Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: mmh@cs.qmw.ac.uk (Matthew Huntbach) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: (sort of) Re: Names of Popes Message-ID: Date: 24 Aug 90 08:13:59 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Computer Science Dept, QMW, University of London, UK. Lines: 18 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article vm0t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Vincent Paul Mulhern) writes: > > 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? Roman Catholic belief is NOT that the Pope is the "final authority" in the meaning that he is always assumed right. The Pope is only the final authority when he is summarising views already held throughout the church. So popes can be and have been criticised and told they are wrong, even by people later declared saints. If you are familiar with the old Roman Canon, you will know the line of the popes after Peter. The words "We honour Linus, Cletus, Clement Sixtus" give their names. Matthew Huntbach