things, even though you already know them and are established in the truth you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by a reminder, since I know that I will soon have to put it aside, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me. I shall also make every effort to enable you always to remember these things after my departure.” In referencing what Jesus had told him of his death in John 21:15-19, he shows how he will “remind” them, by appointing a successor as he was appointed. This line has continued down through all Pope’s to our Benedict XVI, who speaks with all authority in heaven and on earth, infallibly in matters of faith and morals. This is why we should honor and obey.

Answer 10

Great , who cares ?