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BTW, that's the same St. Peter who said of Jesus Christ, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Thanks for the broader context. Quite often, quoting verses out of their broader context can make those verses seem to say anything. We forget that the chapter/verse system was introduced in the medieval period and doing proof-texting of single verses is not a proper use of the ancient apostles who wrote the New Testament.

And of course, you are right. Peter was a thoroughly orthodox Christian leader of the ancient church, greatly beloved by Christ, perhaps more than any other except James. I think we can consider it very safe to say that after he denied Christ three times prior to the crucifixion (as Jesus told him he would) and then saw Him resurrected, Peter never again wavered.

Sometimes I do enjoy the challenges from our RC friends because they make me look closer at Peter when I, Calvinist archvillain that I am, so often read Paul. Perhaps there is something about Paul's teaching and personality that I find appealing. It's striking to see how vividly their thought, their personality, and their emotion leaps off the pages of scripture. Sometimes it still astonishes me.

It is a little interesting that Peter, a married apostle, should be claimed as the champion of a church tradition with priests sworn to celibacy while Paul, the devout bachelor, is more heavily favored among the churches with married clergy.