[Conservative til I die]

No, Scripture does not state that Peter is the rock upon the church was built. Peter's confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of God," is the rock.

It's pretty clear that Christ is referring to Peter. In fact, it's really more of a stretch to have to contort Christ's words to mean that He did say Peter was the rock and then somehow insert asterisks around "upon *this* rock" to make it seem like Jesus is talking about Himself or the faith as the real rock (I've heard both from Protestants).

I've found that Protestant arguments against Catholicism always hinge on a lot of dickering with what Christ says plainly. That and doing a whole reset on Christendom around the early 16th century.

[GAB-1955]

Stipulating that Christ is referring to Peter, is He referring to Peter as the founder of the Church, or is He referring to Peter's confession, or is He referring to Peter as the prototype believer? We believe the latter two, and our position sophistry in the light of other Scripture. Jesus is the Founder of the church. His words that if men did not praise him, the rocks and stones would cry out show that His purposes would be achieved without the cooperation of men, though it was His pleasure it did.

Protestantism did not alter the Church; Protestantism restored the Church to positions closer to the Church Fathers, by relying solely on Scripture, solely on the grace of God, solely on faith as the instrument of grace, and solely on salvation being God's work alone. You may disagree with this. It's pretty clear that salvation is of the Lord alone; and He has allowed formulaic disunity of churches to provide a place for all His Body.