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The infallibility and absolute authority of the Pope was another Catholic doctrine questioned by the reformers. Father Bonaventure Hinwood, spokesman for the Catholic Church, confirms this doctrine as follows:
It is obvious that the Church cannot fall into error in carrying out this service towards divine revelation. But if the Pope is the center and guarantee of this unity, and if he enjoys full authority in matters of faith and morals, then it follows that he, too, cannot lead the Church into error in matters concerning divine revelation.
There is only one body that carries the supreme apostolic authority in the church, and that is the College of Bishops in union with its head, the Pope. Thus whenever the Pope makes full use of his power as visible head of the Church, he acts as head of the Apostolic College. This is why Vatican I insisted that when the Pope exercises his supreme teaching authority, he is protected from error by that same infallibility which Christ willed for His Church. The Cardinals designate the new Pope. On the new Pope’s acceptance of this designation, he receives directly from Christ all the power necessary for the exercise of the papal ministry. These include the charisma of infallibility.i
That is akin to making the Pope God. In 1302, Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed this:
We define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff.ii
In 1894, Pope Leo XIII said this:
We have constantly sought during the whole course of Our Pontificate and striven, as far as it was possible, by teaching and action, to bind every Nation and people more closely to Us, and make manifest everywhere the salutary influence of the See of Rome…We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.iii
This doctrine of papal infallibility is strong evidence that the Roman Catholic Church is the Antichrist—the one that will try to take the place of Christ. The apostle Paul cited this type of pride as the Antichrist’s greatest crime:
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Ahead to The Effects of the Counter Reformation
Back to Babylon Introduction
i. Bonaventure Hinwood, More Answers to Your Questions (Human & Rousseau, 1983).
ii. Pope Boniface VIII, Papal Bull Unam Sanctam (November 18, 1302).
iii. Pope Leo XIII, Praeclara Gratulationis Publicae (June 20, 1894).
This article is adapted from Truth Matters by Professor Walter J. Veith, an international speaker who has studied Biblical issues in-depth in his quest for truth. His popular series Genesis Conflict brings the debate between Creation and evolution to a new climax as he dissects the arguments with a scientific eye. His highly-acclaimed series Total Onslaught sheds light on the state of the world today as we move to a one-world government and an anticipated apocalypse.
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It is our sincere desire to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader, so you may decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find herein anything contrary to the Word of God, you need not accept it. But if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality, we encourage you to make all haste to accept that Truth which is revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
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