Difference between revisions of "Pope"
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| − | The Pope (from Latin "papa", father) is the [[head]] of the [[Catholic]] church. Today the pope is [[Pope Benedict XVI]] | + | The Pope (from Latin "papa", father) is the [[head]] of the [[Catholic]] church. Today the pope is [[Pope Benedict XVI]]. He strongly opposes abortion, torture, and pre-emptive war. |
Papist say the Pope is impeccable (see Dictatus Papae). | Papist say the Pope is impeccable (see Dictatus Papae). | ||
Revision as of 08:47, March 16, 2007
The Pope (from Latin "papa", father) is the head of the Catholic church. Today the pope is Pope Benedict XVI. He strongly opposes abortion, torture, and pre-emptive war.
Papist say the Pope is impeccable (see Dictatus Papae).
The Pope's position as Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church is dogmatic and therefore not open to debate or dispute within the Catholic Church; the First Vatican Council anathematized all who dispute the Pope's primacy of honor and of jurisdiction (it is lawful to discuss the precise nature of that primacy, provided that such discussion does not violate the terms of the Council's Dogmatic Constitution).
Critics of the pope claim that past Popes, claimed successors to St. Peter, like Callixtus III and Alexander VI from the Borgia family, were so corrupt as to be unfit to wield power to bind and loose on Earth or in Heaven. An omniscient and omnibenevolent God would not have given those people the powers claimed for them by the Catholic Church.
Their opponents say that even the worst Popes failed to wreck the traditions of the Church.