The Popes and Cardenals of the Catholic Church
Is the Pope the Head of the Church?
The new Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary says...
"Pope:
The Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church."
"Pontiff:
The Catholic Church says...
"A Church requires a visible head. Jesus Christ appointed a man to be His vicar and the minister of His power. The Savior appointed Peer head and pastor of all the faithful. He willed to power of ruling and governing the entire Church to Peter's successors."
–Council of Trent.
"The Roman Pontiff, as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole church, has full supreme and universal power over the Church. And he can always exercise the power freely."
–Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 1964.
The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, 'is the visible source of the bishops and the faithful."
–Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Every cleric must obey the Pope, even if he commandments what is evil for no one may judge the Pope."
–Pope Innocent III.
"If anyone were ti say that the Apostle Peter was not constituted by Jesus Christ, visible head of the Church, be accursed (is anathema). If anyone were to say that the Roman Pontiff is not a successor of the blessed Peter, be accursed (is anathema)."
–Vatican Council I, Dogmatic Constitution of the Church.
Does Peter In Rome Make The Pope
Ruler Of The World?
The Roman Catholic Church says...
"Every human creature is subject to the Roman Pontiff, as of absolute necessity for salvation."
–Decree of Pope Boniface VIII.
"None but an apostate (a traitor of the faith) Catholic could assert that Peter was not in Rome: for the reason of that fact is the coming of St. Peter to Rome, and the seat there established by him is connected with an article of our faith –that is, the Primacy of Order and Justification belonging to Divine Right to the Roman Pontiff. Hence it follows that he cannot be a Catholic who does not believe in the coming to, and the episcopate and death of St, Peter in Rome."
–Cardinal Perroul, 1964.
Disagreeing Catholic Church Theologian leaders say…
“The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Pope is the Successor of the Apostle Peter. The Roman Catholic Church has never been able to produce evidences that Peter was ever in Rome! The beginning years of the Roman Catholic Church history concerning a link between Peter and the first papal authority are veiled in darkness. The Roman Catholic leaders don’t know what happened during the 300 years which followed the days of Peter. Peter was married, claimed not infallibility nor having the key to heaven.”
–Phillip Hughes, A History of the Church, London, 1934.
“There never was even a vague tradition among the ancients about Peter’s having been in Rome. Even when, the breaking up of the empire, the Bishops of Rome began to extend their authority over other churches, they never alleged or put forth this story of Peter’s being at Rome: the story, I suppose, not having yet been invented.”
–Charles Du Moulin, Ecclesiastical Lawyer, 1566.
The Bible says…
“He (Jesus) is the head of the body, the Church.”
–Paul, Colossians 1:11
“He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. For in Him were created all things, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers: all things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things He Himself might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile all things for Him, making peace by the blood of His cross through Him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.”
Paul, Colossians 1:15-20
Do you believe…
…that the Pope is really the head of the Church?
…that Christ is the only head of the body?
…that the Bible teaches that there are two heads of the Church, one visible and one invisible?
…that Christ needs a second head, a man, to govern over his church?
Who Is The Head Of The Church?
