The fact is that Protestantism retained (and still believes and practices) many doctrines established by the Roman church using the authority they claim to derive from Matthew 16:18-19! One example: changing the Sabbath to Sunday But don’t be too quick to disconnect your own faith from this topic. Now, if you are a Protestant Christian reading this article, you may disagree with some of these Catholic proclamations. 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII announced the doctrine of the “Assumption of Mary,” declaring that the Virgin Mary’s body never died and saw corruption, but was “assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” ( Munificentissimus Deus). 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception,” which proclaimed that the Virgin Mary was “preserved free from all stain of original sin” and throughout her life was “entirely perfect, beautiful, most dear to God and never stained with the least blemish” ( Ineffabilis Deus). The Council of Nicaea later confirmed this and made it binding on the entire church (A.D. 190, Pope Victor I declared that all Christians should abandon the biblical Passover, and instead observe Easter to represent Jesus’ resurrection. The Roman Catholic Church has used this authority to change or proclaim many doctrines that are not taught in the Bible. The idea is that the pope stands in place of Christ as His representative on earth-endowed with Christ’s own authority-which was originally given to Peter. In fact, one of the pope’s primary titles is vicar of Christ, which implies “his supreme and universal primacy, both of honour and of jurisdiction, over the Church of Christ” ( Catholic Encyclopedia). O’Brien, The Faith of Millions, 1963, pp. Peter and head of the Church on earth, proclaims a doctrine of faith or morals binding on the whole Church, he is preserved from error” (John A. Peter), he is exercising this power in its fullness.Įx cathedra asserts that “when the pope in his official capacity, with the fullness of his authority, as successor of St. Catholics maintain that when a pope speaks ex cathedra (Latin for “from the chair” of St. The consequences of this belief: popes who changed biblical doctrineīelieving that Peter and those they claim are his successors are truly “the rock” on which Christ built His Church and are the possessors of the “keys,” the Roman Catholic Church has therefore claimed the authority to declare doctrine-even changing or adding to biblical doctrines. They believe Peter started a succession of popes that continues unbroken to this day (from Pope Linus to Pope Francis), and that each of these succeeding popes carries the same authority that Christ supposedly gave Peter in Matthew 16:18-19. The Roman Catholic Church believes Peter moved to Rome and led the church from Rome for about 25 years until his martyrdom in A.D. This theology leads to the connected doctrine of papal succession. He was the foundation and was given the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” ( verse 19)-supreme authority to establish doctrine and govern the church. This interpretation forms the basis of the doctrine of the primacy of Peter, the idea that Christ founded the church on Peter. “And I also say to you that you are Peter (the rock), and on you, Peter, I will build My one Holy Catholic Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The Roman Catholic Church essentially believes that Christ was saying this: Christ packed a lot into this short statement! So what exactly was He talking about? One interpretation of “on this rock I will build My church” Peter, Christ, rocks, church, gates of Hades. “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (verse 18). Instead of just complimenting Peter for speaking correctly, Jesus Christ made a statement about rocks. Jesus had posed a question to His disciples: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Peter spoke up first-eventually giving the right answer ( verse 16). Matthew 16:18 has been used to claim Peter and those considered his successors were given nearly unlimited spiritual authority.
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