[mdmathis6]

Christ used two terms in his talk with Peter, he called Peter, the greek equivalent of a pebble, he used the term rock or boulder when refering to the foundation by which he would build his church. There has been much disagreement whether Christ was refering to Peter or himself when speaking of "building his church". Daniel speaks of a great stone, uncut by human hands, that falls out of the sky and crushes the great image that symbolizes all the great empires of history, then becomes a great mountain that fills the whole Earth. I sincerely doubt this is talking about Peter, and the supposed Apostolic succession that was supposed to spring from him. Peter was one of the founders of the Early church, a corner stone, a crafter of the Early doctrines by which the new Christians and the great churches of the major cities of the Roman empire were to model themselves after. I don't believe that the present monstrosity that exists in Rome, which will not bring its immoral priests to heel, is what God intended for his people.(It was certainly not what Peter would have accepted) Pastors and priests of all doctrinal back-grounds, Catholic and Protestant, should not be pasturing them-selves on their sheep!

[Conservative til I die]

Christ used two terms in his talk with Peter, he called Peter, the greek equivalent of a pebble,

Pity that Jesus didn't speak Greek.

[Cvengr]

There has been much disagreement whether Christ was refering to Peter or himself when speaking of "building his church". ...

I've always tended to understand the passage to refer to the spirit in which Peter spoke as the Rock upon which the Church would be built in answering the question, Who am I? from Christ Jesus. Seems rather consistent as to how we are all ministers and may all have a direct relationship with the Father through the Son, and not any other.