Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: vm0t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Vincent Paul Mulhern) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: (sort of) Re: Names of Popes Message-ID: Date: 17 Aug 90 07:32:48 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 17 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Can anyone explain who the second 'pope' was? I'm curious about how the line was started. In the very-early church, was there a 'final authority' on earth? Was Peter such an authority (in HIS time, was there any claim by or about him indicating this?) How was this authority transferred (theoretically assuming it existed). Paul rebuked Peter for poor teaching and hipocrisy; I guess this bothers me concerning someone who was the start of a line of leaders who can decide something's infallible. I don't really see that Jesus's declaration of "upon this rock I will build my church" implies a line of "number one guys". I see that they were to be the foundation, but...beyond that, I'd take care that I was not trying to make scripture fit with tradition. Anyone with some historical facts would be appreciated...my knowledge of this matter is non-existent. -Vince Mulhern