What Do Catholics Believe About the Pope

Peter or Peter’s Confession?

Imagine the scene—a group of rough-and-tumble guys living in first-century Palestine following another guy claiming to be the central figure of human history. 

Oh, to be a fly on some of those walls! 

One day, as this crew was journeying along, the leader among them, named Jesus, asks, “Who do people say that I am?” The guys respond, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Jesus then asks, “But who do you say that I am?” One of them named Peter, the boldest of them all, jumps to answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus affirms this and goes on to say to Peter, “…you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:13-18)

Herein lies the question—what did Jesus mean when He said, “on this rock I will build my church?” Did He mean to say that Peter is the rock of the Church, or did He mean to say that Peter’s confession is the rock of the Church? This question is crucial in our understanding of what the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) believes about the Pope. 

The Pope

In my previous article, we looked in detail at what the RCC believes about Scripture and Tradition. In this article, we will consider what the RCC believes about the Pope. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), alongside dogmas defined at ecumenical councils, will show us that the RCC believes the Pope is the direct successor to Peter, who is the rock of the Church, and possesses infallible and ultimate authority over the entire Church of God. 

The CCC says the following: 

• CCC 880 – When Christ instituted the Twelve, “he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them.” Just as “by the Lord’s institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with and united to one another.”
• CCC 881 – The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the “rock” of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock. “The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head.” This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church’s very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.

Here we understand the logic behind the Magisterium. In the RCC, it is understood that Peter served as head of the other 11 apostles. In like fashion, the Pope, who is believed to be the direct successor of Peter, serves as head of his bishops (the RCC would maintain that there is equality among the Pope and his bishops just like there was among Peter and the other apostles, but the Pope is the “Head” of the bishops). 

As we saw in my previous article, in the RCC Sacred Tradition is of equal infallible authority as Sacred Scripture, and this Tradition is passed down, in part, through ecumenical councils. One of those ecumenical councils—the First Vatican Council (1868)—provides more clarity on the nature of the papal office:

• Session 4, Chapter 2 – For no one can be in doubt, indeed it was known in every age that the holy and most blessed Peter, prince and head of the apostles, the pillar of faith and the foundation of the catholic church, received the keys of the kingdom from our lord Jesus Christ, the saviour and redeemer of the human race, and that to this day and for ever he lives and presides and exercises judgment in his successors the bishops of the holy Roman see, which he founded and consecrated with his blood. Therefore whoever succeeds to the chair of Peter obtains by the institution of Christ himself, the primacy of Peter over the whole church. So what the truth has ordained stands firm, and blessed Peter perseveres in the rock-like strength he was granted, and does not abandon that guidance of the church which he once received. For this reason it has always been necessary for every church—that is to say the faithful throughout the world—to be in agreement with the Roman church because of its more effective leadership. 

Here it is argued that “the holy Roman see”—the governing authority of the Pope—was “founded and consecrated with [Jesus’s] blood.” Notice what follows: because it is understood that Jesus’ blood was shed to establish this authority, anyone who holds this authority (any Pope) “obtains…the primacy of Peter over the whole church.” 

You might be wondering, what does “the whole church” mean? 

Consider the last sentence in the above citation—“For this reason it has always been necessary for every church—that is to say the faithful throughout the world—to be in agreement with the Roman church because of its more effective leadership.” So “the church” is understood to be “the faithful throughout the world”—a point that we would agree on! But, what determines faithfulness in the RCC? This is where we disagree. Faithfulness is determined by “agreement with the Roman church.” Why? “[B]ecause of its more effective leadership.” 

Let me try to simplify the logic here: 

It is believed that Jesus’ blood is what established the governing authority of the Pope and his bishops. This governing authority, it is argued, can be traced back to Peter and the other 11 apostles. Every Pope since Peter has obtained the same authority Peter had and, therefore, it is expected of every church to submit to—and agree with—that authority. 

The Catechism says it like this:

• CCC 882 – The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, “is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful.” “For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.”

What are the consequences for not submitting to—and agreeing with—this governing authority? 

The First Vatican Council determined the following:

• Session 4, Chapter 3 – …the apostolic see and the Roman pontiff hold a world-wide primacy, and that the Roman pontiff is the successor of blessed Peter, the prince of the apostles, true vicar of Christ, head of the whole church and father and teacher of all christian people. To him, in blessed Peter, full power has been given by our lord Jesus Christ to tend, rule and govern the universal church…This is the teaching of the catholic truth, and no one can depart from it without endangering his faith and salvation. 

According to the RCC, “faith and salvation” are “endangered” for all those who do not submit to—and agree with—the authority of the Pope and his bishops. This may seem extreme, but it makes sense given what is believed about the nature of this authority—namely, that it is infallible. 

Papal Infallibility

Vatican I says the following: 

• Session 4, Chapter 4 – Therefore…we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals.

It is important to note that papal infallibility does not mean papal impeccability. 

In his book The Case for Catholicism, prominent Catholic apologist Trent Horn writes, “The doctrine of papal infallibility teaches that the pope has a special grace from God that protects him from binding the Church to believe error … infallibility does not include impeccability, or protection from sinning in general … infallibility means the pope will be kept from binding the Church to doctrinal error in spite of his moral failings.” (emphasis original)

So, the point of the above citation from Vatican I is not to say that the Pope possesses papal impeccability (sinlessness); rather, it is believed that when the Pope is speaking EX CATHEDRA—when he is officially defining “doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole church”—he possesses papal infallibility (he is unable to lead the church into error). 

Differences Between Baptists and Catholics

Hopefully it is no surprise that Baptists reject the infallible authority of the Pope. But why? 

Let’s look back at Matthew 16. 

Where the RCC sees the establishment of papal supremacy and the Magisterium, Protestants—thus, Baptists—see the foundation of the Church being laid on Peter’s confession and a shared authority given to all of the apostles. When Jesus says, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,” the RCC sees a unique role being given to Peter—and thus, to all Popes—as the supreme leader of the apostles. 

But is this actually what is happening? 

Regarding the “binding and loosing” language, it seems more likely that Jesus is giving this responsibility to all of his disciples. Why? First, the question Jesus asks which prompts Peter’s confession is “But who do you say that I am?” This question is not addressed to Peter alone, but to all of his disciples. Peter’s answer, then, can be reasonably understood as an answer on behalf of the disciples. Therefore, the authority which Jesus seems to grant Peter alone can also be reasonably understood to extend to all of the disciples in that moment. 

Furthermore, just two chapters later, in Matthew 18:18, Jesus repeats this same “binding and loosing” phrase and clearly gives that authority to all of the disciples, not just to Peter. Something very similar happens at the end of the gospel of John—all of the disciples are gathered in the upper room and Jesus says to all of them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:22-23) In John’s passage, it could easily be argued that the authority to grant and withhold forgiveness is given to the community of the Holy Spirit-indwelt people since that authority is only given after the Holy Spirit enters the disciples. 

So, the broader teaching of the New Testament appears to grant equal authority to all of the apostles, not supreme authority to Peter. There can even be arguments made that the authority given to the apostles in Matthew and John extends to the whole community of believers who are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. 

Regarding Peter’s confession, it is worth briefly mentioning that the noun used for Peter’s name (Petros) is masculine while the noun used for rock (petra) is feminine. Simply put, the “rock” upon which the Church is built could not have referred to Peter as a person. It seems more likely that the “rock” upon which the Church is built is the confession of Peter that Jesus is the Christ.  

Here we would do well to remember Paul’s words in Romans 10:9—if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

Praise God for this. 

In Summary

What do Catholics believe about the Pope? 

The RCC believes the Pope is the direct successor to Peter, who is the rock of the Church, and possesses infallible and ultimate authority over the entire Church of God. 

Baptists, on the other hand, recognize the shared authority that all of the apostles had (and arguably all those indwelt by the Holy Spirit) and that the confession of Peter is a more sturdy foundation for the Church than the person of Peter.  

Questions to Ask Your Catholic Friend

1. Do you believe that the Pope is incapable of error when he is defining doctrine for the whole church? 
2. Do you believe the Pope possesses singular authority over the entire church around the whole world? 
3. Do you believe the salvation of all those who reject the Pope’s authority is endangered? 
4. Why do you think Protestants would disagree with this? 

Additional Resources

• Vatican I – Session 4, Chapter 2, On the permanence of the primacy of blessed Peter in the Roman pontiffs
• Vatican I – Session 4, Chapter 3, On the power and character of the primacy of the Roman pontiff
• Vatican I – Session 4, Chapter 4, On the infallible teaching authority of the Roman pontiff