There is certainly a lot of mis-information going around and it can be tough for those of us who are not scholars to figure all this out. The good news is that there is plenty of history that can be confirmed. There are true scholarly resources that can be accessed by all.
The writtings of the Church Fathers are a huge source that should not be ignored by any Christains. There are many complete writtings available that make their positions quite clear and explicit. You won't find these ideas being explicitly discribed in the scriptures because the CHurch was evolving. ie- In the Gospels you read of Jesus being baptised by John the baptist. He was 30 years old or so when this happened. Many on this board and others throughout the world use Jesus's example of being much older when being baptised. After Jesus died [and rose and accended to heaven] the apostles had changed baptism to now being baptised 'in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.' We also see that now entire families and entire households are being baptised immediately and at once. The point is that the early church did evolve and right there is an example.
IXTHIS make the point that is ignored by many here. That is the quote from MATT 16;18 & 19 too when Jesus said 'And I tell you, that you are Peter, and on this rock I shall build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.' And in 19 Peter is given the keys to the kingdom of heaven. No other apostle is given this role. How many churches did Jesus build?
Peter was the leader of the apostles and the scriptural proof is undenieable. He's the only one to walk on water [if only briefly],
in Acts 15 during the only scriptural account of any councils [the Jerusalem Council] it was Peter who presided. not James, the bishop of Jerusalem.
He was the first to refute doctrinal heresy and errors [acts 8 ;14-24]
Peter is listed as the 1st apostle [MATT 10;2] and in every list of the apostles, Peter is listed first.
He works the first miracle after Pentecost [acts 3 ;6-12]
The first to preach repentance and baptism [acts 2;38]
Is referred to as leader by an angel of the Lord [Mark 16;7]
In John 21 ;15-17 we read that Jesus asks Peter to feed his sheep.
Luke 22;32 Jesus prays that Peter's faith would be strong so that he could in turn strengthen the other apostles' faith.
Just a few examples of his authority according to the scriptures.
Now to say that this is not true today is to say that Jesus is a liar or atleast a fool that couldn't build his church right. That it would fall into ruin, that he built his church on sand like the fool in his parables that got his house washed away.
You may not like it, but the Catholic church is The Church that Christ started, and it is still there as Jesus promised, for all ages, not some ages.
respectfully,
dc
