I Agree With the Pope -- Almost

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI, reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church. He approved a document that says "other churches are defective and not true churches." Usually, I find very little the Pope and I agree on regarding theological issues but I agree with him that not all churches are "true churches." Some churches are founded on the teachings of men, not the Person of Jesus Christ.

I don’t agree with the Pope’s view of "which church is the true church." But, here is what we do agree on – almost. The Pope said, "other [churches] cannot be called ‘churches’ in the proper sense because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ’s original apostles." I agree that I do not trace my faith back to the original twelve apostles. I trace my faith back to the Founder of the Church, Jesus Christ.

The Catholic church puts a lot of emphasis on Peter being the "first Pope." There is little historical basis for this, and absolutely no Biblical basis. Catholic theologians base much of their theological argument on Matthew 16:18: Jesus replied, And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." It is hard even from the English to argue that Jesus was founding His church on Peter, but in the original Greek it is even more clear.

Jesus made a distinction between identifying Peter as one thing and "this rock" as something else. In the original Greek the verse is less ambiguous. It goes something like this: "You are Petros (a chip or stone) and on this petra (huge boulder or cornerstone, probably pointing to Himself) I will build My church." If you look at 1Peter 2:8 when Peter speaks about Jesus as the "petra" (rock) that the builders rejected you will understand that Peter knew the difference between "petros," his nickname, and "petra," a title referring to Christ.

So, I almost agree with the Pope. I agree that not all churches are part of the "true church." Churches founded upon the teachings of men (or women) are "defective" as the Pope points out. I also agree with the Pope that my faith (or that of other Bible believing non-Catholics) is not traced back to Peter. I disagree with which church–His or mine– is a part of the true church.

I am happy to say I trace my faith back to the Founder of the Church, and not to a man, even a man as venerable and anointed as Peter.