Protestant opposition to papal supremacy

Protestants are opposed to the Roman Catholic doctrine of papal supremacy. Protestant Christians argue that the tradition of the See of Rome's primacy in the early Church was not equivalent to the current doctrine of supremacy.[1][2]

History

Luther used to be a devout Roman Catholic who highly esteemed the Pope. Luther first believed that the problems with the church lay with the curia around the Pope but not the Pope himself. Even after nailing the 95 theses he still had hope that the Pope would accept his theses. However later Luther developed his critical approach against the papacy, especially after his excommunication in 1521.[3]

In England as Henry VIII wanted annul his marriage, but the Pope would not grant it, thus King Henry rejected the Pope's authority and started the Church of England.[4]

In 1537 Philip Melanchton made a book against papal primacy named "Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope", Melanchton argued that the papacy had no basis on either history or scripture.[5]

Scripture

Matthew 16:18 has caused much controversy, the Catholic church sees this as the basis for the papacy. A common Protestant interpretation is that the Rock is Peter's confession or Peter's confession about Jesus' identity.[6]

Papacy as the Antichrist

Martin Luther claimed that the papacy is the Antichrist, which was influenced by the events of his life, but also by Lorenzo Valla.[7] The view that the papacy was the Antichrist was held by radical followers of Jan Hus and by most Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries.[8] However this view has changed in the modern day among many Protestants.[9]

The belief that the Papacy is the Antichrist is still held by Seventh Day Adventists.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Protestantism | Definition, Beliefs, History, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  2. "Philip Schaff: History of the Christian Church, Volume III: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 311-600 - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  3. "Martin Luther and the Papacy". www.reformation21.org. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  4. Society, National Geographic (2021-04-07). "The Protestant Reformation". National Geographic Society. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  5. "Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope | work by Melanchthon | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  6. Allison, Gregg R. (16 January 2020). "What Does 'This Rock' Refer to in Matthew 16:18?". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  7. M, Whitford David (2008). "The Papal Antichrist: Martin Luther and the Underappreciated Influence of Lorenzo Valla*". Renaissance Quarterly. 61 (1): 26–52. doi:10.1353/ren.2008.0027. ISSN 0034-4338. S2CID 233342647.
  8. "Westminster Seminary California - Resources - Protestants and the Pope by W. Robert Godfrey". www.wscal.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  9. Facts, Lisa Cannon Green-; Trends (25 September 2015). "From Antichrist to Brother in Christ: How Protestant Pastors View the Pope". News & Reporting. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  10. "Seventh-day Adventism". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
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