[conservonator]

Like I said, the authoritative position of pope is evident from scripture in the keys and the unique commission. How each pope, including the first pope, exercised the authority of the office has no bearing on the existence or legitimacy of the office.

[RnMomof7]

Like I said, the authoritative position of pope is evident from scripture in the keys and the unique commission. How each pope, including the first pope, exercised the authority of the office has no bearing on the existence or legitimacy of the office.

Except there is no evidence that Peter was the "Pope "or that God ordained "Holy orders " for a kind of apostolic succession.

Note that when Judas fell the apostles TRIED their own version of apostolic succession and the man Mattahias was never heard from again in the inspired scripture. Instead God selected the man that was to be the apostle to the Gentiles.

There is no proof in the scriptures or contemporary history that 1) Peter was the Bishop of Rome, or selected to be the "pope" or that God has ordained apostolic succession with men passing on HIS "gifts to others .

God destroyed the principle of priestly succession in 70 AD .