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p.1Whats in a name? The New Pope as Christ The American Pope, Leo XIV-was elected the 267th pontiff graduated from the Augustinian Villanova University, in suburban Philadelphia. Being educated in Augustinian teachings further establishes a great probability of animosity toward the Jews and Israel, as Augustine held. It is doubtful anything will change from the course the church has set, it will stay the same regardless of those claiming he’s conservative. The Roman Catholic church selecting an American for Pope for the first time in history is purposeful, strategic, I do not think it is to compliment the president. The Roman church celebrates having a new Pope, and the world celebrates along with them. Many have the sentiment that he as an American, that he is a pope for the whole world. What does this all mean? We, the Christian church worldwide, apart from Rome’s rule and authority have Christ Jesus and the Word as our central authority. Vatican city is its own country. Instead of electing a president, they elect a religious head called a Pope. As we look more astutely at past history, it becomes clear that something of great magnitude took place involving both the Roman Empire and the Church (we will look at this further in pt.2) Constantine used both the name of Christ and Christianity to build a new Roman (religious) Empire. Once vehemently against Christianity, the church was legalized and incorporated to be global religious center from Rome The title of the pope implies his supreme and universal primacy, both of honor and of jurisdiction, over the Church of Christ. According to the Roman Church, he has the same power and authority that Christ had over the church which they claim was invested to Peter, they call the Prince of the Apostles when Jesus said to him "Feed my lambs . . . Take care of my sheep." (and upon this rock.)After Constantine’s changed the Roman empire, Augustine was the theologian the church was shaped after, and they have held his view of the Jews, “Judas is the image of the Jewish people: their understanding of Scripture is carnal; they bear the guilt for the death of the Savior, for through their fathers they have killed Christ.” This view against Jews and Israel continued throughout the Roman church's history.Were not the apostles, the early church Jewish? To say all the Jewish people are as Judas, had them carry the guilt of killing Christ by ‘their fathers!’ They blame those who are actually innocent as being guilty; bearing false witness. They made ANY Jew, ALL Jews living at ANY time guilty of killing Christ. What of those Jews who began the Church? They were still considered Jews, these are those who brought in the non Jews to be part of Christ’s body on earth. Was not Peter whom they called a pope Jewish? How did their false non-biblical view help reach the Jewish people? The Church is supposed make them jealous so they come to believe in their own Messiah (specifically mentioned in the letter to the Romans chapt.11) What we learn from history is that Satan’s influence divides, while Christ brings together, first breaking down the wall of divisions (book of Ephesians). The history of Popes' names can be significant, some being worse than others, all men who take upon themselves this supreme position are illegitimate. Why? The Bible says in Heb. 8:1-2 “The main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.” (We have one Mediator 1 Tim 2:5; one priest, Jesus who is our “High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Heb. 3:1.) Eph. 1:20-23 “He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church , which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” There have been 13 popes named Leo, five have been canonized, as saints: Leo I, Leo II, Leo III, Leo IV, and Leo IX. The Leos with the most influence on their times were Leo I, Leo III, Leo IX, Leo X, and Leo XIII. The name John is the most popular among popes, used 21 times. Last used by John XXIII (1958–1963). When a new Pope takes a name of another Pope, it is significant. There is a history, a significance behind each name. Some are worse than others. The rise of the papacy can be traced to the rise of the primacy of Rome. In 256 AD., according to Cyprian, Stephen, bishop of Rome claimed himself "bishop of bishops," Peter's successor. This concept of a bishop over all bishops was already being developed by some. It was Ignatius that taught that churches needed a bishop who is above the elders, emphasizing loyalty and obedience to the bishop.
Letter to the Trallians “For, since ye are subject to the bishop
as to Jesus Christ
…”
“In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as an appointment of
Jesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ … and
the presbyters as the Sanhedrin of God, and assembly of the apostles.
Ignatius was the first to describe the Lord’s Supper, (the Passover) as a sacramental Eucharist, "the medicine of immortality" (Letter to Smyrnaeans 8) instead of how Jesus described it at the last supper. What is perplexing is that many of these men who brought unbiblical teachings also agreed with certain Biblical truths. But error begets error and the groundwork was laid for the changes in the Church as Constantine introduced a religious paradigm shift to the Roman Empire, from paganism to Christianity. The Council of Chalcedon in 451AD was called to resolve a doctrinal controversy between Antioch and Alexandria, again with the Arians, over the person of Jesus Christ. The council accepted Pope Leo’s I teaching of Christ’s Incarnation and of the union of both his natures. Instead of recognizing Scripture as the authority, they recognized the authority from Leo, declaring, “Peter has spoken through the mouth of Leo!” It was Augustine that previously stated,“Rome has spoken, the dispute is at an end”(354-430, Augustine of Hippo, The City of God). The development of a central church had been established by a single figure speaking as ex-cathedra, instead of pointing to the Bible, they pointed to the bishop of bishops. The twenty-eighth canon of the Chalcedon council in 451 AD affirmed the equal authority of the bishop of Constantinople with that of Rome. Leo, who had fought for the supremacy of his office as indispensable to the unity and authority of the Church, rejected this canon; and a long struggle began between the rival sees. We find that the first pope to be called the “Vicar of Christ”was Pope Leo the Great (the first Leo). We read that Pope Leo I laid the groundwork of secular authority an "infallibility" that would later be claimed by the popes declared that the emperor was "incapable of doctrinal error." Pope Leo I (440-61), first ascribed this authority to a godless emperor named Constantine. This was not ascribed to any bishop residing in Rome but one who was considered the superior over all.The same infallibility which Pius IX would persuade the members of Vatican I to declare had always been the exclusive power of the popes: “By the Holy Spirit's inspiration the emperor needs no human instruction and is incapable of doctrinal error. Leo I, renamed the Great, held the throne of Peter through a generation of crisis (440-61), and by courage and statesmanship raised the Apostolic See to new heights of power and dignity. As Kenneth Latourette describes “the Papal see the controlling center of that Church in Western Europe.” (Christianity through the Ages) Pope Leo I (440-61) had boasted that St. Peter and St. Paul had “replaced Romulus and Remus as the city's [Rome's] protecting patrons.” (Will Durant, The Story of Civilization (Simon and Schuster, 1950), vol. 5, pp. 155-56). Romulus and Remus were twin brothers in Roman mythology, born to Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin, and the god Mars. There is no history to show Peter was in Rome ruling the church. In Acts 18:2 we read Emperor Claudius commanded all the Jews to leave Rome, this would include Peter. If he stayed, he would have be executed for disobeying (at this time Christianity was still illegal in Rome which then means he couldn't have been a Pope over the whole Church). Furthermore, there is no proof of this position prior to Constantine of any Bishop of Rome having the position as the head of all the church. The statements of the Popes throughout history showed they have spoken more error than truth in their teachings to the church. "for an encyclical to be infallible the Pope must speak ex cathedra," in Latin, means from the chair; on faith and morals. Much of their ex cathedra did not involve what is said from Scripture but added to it. History repeats itself in the worst way. The Pharisees sat in Moses' seat judging the people, and the Popes sit in Peters seat judging the people. Several hundred years later, Pope Nicholas I declared that “the appellation of God had been confirmed by Constantine on the Pope, who, being God, cannot be judged by man” (Labb IX Dist.:96 Can. 7, Satis evidentur, Decret Gratian Primer Para.) Though it this many years later Constantine, he is seen as the origin of Roman Christianity of today. The doctrines that developed early on were accepted and then expanded further, where statements of supreme authority was given to the man, who is ‘the Vicar of Christ.’ Pope Leo XIII stated "We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." “We define that the Holy Apostolic See (the Vatican) and the Roman Pontiff hold the primacy over the whole world" (A Decree of the Council of Trent, quoted in Philippe Labbe and Gabriel Cossart, The Most Holy Councils, Vol. 13, col. 1167). “the Pope is the Supreme Judge... He is the vicegerent of Christ, who is not only a priest forever, but also King of kings and Lord of lords” (Vatican Council, p. 220). Pope Gregory IX speaking or God, was he infallible when he proclaimed "The pope is the lord and master of the Universe, things as well as people?" "The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ Himself, hidden under veil of flesh" (The Catholic National, July, 1895.) The one and only true Christ is seated in heavenly places ruling the church (his church) on earth, he never gave this authority to any one man on earth in all of history. By their infallibility they introduced unbiblical teachings, distorting numerous Scriptures for church control. An example, Pope Leo X who commissioned the Dominican Friar Tetzel to sell indulgences, promising freedom to those in purgatory or release the purchaser “As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs.” Before 1870 it was not necessary for Catholics to believe in the Infallibility of the Pope, until Vatican II reaffirmed Trent (which was their response to the reformation) on the primacy and infallibility of the Roman Pontiff. Vatican Council on January 9,1870 proclaimed: "The Pope is Christ in office, Christ in jurisdiction and power...we bow down before thy voice, O Pius, as before the voice of Christ, the God of truth; in clinging to thee, we cling to Christ." Misinformed on their church, what the church actually is according to the Bible, over 1.3 billion Roman Catholics and those willfully ignorant of those who once protested this empire join them. We are here today repeating the same errors respecting papal authority, and disrespecting Christ’s. Not only do Catholics rarely read their Bible but Protestants who admire and accept the Pope, do not also. All of this comes from not reading nor understanding the Bible. As the prophet Hosea spoke spoke, “my people destroyed (perish) for lack of knowledge” (Hos. 4:6.) 1 Sam. 2:3 “For the LORD is the God of knowledge.” Prov. 1:7 “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” As ancient Job said they say to God, 'Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?” (21:14-15) Let us understand there is nothing new under the sun. Jesus scolded the religious leaders, the scribes and the Pharisees“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." (Luke 11:52)
p.2 Pope of Constantinople or Rome |
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