I could see this coming from a long way off. The papacy has not really changed at all. Pompous men always believe that they know it all, and those who don't agree with them are infidels (shades of Islam).
Pius IX (1846-1878) spent two years pursuing a policy in governing the Papal States and granted them a constitution (something that was never done before). Rioting in 1848 drove him from Rome to Gaeta, and he returned in 1850 to be supported in power only by the forces of the Emperor Napoleon III. Italian nationalists wanted control of Rome and the Papal States, so in 1860 Victor Emmanuel II captured all but the ciry of Rome and its suburbs. Then in 1870 the Italians entered Rome and Pius was retired to the Vatican grounds, refusing to recognize the new kingdom. This strange affair, called the "Roman Question," was settled by the Lateran Treaty. From this time on the Papacy was confined to the Vatican, which was now the Vatican State-the only land the Papacy held. In 1854 Pius had declared the dogma of the "Immaculate Conception" of the Virgin Mary to be an article of faith that Roman Catholics must believe. in 1869, before being confined to the Vatican, he assembled the First Vatican Council, whose main doctrine was the decree of papal infallibility. His reign was the longest in history and helped to define the role of Roman Catholicism in the modern world.
Leo XIII (1878-1903) found the Papacy no longer a power in the politics of the world, and without any lands except the Vatican grounds. Previously, Pius VII had a plan or tactic to enhance the papal character into one that would be popular with the world; that was followed by Leo at his inaugeration. he kept himself informed of what was happening in the various parts of the world and, in encyclical letters addressed to all Roman Catholic members in the various nations, he sought to form the attitudes that one should have in the modern world. He encouraged the French Catholics to suport the new republic of France. His encyclical, Immortale Dei, set the course Catholics should follow as responsible citizens in the new, modern, secular, and democratic states forming. The new government of Italy, being anti-Catholic, refused to make any conciliatory movement that would enhance the Papacy's image to the world. Leo now pushed forward against the attack on Christianity in general. he declared in 1879 that the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas was required to be read and studied by the clergy, and the laity were also included. He pushed for all to be educated and founded the institute of Thomistic Philosphy at the University of Louvain. He opened the Vatican secret archives to all scholars, and he reminded Catholic historians that nothing but the whole truth must be expressed in their work. No longer was the Bible shut to Catholics, but was encouraged to be read. In 1902 he organized the permanent Biblical Commission, and sponsored many faculties and universities, including the Catholic University at Washington, DC. The new tactic of gaining popularity for the character of the Pope was bearing fruit among the people of the world.
Pope John Paul II followed Leo's tactic and was a big success in creating good feelings about the Papacy among most of the world's leaders, and among his own flock. However, Benedict, now Pope, can't quite seem to get into the act all that well. He is of the old school - pushing for power over the flock instead of being the servant of all as one of the titles he supposedly wears: Servant of servants. Look for more stringent dogma coming!
Great post.
I think the long and short of it is their history is that of a political entity that used religion as a tool of control. I believe it's roots go back to when the Italian aristocracy began to take positions of power after Constantine legalized the RCC's status. We are really just seeing this church return to what it has always been.
Hopefully those evangelicals that wish some type of ecumenism with them will recognize we hold positions that are not reconcilable with them.
In joyful hope, we do.
Great post. Thanks very much for the history lesson.