Indubitably. My point in quoting Augustine, though, is to show that his interpretation (as well as the other church fathers, I might add) of the Matthew 16 text is completely foreign to the preconceived theology that the Modern Roman Catholic church has imported into it with such things as Roman bishops' universal jurisdiction over the Church, Roman bishops as exclusive successors of Peter, infallibility, etc.
Cordially,
I'm not seeing where the concept of succession, inerrant teaching and authority are foreign concepts in either scripture or the writings of the fathers. Clearly, succession is evidenced in scripture, as is the granting of authority and a promise of inerrant teaching authority. Each of the important See's trace their roots to a particular apostle. Keep in mind that it is the Church, the pillar and foundation of truth against which the gates of hell shall not prevail, not a father or a layman that has the authority to make such decisions.
The office of the pope, like the Church, is found in scripture as evidenced by Peters particular commission, the exact nature and extent of that authority has evolved over the life of the Church and, as we will see, will continue to evolve because it is an office created by Christ Himself for His purpose and while He is unchanging, we are not, it is our understanding of its nature and authority that grows, not the office, it is what it is, and we mere men have no authority to dissolve that which He ordained, either the office of the pope or the one Church.