[Cronos]

Well, I'm glad to read that because I have been looking for more than Matthew 16:18 to validate the belief that God chose Peter to build His church. Perhaps you can help me out.

That IS my poiint -- God chose the Rock to build his Church ON. Peter is NOT the Church, the Church is built by God. Peter's role explains the primacy of the Bishop of Rome -- the first among equals. It is not the sole thing on which our Church teaches. It's why we have the Bishop of Rome as our leader.

[Rokke]

"Peter is NOT the Church, the Church is built by God."

On this we agree. But I am looking for more evidence that Christ assigned Peter any exclusive power that made him the "first among equals". To my knowledge, Peter doesn't seem to claim that authority.