Pope Benedict Declares the Primacy of the Catholic Church
12 Jul 2007
Whether it is the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition or a host of other atrocities, Christianity is always saddled with the crimes of Roman Catholicism. Seeing the two as synonymous, our world fails to differentiate between Romanism and true Christianity. Far from being one and the same, Catholicism is actually apostate Christianity, not to mention the world’s second largest false religion. With its 1 billion adherents, Catholicism is second only to Islam (1.3 billion) when it comes to false religions being masterfully used by the god of this world to lead untold millions into Christless graves at the forfeiture of their immortal souls.
Yes, I am aware of the fact that my email bin is about to be filled with unflattering responses to this article. I am also aware that I am way outside the parameters of today’s political correctness. Many Catholics will be highly offended and many of my own Baptist brethren will criticize me for rocking the boat of ecumenism. Still, like the Apostle Paul, I must not “for one moment” give in to compromise, lest the purity of the Gospel be jeopardized (Galatians 2:5). Like the Reformers of old, all true Gospel preachers today should be willing to sacrifice life and limb, not to mention reputation, to preserve the purity of the Gospel from the corruption of Popery.
When one considers the fact that most Protestants today no longer see the Catholic Church as a foe to Bible-believing Christianity, but as its fellow, it’s easy to understand why our world sees the two as synonymous. Yet, while the world and most Protestants may see the two as one and the same, the Pope certainly doesn’t.
Pope Benedict XVI recently reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church by approving a document issued by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. According to the document, “ecclesial communities originating from the Reformation [Protestant churches] are…not churches in the proper sense of the word.” The document goes on to brazenly declare that everyone professing Christ outside of the Catholic Church has a “defective” faith, since the only true path to salvation is Roman Catholicism.
In defense of the Pope’s affirmation of Catholic primacy, Christianity Today—better titled: “What Passes for Christianity Today”—insisted that the Pope’s declaration is nothing more than “the Vatican restating its long-held beliefs.” Consequently, CT asserts that us Protestants should not make too much of it.
That Catholic primacy is the Vatican’s long-held belief is indisputable. Roman Catholicism has always taught that “Christ established here on earth only one church”; namely, the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, Roman Catholicism has always taught that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ, that the sacraments are the vehicles of grace, and that the Roman Church alone is man’s viaduct to Heaven. Anyone disagreeing with its long-held and entrenched dogmas is unhesitatingly anathematized—eternally damned—by the Catholic Church.
What a strange time we’re living in today. Protestants condone the Pope for anathematizing us and condemning our faith as heretical, while condemning those within our own ranks daring enough to speak out against the heresy of Popery. Unlike the Apostle Paul and Protestant Reformers, today’s Christians appear to be more concerned with keeping the peace than with preserving the purity of the Gospel. It’s all quite exasperating and inexplicable. Martin Luther has got to be turning over in his grave.
Don Walton
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