Do Non-Catholics See the Papacy as Power or Responsibility?

[SIA]

I am just wondering how others view this.

When non-catholics look at Papal Authority are they looking primarily at the “Power” of that authority or the “Responsibility” of that authority?

Non-catholics, have issues with the Papal Authority. This authority is a large roadblock to them ever becoming Catholic. For Catholics, the aurhority seems completely natural and right. My belief is that this dichotomy arises from a misunderstanding of what this authority entails. I believe that what Non-Catholics percieve in Papal Authority is “Power” and what catholics see is largely “Responsibility”.

Authority can be judged in two ways, the first, the perspective of power, and the second the perspective of responsibility. The first perspective, power, is the perspective of the world. Anyone with “Authority” is in a position of “Power”, and we are automatically leery of that, especially in the U.S.A. The second perspective, responsibility, is the perspective of God. Any one in a position of Authority must be aware of their responsibility to those they have authority over and where the authority comes from. So let us look at these in relation to the Teaching authority of the Church and the Office of the Pope.

Papal Authority carries little in the way of power in the sense that we in the world understand it. The Pope cannot force anyone to convert. He cannot force anyone to accept Church teaching. Even as the head of the Vatican State, he can do little besides use his “moral influence” to effect temporal, international affairs. So the “Power” of the Papacy lies strictly in the realm of “moral” authority to guide the faithful successfully to Heaven.

Papal Authority, on the other hand, carries an unfathomably huge amount of responsibility, particularly when one considers the balance between that responsibility and the corresponding power. The Pope carries the responsibility for church teaching. He carries the responsibility for the proper and correct guiding of over a billion souls. Jesus made it clear when discussing the responsibilities of the Jewish Authorities. He told the Jews to do as their leaders instructed because the leaders sat on the chair of Moses, but He also made it clear that the teachers would be held to account for their teachings. Certainly this teaching is just as true today. He who teaches will be held accountable for the accuracy of that teaching.

So my question to the group is this –
When non-catholics look at Papal Authority are they looking primarily at the “Power” of that authority or the “Responsibility” of that authority?

Peace
James

Depends upon whether they are preaching in parallel with Scripture or not.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

Whatever else you may think of the Orthodox, they are historically consistant from the early church to the present. Orthodox don’t “hate supremacy to pieces”, it’s just wrong. Orthodox hate the sin but love the sinner.

No need to add “teeth” or anything else novel to the patriarchate of Rome. It might be a good idea to clean it up from it’s unnecessary accretions so that it can do it’s own job properly.

As Patriarch H.B. Grégoire III Laham, B.S., Patriarch of Antioch has stated…

It is interesting how you place so much weight on your personal opinion. I can appreciate your respect for your Patriarch opinions. Here is a statement that balances everything that the apostles, all the successors of Peter, saints, and martyrs who do not hold to your opinon, but hold to the Roman Catholics belief from the first century to today. Does your opinion and your Patriarch’s opinion weigh more than the following statement?

Mathew 1617
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood 12 has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
18
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, 13 and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
19
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. 14 Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Only the opinions of pride is what seperates one from accepting the Truth of what Jesus created in St. Peter and his successors, that causes the tear in Peters net. This same pride is what caused lucifer to fall. Speaking as a lay person, one who truly loves Jesus, will not let his own pride or opinions keep me away from what Jesus instituted in the above scripture.

I hope you are not calling Jesus just “Wrong” for building his church on Peter (present day Pope), giving the authority of binding and loosing, keys to the kingdom of God, because Jesus singled Peter out here, and gave him supremacy over Gods kingdom are you?

P.s The power and responsibility that Jesus gave to Peter in the binding and loosing, keys to the kingdom not to mention build his church upon, has always come under attack when it is revealed by the Pope or excercised, this coming against her (Church of Peter, a.k.a the Roman Catholic church) proves she is the one faithful True Church because Jesus promised that these gates from the netherworld will never prevail against her.

Peace be with you