THE RISE OF THE PAPACY

The rise of the papacy occurred not long after the difficult and humble beginnings of the

Christian faith after the cross at Calvary. If one were to examine the events surrounding the humble

Spirit-filled believers at Pentecost who boldly declared the Gospel of Christ and compare it to

Emperor Flavius Gratianus in the fourth century who declared that disobedience to the Pope is sin,

we see that the focus of the authority of God quickly shifted and became distorted.

After the Apostles in the first century, Christianity grew even in the midst of persecution.

The early church fathers established new churches secretly in homes and continued to battle heresy

and opposition on many levels, despite the great efforts of many to stop the growth of the faith.

Finally, in the fourth century Constantine the Great (237-337) issued the Edict of Milan

allowing Christianity freedom throughout the Empire. Rome quickly began adopting the faith and by

the end of the fourth century, under the rule of Emperor Theodosius, the Roman Empire had

officially become a Christian empire.

The church agreed that special authority belonged to the five bishops in the cities of

Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople and Rome. Geographically these first four cities

were located on the eastern side of the empire. The fifth city (Rome) was located in the western half.

Rome had always been the center of the empire and although there were at times great conflict

between the Eastern and Western Empire, as it turned out, they split and Rome became dominant in

the end. This is significant especially since the tradition teaches that the Apostle Paul and Peter were

martyred there.
 Roman Catholicism always believed that divine authority had been given to the Apostle

Peter. Traditionally he is known as the first Pope. This assumption is known as the Petrine theory.

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines the theory, “the basis of Roman Catholic doctrine on papal

primacy, resting partly on Christ‟s bestowing the “keys of the Kingdom” on Peter (the first pope,

according to Roman Catholic tradition).”1

It is understood that the handing down of authority occurred in Matthew 16. Jesus speaking

to the Apostle Peter explains, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my

church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of

heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will

be loosed in heaven” (vss. 18-19).

This authoritative tradition has been carried on from Pope to Pope however, the evidence is

sparse and lacking that this doctrine was believed and actually taught during the early church. For

sure, there is absolutely no evidence in the early church fathers, that the Bishop of Rome was known

as the official Pope. It is of great interest that much of this is unfounded until the church begins to be

influenced by the state‟s politics during the fourth century.

In fact, it is not until the councils throughout the fourth century that one finds a specific

declaration of a Roman bishop as the most holy authority. Ireland writes, “In the same Fourth

Century, Pope Damasus and a synod of ninety bishops in Borne declared that the 318 bishops of

1
Petrine theory. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/454187/Petrine-theory
Nicaea were directed from the City of the most holy Bishops of Rome”2. It is here that the teaching

of a divine authority through the Bishop of Rome is announced.

Pope Damasus I was probably the first to have such a high-minded view of the papacy.

According to Hill, “Damasus had a high view of his own authority. He referred to Rome as „the

apostolic see‟, and to himself as pontifex maximus”.3 Damasus gave himself the highest position

(pontifex maximus) which formerly was attributed to the emperor of Rome. His secretary St. Jerome,

in 364 AD, wrote about the Damasus I,

“I follow no leader but Christ and join in communion with none but your blessedness [Pope
Damasus I], that is, with the chair of Peter. I know that this is the rock on which the Church
has been built. Whoever eats the Lamb outside this house is profane. Anyone who is not in
the ark of Noah will perish when the flood prevails."4

Gradually the position of the Bishop of Rome became Pope and morphed into an emperor-

like power hungry authoritarian. The distortion of from the humility of the early Apostles continues

in the next Bishop of Rome. Pope St. Siricius was the first to actually use the word “Pope” (from

Late Latin papa) meaning „Father‟. He also was known for threatening those who opposed this

decree.

“Siricius asserted papal authority by accompanying his decretals with threats of sanctions
against those who contravened them; his letters designate the pope as a sovereign of the
whole Western church, for which he makes laws. He also decreed that no bishop should be
consecrated without the Apostolic See‟s knowledge.”5

2
Ireland, John. "The North American Review." Is the Papacy an Obstacle to the Reunion of Christendom? 187 no. 626
(1908): 7-22.
3
Hill, Jonathan. Zondervan Handbook to the History of Christianity. Michigan: Lion Publishing, 2006. pg 167
4
Catholic Answers, "The Authority of the Pope: Part II" (San Diego: Catholic Answers, 2001).
http://www.catholic.com/library/Authority_of_the_Pope_Part_2.asp (accessed November 20, 2010).
5
Saint Siricius. In Encyclopædia Britannica., from Encyclopædia Britannica Online:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/546585/Saint-Siricius (Retrieved November 20, 2010)
 This is papal power hunger continued in Pope Innocent I (402-417) who claimed that the

authority of the Pope applies to not only the Eastern half of the Roman Empire but also the Western

part who were in disagreement and also struggling at the time.

Pope Leo I (440-461) also was sure to take advantage of his time during his papacy and he

too extended power and authority. He said, “As the primacy of the apostolic see is based on the title

of the blessed Peter, … no illicit steps may be taken against this see to usurp its authority.”6

Gregory I the Great (540-604) was well educated and also an accomplish author. It appears

he didn‟t spend much of his time increasing the power of the papacy but rather was interested in

teaching, missionary work, and writing. He wrote Liber Regulae Pastoralis in 591 which taught

about the pastoral life of bishops. Eckman states, “Doctrines such as the veneration of Mary,

purgatory, an early form of transubstantiation, and praying to departed saints found their infant

pronouncements in his writings.7 All of these teaching were absent from the teachings of the early

Apostles and so the distortions continued into the 7th century.

Nevertheless, the subtle increase of power ended with Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) and

became dramatically more hostile. As already stated above, the supremacy of the Pope increased

from the city of Rome and the Eastern Empire to the West and the entire state. From this point the

most aggressive pope to this time, Gregory VII, continued the distortions by declaring the expansion

6
Galli, M., & Olsen, T. 131 Christians everyone should know (316). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
(2000) pg 315
7
Eckman, J. P. Exploring church history. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. (2002). Pg 40
of papal supremacy to the entire world. Enns writes, “Pope Gregory VII declared that he was

accountable to God for the kingdoms of the world.”8

Gregory VII not only reaffirmed the prior supremacy of papal decrees he also claimed

decrees which protected the pope against any future oppositions. He decreed celibacy for all priests

which shocked and angered many but to no avail.

He established the Papal Decree of 1075 which arrogantly stated that no one was superior to

the pope including the emperor himself. It stated that he had the authority to set up and to dispose of

whomever he wished in the church government and also the secular government. Henry IV, who at

the time was emperor, contested the decree. Gregory VII excommunicated the emperor who in turn

excommunicated the Pope and the thus began a civil war. In the end, Pope Gregory VII died in exile

in the Norman Islands yet his decrees continued legitimate for future popes.

The Papacy had come a long way from the humble early period of the Apostles in their

efforts to survive and evangelize to the nations. The corruption and conceited decrees were

established one after another and didn‟t stop in the 11th century. Even recently Roman Catholicism

has continued to compound supremacy to the pope. Even though now he is largely ignored by most

world governments they continue to submit distorted authority to its universal church.

This is precisely what happened even in 1870 when the First Vatican Council decreed,

“Therefore, if anyone says that blessed Peter the apostle was not appointed by Christ the lord as

prince of all the apostles and visible head of the whole church militant; or that it was a primacy

8
Enns, P. P. (1997). The Moody handbook of theology (440). Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press.
of honour only and not one of true and proper jurisdiction that he directly and immediately

received from our lord Jesus Christ himself: let him be anathema.”9

It seems fitting to mention what the Apostle Peter actually did write concerning believers

and their position in Jesus Christ. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy

nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of

darkness into his wonderful light.”—1 Peter 2:9 (my emphasis). We who are redeemed are a

royal priesthood in the eyes of God.

9
Papal Encyclicals Online, Decrees of the First Vatican Council, http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum20.htm
(accessed November 20, 2010)
 Bibliography

Catholic Answers, "The Authority of the Pope: Part II" (San Diego: Catholic Answers, 2001).
http://www.catholic.com/library/Authority_of_the_Pope_Part_2.asp (accessed November 20,
2010).

Eckman, J. P. Exploring church history. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. (2002). Pg 40

Enns, P. P. (1997). The Moody handbook of theology (440). Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press.

Galli, M., & Olsen, T. 131 Christians everyone should know (316). Nashville, TN: Broadman &
Holman Publishers. (2000) pg 315

Hill, Jonathan. Zondervan Handbook to the History of Christianity. Michigan: Lion Publishing,
2006. pg 167

Ireland, John. Is the Papacy an Obstacle to the Reunion of Christendom? "The North American
Review." 187 no. 626 (1908): 7-22.

Papal Encyclicals Online, Decrees of the First Vatican Council,

http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum20.htm (accessed November 20, 2010)

Petrine theory. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from Encyclopædia
Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/454187/Petrine-theory

Saint Siricius. In Encyclopædia Britannica., from Encyclopædia Britannica Online:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/546585/Saint-Siricius (Retrieved November 20,
2010)