[Mrs. Don-o]

"So, it is clear that the spiritual church, of which Christ is the head, is superior to any physical organization that Peter may have been the head of, or any of its descendants."

A false dichotomy. Christ said to Peter, "And on this rock I will build MY Church." Christ's church IS Peter's church. That's what Christ said.

Just like a human being is both spiritual and physical, Jesus founded upon the rock of Peter a physical and spiritual Church, and told people to go to it when they have a grievance. You can't "go to" an invisible church with your brother to get an authoritative ruling on your dispute. A Church has to be visible to bind and loose in Christ's Name.

While Jesus is only recorded using the word "church" 2 times in the Gospels, "Church" appears 70 times in the Epistles. Here are the things that the Church is told to do:

• see that there are no divisions
• be one in mind and heart
• Bishops appoint elders in every town
• the elders who direct the affairs of the Church are to be held "worthy of double honor" for their preaching and teaching
• pray over the sick and anoint them with oil
• come together to eat and drink of the Lord's Body and Blood
• accept appointed apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle-workers, healers, helpers, administration
• be built up by spiritual gifts
• conduct orderly worship
• bear persecution patiently
• every Sunday, set aside money for needy churches
• select representatives
• Christ works through the Church, that "the manifold wisdom of God should be made known".

This clearly shows a Church which is both visible and invisible, which is both under the headship of Christ, and under His appointed administrators. It's not one Church in Matthew and a different Church entirely in Peter and James, Timothy and Titus.

These are legitimate churches which make up the Church. They have successors. This is a continuous process which has never ceased, in all of its many conflicts and travails never suffered a total irreparable rupture, in any century since the first, and to this very day.

[Boogieman]

“A false dichotomy. Christ said to Peter, “And on this rock I will build MY Church.” Christ’s church IS Peter’s church. That’s what Christ said.”

Yes, yes, we’ve all heard the Catholic interpretation of that verse a thousand times already. If that was sufficient to convince Christians of the authority of the Pope to stand in the place of Christ, then it would have happened already. The fact is, not even all of the original churches planted by the Apostles hold to that interpretation, so why should I believe the private Roman interpretation?

[Boogieman]

Oh yeah, I just want to comment on this:

“This is a continuous process which has never ceased, in all of its many conflicts and travails never suffered a total irreparable rupture, in any century since the first, and to this very day.”

It’s quite easy to never suffer an irreparable rupture, if you just slice limbs off the body when they disagree with you, which the Catholic church has done several times over the millenia. So, those within the church who might have caused such a rupture are simply pronounced outside the church, and with a rhetorical flourish, the possibility is avoided.

In this way, all Catholics now agree that it is appropriate to call Mary the “Mother of God”, because those Christians who refused to accept that title were cut off and said to no longer be “true Christians”. Even if everyone doesn’t agree, with the stroke of a pen, everyone now agrees!

[Iscool]

These are legitimate churches which make up the Church.

Nope...There are churches which make up the Body...There is no head Church...The body is not the head...

There is no denomination or religion or building or hierarchy that is the church (Church)...Those born again Christians within those groups or organizations are the 'church'...

That's why it's invisible...You don't know who in any organization is a member of the real body of Christ...

Just because you are a pope, bishop, priest, minister, pastor, or deacon is no indication whether you are a member of the real church...It's invisible...Only God know who is in his church...

And that's one of reason there can be no 'head' church...You nor I don't even know if these church 'heads' are even Christians...