Expert: George A. Card,sfo, M.I - 1/1/2006

Question
I definitely need more information about Papal Authority.  I first became a Christian and was baptised into an evangelical sect, but after a long bout of agnosticism and searching, I realised Christ was Lord and that I needed to find His Church.  In searching for an apostolic Church, I came to Orthodoxy, and I have been attending an Orthodox church for about 5 months now and have been made a catechumen in the past few weeks.

There is no doubt that Rome and her bishop held a special place of honor among the Fathers and early Christians, but I am still unsure about what "developed" into the universal head of the Church who can speak infallibly when ex cathedra.

Most Catholic apologetics seem to be directed towards Protestants, so I have a hard time finding information that can really help me in my situation.  

If we could have an ongoing dialogue it would be really helpful.  Some issues that interest me are 1) the Pope, his office, his power, his authority, etc. 2) Understanding Christ's Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection and how that applies to our lives 3) Original sin 4) Salvation and what it means.

If you also have historic information on the schism and the events leading up to that, it would be much appreciated.  After reading the Catholic side of the argument, I can understand the inclusion of the filioque.

I am still uncertain about the successor of St. Peter.

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Followup To
Question -
Did not the Pope say that whoever dies on a crusade immediately goes to heaven?  If that is the case, did those who spilt innocent blood of Jews and Byzantine Christians go to heaven?

The crusades went beyond a war of protection.  They ended up killing many innocent people, and virtually raping and pillaging Constantinople.  This is all contrary to Christ's message.

What does the Catholic Church say about herself regarding those troublesome times?  Even Popes gave approval to the killing of men.  Saladin even at one point allowed Christian pilgrims to come in to Jerusalem.... but did not the Crusades continue after that?
Answer -
         Peace

Dear Samuel
   First even if a pope said such a non-sense statement, it doesnt mean the Church believed such a blasphemy. Popes do not always infallibly teach the Gospel of Life in Christ. I can explain the papal office more in a follow-up if that is your desire.
  What a pope might have said: He would grant a special indultance to those who served on a crusade, in according the just war principles of the Church. If you died in a state of sin, you would not recieve the Indultances.
In fact, at the suggestion of St Louis of France, several knights and nobles were excommicated for crimes against the city of Jaffe and a few lesser known communities. In fact, Muslim writtings ofen refers to st Louis as Louis "the Just" or the Pius One".
   Catholics believe no !!! war is holy but there just actions of defense and offense.  Also I believe Islam is a semi-religion/semi-political movement(s) of the sword not of Justice.
 Remember,Just because some men in the Church did great evils it  doesnt mean the Church is evil. It means those men were not listening to Christ and His Church on how to behave.


         your servant in Christ
         George  

Answer
         Peace and All Good
dear Samuel,
    I am very glad were will to seek out God and His People, the Household of Faith. Also you seem to pretty well read by the choice of terms.

 Like the Orthodox Churches, we believe the Sacrament of Holy Orders is truly a Sacrament of the New and ever-Lasting covenant in Christ's blood. I will now share basic review of the Sacrament.
 Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry and service. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate. A rite called ordination accomplishes the integration into one of three bodies. Today the word "ordination" is reserved for the sacramental act which integrates a man into the order of bishops, presbyters, or deacons, and goes beyond a simple election, designation, delegation, or institution by the community, for it confers a gift of the Holy Spirit that permits the exercise of a "sacred power" (sacra potestas) which can come only from Christ Himself through his Church. Ordination is also called consecration, for it are a setting apart and an investiture by Christ himself for his Church. The laying on of hands by the bishop, with the consecratory prayer,
constitutes the visible sign of this ordination.

   One the orders/bodies of men named above is the episcopate (has other names as well). Papal office where does that fit in? Bishops (episcopoi):

  They have the care of multiple congregations and appoint, ordain, and discipline priests and deacons. They are often called "evangelists" in the New Testament. Examples of first-century bishops include Timothy and Titus (1 Tim. 5:19–22; 2 Tim. 4:5; Titus 1:5).  The Bishop of Rome is the visible Head of the Church, under Christ who is the “invisible” Head of the Church, which is His Body on Earth.

His powers is the same as other bishop but his authority is universal. Their authority is universal when they are truly united with Christ through him.
The pope can sin, that why we pray for him and our local bishop(s) at every Eucharist liturgy. Yes, the office is infallible not the man.  Not every word spoken by a pope is infallible.

We believe if his "words" are in a rare and special context, they are a re-proclaiming of the one Gospel of Christ, entrusted to the Church.

They are--directed towards and binding on the whole universal Church, its clear this his intent as well, must defining on matters of "Faith and Morals" and is never new revelation. Christ said to St Peter after he was convert back to Him, he was to confirm his brethern in the faith. So thats the Pope and Ecumenical Councils do. The Pope can stand alone, or his fellow Bishops can stand with him to confirm the rest of the Brethern.

I suggest the book: Jesus, Peter, and the Keys.
It was written by 3 co authors, one is an Eastern Catholic deacon and the other two I believe are lay Latin Catholics.
The disect the OT and NT passage the help on understand the office of Peter, by sharing what Fathers wrote on Peterine Office, Eastern Orthodox scholars from 1054 to present, and Luther and other so called reformed said from 16th Century to modern protestans. Its basicly a book of quotes with some minor comentary.

I need to go now, so please write again. If u write at lenghten as you did this time, please can you email me directly: archives@uspower.net

         your servant in Christ
         george