The Papacy In History and Prophecy
A 3-Part book (48 pages) which includes The History of the Papacy; The True Character of the Papacy; and The Future of the Catholic System. Very informative and easy to read.
Part One: The History of The Papacy
Part Two:
The True Character of The Papacy
Part Three: The Future of the Catholic System
Should Christadelphians speak out and denounce the system of Catholicism? Is it really necessary? Is it in harmony with the spirit of Christ? These and many similar questions have often been asked amongst those earnestly contending, for the faith for many years. Perhaps the best way to answer them is to take a brief look at what the Scriptures of Truth have to say concerning the Papacy.
No lesser person than the Lord Jesus Christ described Popery as, a drunken harlot, soaked with the blood, of saints and sitting astride a monstrous beast with her character emblazoned on her forehead for all to see; "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH," In the eighteenth chapter of the Apocalypse our Lord sees Rome as the habitation of demonical madness, the hold of every foul doctrine and the cage of every unclean and hateful dignitary which is to be thrown down with violence. In the visions revealed to Daniel, Yahweh portrayed the great and terrible fourth beast of Rome as possessing a number of horns, one of which spake great things against the Most High and wore out the saints in its brutal policy of murder. This same horn was depicted by Paul as the man of sin and the son of perdition opposing and exalting himself above all that is called God in placing himself in the Temple of God, plainly declaring to all, that he is God's representative, by signs and lying wonders with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.
Surely if the Lord Jesus Christ and those who endeavored to follow him had such a clear and forthright view of this system of Anti-Christ, shouldn't we? If they denounced it in no uncertain terms and endeavored to warn others of its evil then shouldn't we adopt a similar attitude? Doubtless there are a few pious and honest hearts amongst this system of error, but our battle is not with them, but rather with the system they support. To those who hold reason and the will to listen we must echo the call of our Lord, "Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues." For the hierarchy, however, and the supporters of error who are steeped in superstition and idolatry, all we can do is attempt to show them the viciousness and error of the system that has enslaved them. In an age where people lack courage and conviction, let us be emboldened to express what we know in warning others of' its iniquity when the opportunity arises and to be forthright and vigorous in the Truth after the example of our pioneer brethren.
The truth of Scripture has been verified by history, which has witnessed the rise of Catholicism in all its deceit violence and blasphemy. Does the reader doubt this fact; then let him read on....
The
Suburban Young Folks Committee
Adelaide
November 1974
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PART ONE: The History of the Papacy
The Evolution of the Church in the First Four Centuries
The apostle Paul, describing the insidious introduction of false doctrine amongst the ecclesias, wrote "the spirit speaketh expressly that in the last days of Judah's Commonwealth some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing doctrines even doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared as with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the Truth," and again he warned them that these doctrines were already in existence when he said, "the mystery of iniquity is now already at work." These "perversions", eating, like a canker the body of Christ, were the seeds of Catholicism which culminated in the birth. of the man-child of sin, namely Constantine, who proclaimed himself the first Catholic Emperor.
History has recorded the literature which was extant among the Christians between the death of the Apostles and the ascension of Constantine (i.e. from AD 33 to 324). From these writings and epistles a number of facts can be extracted to illustrate the growth and development of the apostacy which was transforming the ecclesia into a church. Those who forwarded this falling away are those who are celebrated by the Church as "the Fathers" but who are designated by Paul as wolves in sheep's clothing particularly adept at fleecing the flock. To simplify the complex course of confusion amongst the Christian world of the first three centuries, this particular section of history has been divided into time periods revolving around the so-called Church "fathers", the first of whom was Ignatius.
IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH (died circum AD 110)
His major ideal was to attempt to unite the quickly fragmenting community of believers with what he saw to be the only remedy, namely to exalt the authority of the ministry and bishops and make them the center of church life. Consequently he increased the ministry from the apostolic equality of bishops (Gk. overseers) and deacons (Gk. attendants) to a three fold ministry emphasizing and enforcing the authority of the bishop. He was the earliest writer outside the New Testament to describe Christ in terms of current philosophy and in his writings the pre-existence of Jesus is distinctly implied whilst laying at the same time the basis for the deception of the world by Satan and the doctrine of transubstantian.
His life was a constant struggle fighting the Ebionites, who were the successors of the Judaisers, and the Gnostics who aimed to reduce Christianity to a philosophy. Both these dangerous heresies drew many disciples after them but their adherents still retained the general appellative, "Christian".
POLYCARP
OF SMYRNA (90-155)
(Polycarp lived in the
first seal period of Rev. 6:2)
Like Ignatius, Polycarp had a thirst for martyrdom. He was contemporary with the apostles and held a commanding authority in Asia Minor. During his life two more heresies arose in the form of the Marcionites who having an unbalanced appreciation of God and seeing only His goodness, rejected the Old Testament, and the Montanists who emphasized the Spirit Gifts and believed in continued prophetic inspiration. The danger of these teachings lay in the former's appeal to the emotions and the other's appeal to strict discipline. Both resulted in many conversions.
JUSTIN MARTYR (AD 150-166)
This man, styled "philosopher and martyr," had studied different systems of Greek philosophy prior to his "conversion" and ultimately became a keen follower of Plato. When he was "converted" he did not understand this to mean the abandonment of his philosophical enquiries, nor even the renunciation of all that he had learnt from Platonism and so he continued to wear the philosopher's mantle traveling from place to place teaching what he thought to be the gospel. He regarded Christianity as the "true philosophy" and when he began to write, his influential penmanship started to weave Platonism and Christianity together describing New Testament ideas in philosophic phrases. Justin insisted in clear terms that the soul was immortal, and because he occupied a central position in the history of Christian thought at this time, his approach to Greek philosophical tradition was expanded and adapted by others.
IRENAEUS OF LYONS (wrote circum AD 180)
He was a distinguished theologian at the end of the second century and unfortunately the majority of his ideas had been moulded by Justin. Irenaeus devoted particular attention at trying to reconcile the numerous sects which menaced the existence of the church. He built upon the thoughts of Ignatius and taught that "the grace of truth" which the apostles had called down upon their first disciples by the laying on of hands, was now imparted by way of succession to the bishops from generation to generation without a break. The idea went further and established the bishops as authorities upon salvation. In his writings "Against Heresies he advocated infant baptism, transubstantiation, and Christ preaching the gospel to the righteous dead of the Old Testament period in hell.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA (wrote circum AD 200)
Being a diligent student of philosophy in one of the most learned centers of the day equipped Clement to bring all the culture of the Greeks and all the speculations of the Christian heretics to bear on the exposition of Christian truth. In fact he lead the way in discerning the points of affinity between choice utterances of the heathen sages and the writings of Scripture. He considered that Greek philosophy was the preparation of the Greeks for Christ, being the schoolmaster to lead them to Christ. His eminence and bearing made him one of the illuminaries of church teaching and he was a "saint" in the Roman Church until the time of Pope Benedict XIV who ignominiously struck his name out of the calendar. His philosophicaI mind expanded Irenaeus' teaching that Christ preached the gospel to the righteous dead of the Old Testament in hell by making the righteous dead those Gentile philosophers who did not accept the gospel but did not reject it either.
ORIGEN
OF ALEXANDRIA (185-254)
(Origen lived in the
second seal period of Rev. 6:4)
He is considered by the Church to be a giant among the early Christian thinkers. He was completely at home in the arguments of the Greek philosophical schools and could move with the familiarity of a master among the different positions of a Stoic, an Epicurean, a Platonist, and an Aristotelian, using whatever position he could to make his point, but never identifying himself with one school. Like Clement and Justin before him he welcomes the help of these arguments in questions on ethics and the soul. Thus he taught that the pious dead were transferred to Paradise, which he considered an intermediary stage between hell and heaven.
Origen followed a policy of many of his contemporaries when preaching the truth to the less educated and less intellectual. Besides a prudent silence on matters above the comprehension of the pupil they thought it not wrong to appear to countenance erroneous and superstitious beliefs which were deemed to be not harmful in their effect.
TERTULLIAN (wrote circum 200)
Tertullian was a vigorous and prolific writer from North Africa and ended up a most conspicuous convert of Montanism, which laid emphasis on the Spirit Gifts. Being familiar with Roman law and possibly an advocate before his conversion, he introduced legal phraseology and Roman legal concepts into theological discussions. He was the first to use the term "trinity" as applied to the Father, Son and Spirit.
CYPRIAN
OF CARTHAGE (died in 258 AD)
(Cyprian lived in the
third seal period of Rev. 6:5-6)
Cyprian wrote as an ecclesiastical leader mainly on the subject of Church Government and discipline. It was Cyprian who wrote "Beyond this visible Church there is no salvation". He opposed Novatian, presbyter of Rome who advocated the permanent exclusion of those fallen from the faith. When the schism at Rome flared up he wrote and proclaimed the doctrine of the one church founded by the apostle Peter whose "tangible bond is her united episcopate, an apostleship universal (or catholic) yet one." During his life he also deplored the great amount of worldliness which was ruling both bishops and congregations at that time. He wrote, "Forgetting what believers did in the times of the apostles and what they should be doing, Christians laboured with insatiable desire, to increase their earthly possessions. Many of the bishops, who by precept and example should have guided others, neglected their calling to engage in the management of worldly concerns."
As a summary Dr. Mosheim in his "Ecclesiastical History" Vol. 1, page 157 says "Philosophy, imprudently adopted by Origen and other Christians, did immense harm, to Christianity. For it led the teachers of it to involve in philosophic obscurity many parts of our religion, which were in themselves plain and easy to be understood, and to add to the precepts of the Saviour no few things of which not a word can be found in the Holy Scriptures. Finally it alienated the minds of many in the following centuries from Christianity itself, and produced a heterogeneous species of religion, consisting of Christian and Platonic principles combined."
THE ASCENDANCY OF THE BISHOP OF ROME
From the lives of the so-called "Church fathers" it can be seen how all the ancient systems of paganism and philosophy mixed freely with the Truths of Scripture. But there was a more subtle doctrine which permeating the Christian world began to elevate those eager to gain the ascendancy over their fellows. It was the deceitful doctrine of greed and power, and it formed the reigning sentiment amongst the early bishops at Rome.
The public functions of religion were originally intrusted to the established ministers of the ecclesia; the bishops, presbyters and deacons. The terms bishop and deacon, both describe the same function and the same collection of persons. Presbyter was expressive of age, gravity and maturity whilst bishop denoted the nature of their task in overseeing the care and faith of the community. The deacons, on the other hand were those who labored on an equal basis performing such functions as exhorting, prophesying, teaching etc. to the edification of the body. In proportion to the respective numbers of believers a larger or smaller of these bishop-presbyters guided each ecclesia by authority and united counsels.
"But the most perfect equality of freedom" remarks Gibbon in his fifteenth chapter of his work "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire", requires the directing hand of a superior person who can collect the sentiments and execute the resolutions of assemblies. Instead of rotating this honour freely amongst their equals, the one chosen by the assembly began to fill the position on every occasion. It was under these circumstances that the lofty title of Bishop began to raise itself above the humble appellation of Presbyter and a new honour was appropriated to the dignity of the new president. This form of ascendancy was acquired in a very early period of the Truth's history and by the end of the first century its popularity was diffused over the area of the Christian world by those eager for popularity and fame. Today it is revered by the Catholic Church as a divine establishment.
The powers of the bishop were at first mostly spiritual but in due course of time their authority was necessary to consecrate ecclesiastical ministers and appoint to their labors certain tasks and functions. Whenever the episcopal chair, became vacant however a new leader was chosen by the election of the congregation, but this soon changed.
Towards the end of the second century there arose, with a large number of believers, synods or assemblies which were based on the leagues and councils of the Pagan cities of Greece and Asia. It was soon established, first by custom and then by law, that the bishops of each church (for they had by this time disgraced the name "ecclesia") should meet in the capital of the province in spring and autumn. This institution of synods regulating every important controversy of faith and discipline, was so well suited to private ambition and to public interest that in the space of a few years it was received throughout the whole empire.
As the legislative authority of the particular churches was insensibly superseded by the use of councils, the bishops found themselves with a much larger share of executive and arbitrary power, and as soon as they were connected by a sense of their common interest they were able to attack with united vigor the original rights of the clergy and people. There was some resistance, but its objection was received with the ignominious epithets of faction and schism. The episcopal cause was indebted for its rapid progress to the labors of the church fathers.
The same causes which had destroyed the equality of believers at the first, introduced amongst the bishops themselves a pre-eminence of rank and from thence a superiority of jurisdiction. The office of perpetual presidents in the synods and councils of each province was conferred on the bishops of the principal city and these aspiring prelates, who soon acquired the lofty titles of Metropolitans and Primates, secretly prepared themselves to usurp over their episcopal brethren the same authority which the bishops had so lately assumed above the college of presbyters. It was not long before an emulation of pre-eminence and power prevailed amongst the metropolitans themselves, each of them affecting to display, in the most pompous terms, the temporal honors and advantages of the city over which he presided.
Such were the imperceptible advances of the bishops throughout the Christian community and from every cause, either of a civil or an ecclesiastical nature, it was inevitable to foresee that Rome must enjoy the respect, and would soon claim the obedience, of the provinces. Its churches were the most numerous and it claimed two apostolic founders as superior to the one founder of Antioch, Ephesus and Corinth; whiIst its bishops attached to themselves the prerogatives of those who claimed to be the successors of Peter.
With the previous description in mind, the bishop of Rome's ascent to authority can be seen as follows:
FIRST CENTURY
Those believers in Rome after the death of the apostles were led to embark in founding the faith in the neighboring towns, not from the worldly and ambitious views which motivated their successors, but with zeal of preaching. It was natural that communities founded in such circumstances applied for advice in difficulty. That advice was purely paternal and implied neither superiority or dependency. But in process of time when the Church of Rome was
governed by lovers of pre-eminence, the homage, at first voluntarily was later exacted as a right and taking the form of a command it was delivered with a tone of authority. These beginnings of assumption were small but their power accumulated.
SECOND CENTURY
In this age it became customary to regulate the consideration and rank of the bishops by that of the city in which they resided. Rome was the capital and mistress of the world, therefore influence and dignity began to accrue to the bishops of Rome. As the free states that formerly existed in the world had rendered their wealth, independence and deities to form one colossal empire, why, asked the bishops of Rome, should not the various churches throughout the world surrender their individuality and their powers of self government to the metropolitan see, in order to form one mighty Catholic Church? Why should not the Christian Rome be the foundation of law and faith to the world, as Pagan Rome had been? If the occupant of the temporal throne had been a king of kings, why should not the occupant of the spiritual chair be a bishop of bishops? That the bishops of Rome reasoned in this way was a historical fact.
THIRD CENTURY
The bishops of Italy and of the provinces
were disposed to allow those of Rome a primacy of order and association in the
Christian aristocracy. But the power of a monarch was rejected with abhorrence
and the aspiring genius of Rome experienced a vigorous resistance to her
spiritual dominion from the churches in Asia and Africa. Cyprian, who ruled the
church at Carthage and the provincial synods with absolute sway, opposed with
resolution and success, the ambition of the Roman Pontiff. Invectives and
excommunications were their only weapons and these during the process of the
controversy they hurled against each other with equal fury and devotion.
"The hard necessity of censuring either a pope, or a saint and
martyr", remarks Gibbon, "distresses the modern Catholics whenever
they are obliged to relate the particulars of a dispute, in which the champions
of religion indulged such passions as seem more adapted to the senate or to the
camp, than to religion."
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(Sixth Seal of Rev. 6:12-17 and the events of Rev. 12)
Constantine and The Church (AD 313-324)
As the beginning of the fourth century dawned there were three powerful leaders governing the body-politic of the Roman Empire. They were Constantine, who ruled the confines of Gaul and Britain in the West. Maxentius, who being the most powerful of the three, held sway over Italy and the central provinces, and Licinius, whose dominion included Asia Minor and the East. The policy of violent persecutions was relentlessly pursued by Maxentius as with his predecessor, but was beheld with indignation by Constantine who repealed the edicts of persecution in his province. The protected Christians in the province were soon encouraged to depend on the favour and justice of their new guardian, whose motives were dictated by political ambition rather than by religious principle. The year 313 saw the defeat of Maxentius and Licinius was beaten in 323 leaving Constantine master of the Roman world.
In March 313 when he conquered Italy, Constantine restored peace to the Catholic Church by the famous edict of Milan, which eventually became a fundamental law of the Roman world. All confiscated land and property was promptly restored to the Church and religious liberty abounded. He recognised the God of the Christians as one of the many deities in the heavens and esteeming the virtues of the Christians saw that their ideals would provide peace and tranquility in his reign. The flattering Christian apologist Lactantius reasoned on these lines and almost ventured to promise to Constantine that the establishment of Christianity would restore the innocency and felicity of the primative age, that the worship of the true God would extinguish war and dissension and that the magistrates might sheath the sword of justice among a people who would be universally actuated by the sentiments of truth and piety. This passive and unresisting obedience under authority must have appeared a very conspicuous and useful tool in the hands of this ambitious monarch. The primitive Christians derived their orders from the decrees of heaven and therefore Constantine, though he usurped the sceptre by treason and war, immediately assumed the sacred title of viceregent of the Deity making himself accountable to the Deity alone for the abuse of his power.
Although Constantine effected a dangerous alliance between church and state, which proved detrimental to both parties, the old superstitions still lingered in his mind. His liberality restored and enriched the temples of the heathen gods and his medals were impressed with figures of Jupiter, Apollo, Mars and Hercules. His devotion was peculiarly directed to the genius of the sun (the Apollo of Greek and Roman mythology) and he was pleased to be represented with the symbols of the God of Light and Poetry. The altars of Apollo were crowned with his votive offerings, the Sun was universally celebrated as his invincible guide and protector, and the pagan soothsayers were his continual prognosticators. In fact he was not baptised till a few weeks before his death.
The purity and simplicity of Christianity had now been completely corrupted by its alliance with imperial influence, which began to exercise a large measure of control in ecclesiastical affairs. The emperor himself convoked general councils, presided over them and published their edicts as laws of the empire. Usurpations were made possible therefore, for the ardent desire of each theological party was to enlist political power on its side and thus overwhelm its opponents. The Eastern clergy, being closer to the schemes of court, became infected with ambition and resorted to political intrigue to further their worldly interests. New legal rights, similar to those given to pagan priests earlier, were extended to the clergy and with the rapid accumulation of ecclesiastical property, the offices of the Church were turned by many into a means of personal enrichment. Education was discredited in the West because ordination was supposed to provide all needed abilities whilst philosophy was pursued in the East. These were but a few of the many abuses and evils which characterized the Church of the fourth century.
When Constantine divided the empire into four
prefectures he also appointed four spiritual heads in the same districts. Being
above the metropolitans they were the bishops of Rome, Constantinople, Antioch
and Alexandria and were given the title Exarch or Patriarch. Wars soon broke
out between these spiritual potentates and those of Alexandria and Antioch
constantly appealed to Rome for the settlement of their disputes. These
doctrinal controversies soon began to elevate the Roman See which then
encouraged all appeals to come to Rome in order that it might enhance the
importance of the Roman bishop.
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(The
Era of the 4 Trumpets of Rev. 8:1-13)
(The Development of the Beast of the Sea (312-799))
Important Events In The Elevation of the Papacy
AD 378 The emperors Gratian and Valentinian II empowered the metropolitans to judge the inferior clergy and the bishop of Rome to judge the metropolitans of the Western Empire.
AD 380 Catholicism was introduced as the religion of the Roman world by edict of Gratian, Valentinian II and Theodosius I.
End of 4th century Rome introduced images into churches. The bones of martyrs were also hawked about as relics, the tombs of saints became the resort of pilgrims, whilst monks and hermits infested the country. Pagan festivals, slightly disguised, were adopted into Christian worship and the homage offered anciently to the gods was transferred to martyrs. The smoke of incense and the blaze of tapers filled the churches and the clergy appeared in gorgeous robes, crosiers, mitres and jewels.
AD 410 The Goths, who controlled Rome from 410-476 conceded to the bishops of that place a large degree of liberty. During this time the Pope boldly cast himself upon an element of much greater strength than unstable political power, namely that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter. This principle was now openly advanced and the Pope's dignity was now transferring to a pontifical foundation.
AD 431 The legate of Celestine proclaimed in the council of Ephesus: "It is a thing undoubted that the holy and most blessed Peter, the Exarch and Head of the Apostles, the pillar of the faith, the foundation of the Catholic church, received the Keys of the Kingdom: and to him was given the power of binding and loosing sin, which Peter still lives and exercises judgment in his successors even to this day and always."
440-461 This was the reign of Pope Leo III who dogmatically formulated the sovereign supremacy of his see. When the Council of Chalcedon, gave equal privileges to the bishops of Constantinople and Rome, it assumed that the high rank of the Roman Bishop arose out of the fact that Rome was the ancient capital of the empire. Leo rejected the idea and later on said "He (the Pope) is not only the president of this see but also the primate of all bishops, wherefore believe that it is Peter speaking to you whose office we occupy in his stead."
AD 445 In this year Leo overstepped his authority and reinstated a bishop who had been deposed by Hilary, Metropolitan of SE Gaul. Hilary objected and Leo dictated to the emperor, Valentinian III, an edict which subsequently became law. The edict declared the Pope supreme head of the Western Church and resistance to this authority was affirmed to be an offence against the Roman state. The reason for this supremacy was on the grounds that "the primacy of the Apostolic See is assured by the mention of St. Peter." Amongst other advantages enjoyed by Leo and his successors was the ready access to the court and when his suggestions were submitted and approved by the Emperor, the power of Roman bishops advanced beneath the protection of Imperial rule itself.
461-468 The succeeding Pope, Hilarus, stated: "It has been decreed by law of the Christian princes that whatever the. high priest of the Apostolic See has deliberately appointed for the churches and their rulers, for the peace of all the Lord's priests and the observance of discipline, is to be reverently received and strictly observed nothing fixed by decree both ecclesiastical and regal can ever be uprooted."
468-483 Pope Siplicius wrote, "the pattern of apostolic doctrine remains constant in the succession of him on whom the Lord hath laid the care of all the sheepfold."
AD 492 Pope Gelasius also wrote, "the first see both confirms every synod by its authority and guards by its continual rule, by reason to wit, of its supremacy which, received by blessed Peter the apostle by the voice of the Lord, the Church, nevertheless complying, has both always held and retains. "By this continual assertion of supremacy the Popes spread their decrees far and wide and it was Gelasius who asserted that it was the duty of kings to learn their duty from bishops but especially from "the Vicar of the Blessed Peter."
494-495 Gelasius wrote to the Byzantine Emperor, Anastasius I, sketching his famous two power theory. He wrote "There are two authorities by which the world is governed, the Pontifical and the Royal; the sacerdotal order being that which has charge of the sacraments of life and from which thou must seek the causal of thy salvation. Hence in Divine things it becomes kings to bow the neck to priests, especially to the head of priests, whom Christ's own voice has set over the universal church." At the close of the Council of Rome in 495 when Gelasius had finished asserting Rome's supremacy, the assembled bishops shouted 6 times, "We see that thou art the Vicar of Christ."
AD 496 Clovis, King of the Franks, in fulfillment of a vow when he was victorious in battle, was baptised at Rheims. Rome rewarded Clovis with the title "Eldest Son of the Church" and attached herself to this growing political power.
AD 503 There was a dispute between two bishops, Symmachus and Laurentius over the Papal chair and when it was settled the Council decreed that: "the Pope was God's vicar, was the judge of all and could himself be judged by no one."
AD 533 Justinian, the emperor in the East proclaimed the Pope supreme head of all the churches.
536-553 Justinian won the empire back from the Goths.
AD 572 Lombards invaded Italy but not Rome.
AD 588 The patriarchs of Constantinople refused to acknowledge Justinian's decree in acknowledging the Pope as supreme and claimed it for themselves. These equal pretensions involved east and west in much strife until the Greek bishop John assumed the title, Universal Bishop, which was confirmed to him by a council. The pope vehemently opposed but died a year later achieving nothing.
AD 590 The new pope, Gregory the Great wrote to the Emperor Maurice asking for the title to be abolished because it caused pride to reign, but Maurice was unyielding.
AD 602 Maurice was murdered by an abandoned villain named Phocas. Gregory joyfully applauded this change of power and wrote to Phocas, "we are glad that the benignity of your piety hath arrived at the imperiaI dignity."
AD 604 Gregory died and Phocas wrote to his successor, Boniface III transferring the title "Head of all the Churches" or "Universal Bishop" from Constantinople to Rome.
6th & 7th CENTURIES During this era Europe or rather the Barbarians in Europe submitted to the Catholic faith. One such example was Recared the first papal King of Spain. In 586 his ambassadors respectfully offered upon the threshold of the Vatican his rich presents of gold and gems. They accepted as a lucrative exchange the hairs of St. John the Baptist, a cross which enclosed a piece of the true wood and a key that contained some particles of iron which had been scraped from the chains of St. Peter.
AD 726 Emperor Leo III issued a decree for the complete removal of all pictures and idols from all churches. The Pope resisted and thus began the dispute between East and West, called the Iconoclast Schism.
AD 731 The Lombards planned an invasion of Italy and the Pope, remembering his alliance with the Franks, attempted to lure Charles Martel, king of the Franks, to Italy to aid him. Nothing ensued and the Lombards were pacified,
AD 741 Charles died and Pepin, his brother, succeeded.
AD 745 Pope made an uneasy alliance with Liutrand, the king of the Lombards.
AD 749 Aistulf succeeded Luitrand and was determined to rule over all Italy and take Rome. This caused the Pope to look to the Franks again,
AD 751 Aistulf conquered Ravenna, brought the rule of the exarchs to an end and split the west from the east. The Pope managed to renew the treaty of peace made with Luitrand but was subjected to a heavy tribute.
AD 753 Pope Stephen III then went personally to France to see Pepin. It was indeed a momentous occasion in which the alliance between the church of the old empire and the new kingdom of the West was made. At the pope's abasement Pepin promised to restore that which the Lombards had siezed and to free the Church from their power.
AD 754 The pope as "Vicar on earth of St. Peter and of Christ" consecrated Pepin and his 2 sons, Charles and Karlman, as Kings of the Franks. Their title, previously borne by the exarch of Ravenna, was now transferred to the Franks. Legally this could only be conferred by the emperor but the pope began his claim for making men kings.
AD 755 Pepin consequently defeated the Lombards but the agreements were broken as soon as his presence left.
AD 756 Aistulf's army circled Rome and Pope Stephen hurriedly wrote to Pepin in the name of Peter himself, which was a forgery of the first magnitude: "Peter, called an apostle by Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God etc. As through me the whole catholic, apostolic and Roman Church, the mother of all other churches, if founded on a rock: and to the end that Stephen, Bishop of the beloved church of Rome, and that virtue and power may be granted by our Lord to rescue the Church of God out of the hands of its persecutors. To you most excellent princes, Pepin, Charles, and Karloman, and to all the holy bishops and abbots, priests and monks as also to dukes, counts and people, I, Peter the apostle, injure you and the Virgin Mary who will be obliged to you, gives you notice and commands you, as do all the thrones, dominations etc. If you will not fight for me, I declare to you by the Holy Trinity and by my apostleship that you shall have no share in heaven." Whether or not Pepin believed this he marched to Italy. On his way he was urged by messengers from the deposed emperor urging him to restore his power to Ravenna, but Pepin refused and asserted that the land belonged to Peter and the Pontiffs of the Holy See. Aistulf was again defeated and the land was given to the Pope as a gift. THIS WAS THE FORMAL ACT ON WHICH WAS LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE TEMPORAL POWER OF THE PAPACY, INVESTING A BISHOP WITH THE POWERS OF A TEMPORAL PRINCE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF A NEWLINE OF FRANKISH KINGS.
AD 757 Aistulf and Stephen died.
AD 768 Pepin died.
AD 771 Charles took control of the Western Empire.
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(The Development of the Beast of the Earth (800-1070))
The Era of Charlemagne (772-813)
Charlemagne's reign lasted for more than 40 years and during that time the world was filled with the renown of his deeds. He extended the size of the Frankish kingdom on all sides, completed the union of the German people, attacked and overthrew the enemies of Western Christendom, cemented the relations with the Church, and more completely brought about the union of the German elements with Christianity, thereby giving to the Western world a new form and preparing for the German people a great future.
AD 772 New Pope, Hadrian 1, elected. The king of the Lombards, Desiderius, tried to win the pope to his own side against Charles, but without success. Hadrian at once appealed to Charles pointing out Desederius' plans and Charles declared war and made for Italy.
Ad 774 Charles entered Rome and was magnificently received. He increased the gift of land made to Stephen by his father.
AD 778 Hadrian wrote to Charles mentioning the land he was given. He made reference to a forged document called the Donation of Constantine as a proof that he should receive the land by divine and regal right. This forgery set forth that Constantine having been cured of leprosy by the prayers of Pope Sylvester resolved to bestow on the pope the city of Rome, his palace, and all the provinces of Italy and of the Western regions. By most textual critics and experts this document was written in 744 and was manufactured in Rome to make the pope succeed to the glory and position of the old Roman emperors.
780's Charles continued to gradually add a few more cities and lands to the already expanding temporal dominion of the papacy.
AD 795 Hadrian died and Leo succeeded.
AD 799 Leo, charged with heinous crimes and maltreated flees to Charles for help. Officers of the king escorted him back to Rome, held the trial of the oppressors and sent them into exile.
AD 800 Charles came to Rome & the Pope, claiming to he judged by no man, absolved himself of his own sins and confessed his innocence of the crimes.
On Christmas day the pope "by the will of God and Peter" crowned Charles "the most pious Augustus, great and pacific emperor." Charles now became Emperor, rather than the King of the Franks despite the fact that the pope had no authority whatever to confer this title. (It was later that the pope claimed this right of coronation as a precedent for future coronations).
THE RESULTS OF CHARLEMAGNE'S RULE
The closer relationship of Church and State made the ecclesiastical offices of great political importance and the hierarchy of the Church was fully conceived and functional. Secular affairs engrossed the higher ecclesiastics whilst ignorance began to characterize the lower clergy. The election of bishops was done by the king and the pope fought bitterly against it. The bishops themselves recognized that it was to their interest to bring their churches into dependence upon their rulers. The tendency was carried even further and firmly crystallized in feudalism where large ecclesiastical estates and properties became an integral part of the feudal order.
In the struggle of the 9th century the great church prelates take the place of the secular nobles in political influence and council. Their influence served to increase the power of the pope whom each party was eager to secure at any time as an ally.
Unfortunately secular obligations brought
evil and corruption, simony and ambition, greed and pride which began to thrive
amongst the clergy. Marriage, although forbidden, was common amongst the clergy
and vice of every kind increased.
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(The Development of the Image of the Beast (1070-1303))
The Struggle Between The Emperor and The Pope
(814-1303)
Charlemagne died in 814 and after a few years his empire was broken up by warring factions. Although his immediate successors maintained to some extent the same supremacy in the affairs of the Church, the popes improved every opportunity afforded by the disorders of the times to make themselves more independent. In 833 pope Gregory IV boldly attempted to interpose between Louis the Pious and his rebellious sons stating that the crowns of kings are subject to the arbitration of bishops. Louis II in writing to the Greek Emperor Basil, went so far as to say: "By the laying on of hands and by the consecration of the supreme pontiff are we brought to this eminence."
In the early 800's another forgery appeared called the Pseudo-Isidorian decretals which boldly cited decrees, purporting to eminate from the Roman bishop of 384 and from his predecessors back to Clement (second in the so called succession from Peter himself ). Although the forgeries were clumsy and abounded with anachronisms, the spurious character of the documents escaped detection in the uncritical age. They said that the priesthood was declared to be inviolable and freed from secular control and that the validity and effect of the official acts and words of the clergy were regarded as in nowise dependent upon their personal character.
After the deposition of Charles the Fat in 887 the power of the Italian nobles gradually increased until they became independent. A wild conflict of Italian parties ensued in which the papacy was involved, but there was no definite outcome.
For many years the popes were the lovers or the sons and grandsons of three licentious and ambitious Roman women. John XII one of the vilest of all these pontiffs called Otho I, king of Germany in 960 to protect him against Berengar prince of Italy. He soon after conspired to drive out the Germans but Otho, in swift revenge, deposed John on the charges of murder, blasphemy and gross sensuality. It was at this stage 962, that the Holy Roman Empire was formed in which the emperor had to be elected by the German people and could not legally assume the title of Emperor till he had received the crown from the pope. By the first statement the election of the Emperor by the secular power made him lord over the pope, who had no power to withhold the crown and title from the emperor anyway. The emperor also had to legally consecrate the pope.
In 1003 a boy of 12, precocious in crime, ascended the papal throne as Benedict IX. In a few years his pleasures were interrupted by the pretensions of a rival and wearied of his office he sold it to John Gratian, who took the name of Gregory VI. Benedict repented of his bargain but at this junction king Henry III arrived and deposed the three rival pontiffs. The bishops of Rome humiliatingly confessed that Rome had no-one worthy or capable of filling the office and conceded that the emperor should elect his own pope. This victory to the Emperor didn't last long.
By the decree of a Roman synod in 1059 (after Henry III's death) the election of Popes was placed in the hands of a College of Cardinals, but a great revolution was in the making which had been formulated by the famous Hildebrand, the power behind the popes of that era.
The power of Christianity was at this time crippled by the superstition and ignorance of the age. The common people saw religion as the adoring of images, gathering relics, hearing and telling legends of miracles, and in going on pilgrimages. The number of the saints rapidly multiplied whilst the clergy became licentious and even stupid. It was the age to which a forceful pope arrived on the scene.
In 1073 Hildebrand ascended the papal throne as Gregory VII. In the affairs of the Church he claimed absolute power and there was a mixture of craft, of hardness and of pride in his temper and actions. The papal anathema as wielded by him proved a terrible weapon of injustice and oppression.
The emperor at the time was Henry IV who through a very bad education was arbitrary and dissolute. It was his practise, like his father before him, to invest bishops to their new offices, but Hildebrand decided to resist this and in 1075 issued a decree condemning laymen to invest ecclesiastics. The decree had no immediate effect so at the end of the year Gregory sent a letter threatening excommunication. Henry replied to "Hildebrand, no longer pope but a false monk" denying the right of the papacy to judge the king, asserting that Gregory had corruptly obtained the pontificate and closing with the words "Let another ascend, the chair of St. Peter who will not cloak violence with religion ... Get down! Get down!" Gregory had no sooner received this than he excommunicated Henry and without authority sentenced him to the loss of the Kingdoms of Germany and Italy. In his circular letters Gregory continually asserted that "bishops are superior to kings and made to judge them."
Fortunately for the pope, Henry's rebellious subjects were Gregory's most effective allies and Henry, finding himself surrounded crossed the Alps in the severe winter of 1077 and was forced to wait 3 days in the snow before Gregory allowed him to enter the castle and kiss his feet. On the fourth day he obtained an audience and though the lordly Gregory was pleased to absolve him from the excommunication he straightly charged him not to resume his royal rank.
After this Henry rebelled a second time and causing Gregory to flee established his own pope, Clement III in Rome. Gregory soon after died but was followed by scarcely inferior leaders, Urban II and Pashcal II who strenuously persevered in the great contest for Ecclesiastical Independence.
Henry's son, Henry V likewise refused to part with the right of investiture and after much contention a Concordat was drawn up between Henry and the pope in 1122 at Worms. A compromise was attained on the question of investitures and neither side gained any real ground. The time that the papal claims advanced after Gregory's era was in the rule of pope Innocent III (1198 - 1216) whose mind was filled with the most exalted ideas of papal prerogatives. In 1202 he decreed that the Holy See had supreme authority in Canon and Civil law and in 1204 ruled that the judicial competence of the pope is correct in all matters where sins are committed and since all political deeds involve some moral aspect, the pope could intervene in most political affairs. His most impressive statement however was in 1198. "As the sun and moon. are placed in the firmament the greater as the light of the day and lesser of the night; thus are there two powers in the church; the pontifical, which as having the charge of sould [sun] is the greater and the royal which is the less, and to which the bodies of man only are intrusted." Intoxicated with these ideas which he succeeded in establishing, he deemed no quarrels of princes beyond the sphere of his jurisdiction. His letters were full of unprovoked rudeness and his temper was full of menace whilst he caused a number of civil wars, which rent Europe in two. He claimed the right to confirm the election of the emperors, and in a decretal epistle, declares the pope's authority to examine confirm., anoint crown and consecrate the emperor elect, provided he shall be worthy, and if not reject him and fill the vacancy with his choice. One powerful weapon which Innocent found useful was the army of licentious oafs who in search of pardons banded themselves into "crusaders" and at the pope's behest attacked "unholy" cities and heretics like the Albigenses. The major crusade was led by Simon de Montfort who attacked the Albigenses with inhuman cruelty. It was Innocent who began the dreadful Inquisition which became one of the most terrible engines of intolerance and tyranny ever imagined.
"The noonday of Papal dominion" says Hallam "extends from the pontificate of Innocent III, inclusively to that of Boniface VIII or in other words through the thirteenth century. Rome inspired during this age all the terror of her ancient name. She was once more the mistress of the world and kings were her vassals." In 1250 the papal armies of Innocent IV defeated the armies of the Emperor Frederick II and caused his death. Two other succeeding emperors met with the same fate and in 1273 Rudolph of Hapsburg was chosen emperor. The Papacy's victory was complete for Rudolph relinquished all the imperial claims over those territories in Central and Northern Italy which the popes declared to be subject to the Roman See and pledged not to disturb the papal vassal in Sicily. This successfully reduced the dominions of the Holy Roman Empire down to the area of Germany and fatally wounded the temporal authority of the emperor.
A few years later however the kings of the West began to resist the threats of the Roman Pontiff, whilst a partisan spirit ruled amongst the cardinals. Prior to this (1268-1271) the papal chair was vacant for nearly three years.
Boniface VIII (1294-1303) in accordance with his strong views once more made Rome the headquarters of the Papacy. In 1298 he crushed the opposition in Italy by leveling a city Palestina to the ground and butchering those who dared say that his election had been unlawful. The year 1300 saw Boniface promising generous indulgences to all who should visit the Vatican Churches during the year for so many days. Pilgrims flocked to Rome and 30,000 are reckoned to have entered and left daily giving huge offerings as they came.
Boniface continually quarreled with England
and France issuing and withdrawing hosts of bulls as it suited him. In 1302 the
King of Flanders defeated the King of France in a severe battle and Boniface
taking advantage of France's humiliation before Europe issued the most famous
of his bulls, "Unam Sanctum" which asserted that the submission of
every human creature to Rome was a condition of salvation. The clergy were consequently
summoned to Rome and placed an interdict on this rebellious and weakened King
of France. Philip the king was not as defeated as imagined neither was he
sufficiently weakened to accept Boniface's terms and accused Boniface of
heresy, simony and ecclesiastical tyranny. After being nearly taken prisoner by
Philip's emissaries Boniface died at the age of 86. Later in the century his
career was concisely described in the epigram, "He entered like a fox,
reigned like a lion, and died like a dog."
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The Decline of The Papacy (1304-1517)
After Boniface's death, the papacy itself was brought under French power and after the short rule of Benedict XI, the French king secured a pope, Clement V favorable to his own interests. In 1306 he moved to Avignon in France and exempted Philip from the Bull, "Unam Sanctum". This move began the fall of the papacy.
In 1316 after Clement's death, a fierce struggle between French and Italian cardinals began which resulted in the election of pope John XXII, who in 1322 excommunicated Louis of France for exercising the powers of emperor without papal sanction and summoned the German princes to depose him. Unfortunately these anathemas were disregarded and John's troubles began. John also experienced successful attacks by scholars on papal authority which further undermined his prerogatives.
In Clement VI's rule Europe groaned under the extortions and avarice of papal taxes and began to criticize the Avignon popes who were characterized by boundless wealth and immorality. England likewise resisted in the 1350's. The 1380's witnessed the great schism in which both Avignon and Rome claimed a pope having the full scope of pontifical authority, jurisdiction and taxation. This spectacle of rival popes - Clement VII resting in inglorious ease at Avignon and Urban VI heading a partisan warfare in Italy - each imprecating curses on the other, stirred up a man called Wycliffe who declared the papal office as poisonous to the church.
The only workable solution which could be found was the introduction of a General Council of Cardinals in 1409 who were given the authority by the temporal princes to elect a pope. In 1417 the Council deposed the rival popes and elected Martin V who immediately began to sanction the abuses of past popes and asserted papal supremacy in the terms of his predecessors. Bringing a new prosperity back to Rome he undertook to restore its last prestige but was denounced by John Huss who appealed to the Bible as alone authoritative.
On the death of Martin V the Council. reassembled and began to reform the church. It considered itself superior to the pope it had elected and in succeeding ages the struggle between Council and pope took place. Finally the French monarch took the opportunity with this dispute and subjected the papacy to his rule. The pope however continued to attempt to organize disputes between Germany and France.
It was during this political intrigue of the 1500's that the Renaissance and Reformation burst out upon the scene. In 1517 John Tetzel., a hawker of indulgences, appeared in Wittenburg selling indulgences to pay for the building of St. Peters in Rome. To persuade the people to buy his spiritual wares, he told them, according to Luther, that as soon as their money clinked into the bottom of the chest the souls of their deceased friends forthwith went up to heaven. Enraged Luther posted on the door of the Church of All Saints in Wittenburg, his 95 theses proving indulgences unscriptural.
Controversy flared up which caused Luther to regard the papal ruler as a hateful usurpation. His teachings were directed to the common people who despised the immorality and brutal life of the clergy and soon the whole of Germany was on the eve of a revolutionary movement. The ignorance of Scripture, so skillfully placed over the people by the popes, was being dispelled with the translation of the Bible in the common vernacular and soon the people read the Bible for themselves.
In the succeeding centuries the reformation
movement gathered momentum and soon the papacy lost followers in Switzerland,
Scandinavia, Hungary, France, the Netherlands, England and Scotland.
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The Catholic Counter Reformation (1518-1648)
After Luther had been proclaimed an outlaw by the Church, wars broke out between Catholic and Protestant nobles. Aware that reform was necessary pope Clement VII in 1534 called a conference which reviving the tone of the Catholic Church, rallied its scattered forces and turned upon its adversaries with a renewed and formidable energy. A strict zeal was now infused into the corrupt body of Catholicism. The Inquisition was enlarged and the Society of Jesus was formed, whilst even the clergy were supposed to have been "reformed."
Force was considered the only method of dealing with Protestantism and this was employed liberally. The Index was invented which almost ruined the book trade with its fierce censorship. The effect of this "counter-reformation" in the Roman Church resulted in the removal of the gross abuses which pervaded it and now the Catholics thinking their religion was now pure filled themselves with zeal for the defense of the worship, the policy and the doctrines of the Church.
Notwithstanding this fanaticism, the popes found it impossible to revive the authority in political concerns which had been exerted by the medieval pontiffs.
OPPOSITION TO PROTESTANTISM IN GERMANY
1526 Pope Clement VII made an alliance with France, Venice, and South Germany to check the emperor's power, The Emperor, Charles V. turned against the papacy, gave Lutheranism a legal existence, stormed Rome, took the pope prisoner and destroyed the French armies. Clement was restored a little later on, which emboldened him to proclaim an edict which forbade the progress of the Reformation in the states which had not accepted it while granting full liberty in the reformed states.
1541 Catholic princes and bishops of South Germany formed an alliance with the Emperor of Austria at Ratisbond in which Luther's teaching was be excluded and extirpated.
1547 Charles V, now supporting the Pope, defeated the Protestant nobles but his triumph was impaired by his quarrel with pope Paul III. Paul, afraid of Charles' growing power, negotiated with the French King and played one king against the other.
1555 At the Diet of Augsburg a religious peace was concluded between Catholics and Protestants. It embodied the famous maxim - the religion of the people is to be that of the prince. An uneasy peace existed.
For a time the Emperors had been impartial
in their treatment of Catholics and Protestants, although in France the
massacre of the Huguenots in 1572 was lamented deeply in Germany, (although in
1598 the Edict of Nantes gave Protestants religious freedom). After quarreling
between Protestant and Catholic princes characterized the following decades the
year 1608 saw a league of Protestant cities opposed to a similar league of
Catholics. In 1619 the thirty years war broke out in which the Catholic
confederacy aimed at the entire extinction of European Protestantism. It was a
long and terrible tragedy. The unarmed were treated with brutal ferocity and in
fertile districts great numbers perished by famine due to the destruction of
the crops. More frightening perhaps were the immorality and the moral decay
which characterized both sides. The war ended in 1648 with the Peace of
Westphalia. It was agreed that in Germany, whatever might be the faith of the
prince, the religion of each state was to be Catholic or Protestant according
to its state in 1624. In imperial affairs equality was established between the
two religions and at last the status quo had been reached.
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The Era of Changes (1648-1887)
In France, after the death of King Henry IV, the Huguenots were frequently the subject of Catholic persecution organized and implemented by the famous Cardinal Richelieu. By him they were, as a distinct political organization, effectively suppressed. After Richelieu's death his successors stepped up their organized purges and in 1679 an extensive system of proselytizing was organized. Harsh punishment was threatened to every Roman Catholic who should go over to the Protestant Church, whilst Huguenots were by degrees excluded from all offices and dignities. At length the atrocious scheme of the dragonnade, or the billeting of soldiers in Huguenot families, was resorted until in 1685 the Edict of Nantes was revoked by the King at the instigation of the Church. Thousands fled and hundreds were massacred.
The next century signalized the breaking away from the traditions of the past in every department of thought and inquiry. Although wholesome progress was made in many fields, it was not tempered by religious aspirations and resulted in a bias towards skepticism and unbelief. Men were tired with the warfare of creeds which had chilled the spirit of piety. The conflicts of the eighteenth century were dynastic and not religious struggles, caused mainly by the ambition of Kings rather than prelates.
An event highly important in itself and at the same time well adapted to illustrate the character of the age, was the downfall of the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits. In the 1700's they comprised approximately 20,000 members who were busily at work in all parts of the world. They owned huge amounts of property and held the education of youth in their grasp. Some of their doctrines, such as "moral probableism" and some of their actions, became obnoxious to the people of Europe. More than one pontiff in the latter part of the 17th century had interposed to condemn the unethical precepts the Jesuits taught.
The Jesuits at the outset were obedient to the pope and devoted to building up his authority, but this changed and soon they began to put their order first. The first serious collision between the Jesuits and the Church arose over the conduct of the Jesuit missionaries. They taught that converts could retain their heathen practices and still become Christians. This provoked hostility from the pope himself. Repeated edicts of the Roman See were stubbornly disregarded and resisted by the Jesuits of the East until finally in 1741 they gave way.
What brought to pass their downfall was their active interference in political affairs and the way in which they engaged in trade and commercial speculations. Their missionary stations were in reality factions and the centers of commercial speculations. In 1759 they were expelled from Portugal, 1767 expelled from France and in 1773 abolished by the Pope.
In Europe as well, reforms, looking to the independence of states and the reduction of foreign ecclesiastical influence, were vigorously undertaken. In 1780 Joseph II, Emperor of Austria issued edicts of toleration. Protestantism was protected, the Church was now to be governed by the sovereign and the jurisdiction of the pope was reduced to the narrowest limits. No titles could be conferred nor could any papal decree be published without the emperor's consent. Joseph even ordered a few well established bulls to be torn out of the ritual book. Unfortunately Joseph's successors gradually restored the former religious status in the Austrian dominions.
The example of Joseph II however was contagious and various plans of reform in different countries took place, the greatest of which was the French Revolution in which the king nobles and clergy were expelled. The Church in France held an immense amount of land, controlled a multitude of peasants and reaped a vast income from tithes and taxes. Prelates lived at a distance from their dioceses and expended their revenues in indolence and luxurious pleasures. The common priests; who managed education, were as a rule ignorant, and the other ecclesiastics were full of infidelity.
In 1789 the States-General was called to investigate the impoverishment of the public treasury and the Church, with its immense wealth, could not fail to be an immediate object of attention. Church property was consequently confiscated and ecclesiastics were to receive a salary from the State. This was followed by the abolition of cloisters and all nuns and monks were released from their vows. To these measures the pope was naturally hostile and the requirement that the clergy should swear allegiance to the new constitution and not himself, brought on a collision. The pope, in 1791, issued a bull which banned all priests who took the vow, but this went unheeded by the government. On 21.9.1792 the National Convention proclaimed France, a republic and in 1793 condemned Louis XVI to death. The emigration of the nobles and priests and the aggressive measures of foreign powers hostile to the Revolution, infused a fanatical violence amongst the revolutionaries and after much bloodshed the Catholic religion was formerly abolished as being hostile to the republic.
In 1791 the National Assembly annexed the papal districts of Avignon and Venaissin and Pope Pius VI protested. He then, as in former days, united with the allied sovereigns who opposed France and began to agitate. He did not foresee the rise of Napoleon however, who in 1797 invaded Italy and took command of the pope. The French then sacked Rome. In the same year though a French general lost his life and therefore Napoleon returned and took Pius captive. Despite this seeming opposition to Catholicism Napoleon concluded a concordat with Pius VII in 1801, in which the Catholic religion was declared to be the majority of the French people but was strictly under the control of the French Government. Next year saw the laws of the government which modelled the Church along the lines of reform instituted by Joseph II in Austria and despite the pope's opposition, he came to Paris in 1804 to crown Napoleon.
When however several years after (1808) the emperor went so far as to demand the creation of a Patriarch of France to be appointed by himself, and to require the pope to join in with him against England, Pius refused. As a penalty his states were annexed to the French Empire the next year. A papal bull of excommunication against all unrighteous assailants of the Holy See was issued, and Napoleon was privately informed afterwards that he was included amongst them. The pope was consequently carried as a prisoner first to Savona and then to France. Under these trying circumstances Pius VII maintained his position with firmness but was at length induced to make large concessions. Unfortunately for France the conflict between the two ended with the fall of Napoleon and the triumph of the allies in 1814. But in whatever part of Europe the influence of Napoleon had been felt the civil authority was made supreme, the authority of the papacy was curtailed and made subject to the rulers of the State, and institutions, like monastic establishments were swept away. The mediaeval was transformed into the modern state.
THE PAPACY AFTER THE FALL OF NAPOLEON
The fall of Napoleon restored Pius VII to Rome and enabled him to resume the exercise of his pontifical authority. Russia, Prussia and Austria formed Holy Alliance by which they agreed to stamp out popular insurrections and rule with absolute sway. The pope supported this and restored the Inquisition and the Index whilst at the same time reviving the Jesuit order in 1814. In Spain and France the bishops again rose in ascendancy and stirred the Catholics to rise against the Protestants. This they did in 1815 slaying hundreds of them until the government interfered. Pius was succeeded in 1823 by a papal absolutist, Leo XII. His adherents proclaimed the pope supreme over secular rulers, the Jesuits were favoured and exalted whilst the papal kingdom was miserably governed.
France broke into revolution again in 1830 and the leader Louis Philippe put an end to the domination of the clerical party and deprived the Jesuits of their new found power. In 1831 the doctrine of freedom of worship, liberty of conscience and liberty of the press came from Paris but was solidly opposed by pope Gregory XVI.
Gregory died in 1846 and this gave rise to liberal pope, Pius IX who much against the desires of the European monarchs supported the liberal inclinations of the fomenting tide, of revolutionary thinking. As temporal power of the papal states of Italy he began encouraging popular government but when he refused to give his blessing to an army of liberals who intended driving the Austrians out in 1848, his popularity vanished. The liberals began then to demand more concessions and then after riots occurred Pius fled in Nov. 1848. Mazzini and Garibaldi took power and formed a revolutionary government.
Louis Napoleon of France however alarmed at this restored the Pope under French protection. He, did not find it easy however for he underestimated the tenacity of Garibaldi. In 1849 Rome was opened to the French. The pope by this time had learnt not to support liberalism and on his restoration tended back to an authoritarian direction. The continual upheavals and revolutions which took place all over Europe in 1848 convinced him of the danger of liberalism.
Pius IX after a turbulent beginning now began to sail in calmer waters during the 1850's but this was just a lull before, the storm.
THE LOSS OF THE PAPAL STATES
After the collapse of the revolutions of 1848-49 the eyes of Italy looked for help which would be able to rid the peninsula of French and Austrians alike. In Piedmont there was one prince who maintained a constitution - Victor Emmanuel II and he had an army as well. In this small independent state the Church had no control of education, courts, sanctuary rights, feast days and the press. The Pope was alarmed at this and saw that if Italy became united that papal states would be totally abolished.
In July 1858 Emperor Napoleon III and Cavour (Emmanuel's premier) held a secret interview to liquidate the papal states and in 1858 they drove the Austrians out of northern Italy. Seeing his protectors gone the pope set about raising a task-force of international volunteers to reinforce his small professional army in defence of the papacy.
A recruiting campaign was launched in Ireland (until stopped by Britain) in Belgium, in France (until Napoleon stopped it) in Austria, in Poland, in Spain and in Portugal. When they arrived they were trained in the old coach houses and cellars of the Vatican.
In 1860 Garibaldi arrived with his "Thousand" in Sicily and began his lightning advance through the island on to Naples. At the same time Victor Emmanuel's troops moved south and attached a few more papal states to their dominion. The papal armies were disastrously defeated and the papal power became reduced to a narrow strip of land along the western coast of Italy. Garibaldi, however was defeated in the south but the pope still recognised that the survival of Rome depended on the goodwill of the French Government which alone was strong enough to prevent Emmanuel's army occupying the city.
Under the delicately balanced politics of the later half of the 1860's Pius IX invited 800 ecclesiastics from all over the world to form the Vatican Council to reassert the fundamental beliefs of the Catholic Church in an age of disbelief and scepticism. The main task of the Council however defined the nature of the Church, her authority and her relations with the state. It was in the year 1870 that the Council ruled (after 300 walked out) that the pope is infallible only when speaking "ex cathedra" i.e. when occupying the papal chair and speaking to the whole Church.
The final crisis in the liquidation of the papal states came just after the Council had concluded. In July 1870 Napoleon declared war on Prussia and consequently the French army left Rome but Napoleon's empire came to end in September of the same year. This was the opportunity Emmanuel had been waiting for and sent an envoy to the Pope stating that he proposed to take over Rome "to maintain order" but the pope rejected the ultimatum, and awaited the outcome. Victor Emmanuel and his Peidmontese army moved in overthrew the resisting army and officially proclaimed Rome the capital of the new Kingdom of Italy.
Pius IX was then stripped of his temporal
power and allowed to use the Vatican while still retaining his own personal
guard. The prestige of the pope within the Church may have been very high after
1870; but outside the Church and especially in the chancelleries of the great
states it was desperately low and the governments felt free as never before to
attack both the Church and her head in every possible way.
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Church And State (1870-1974)
The British minister at the Vatican, Count de Salis, wrote "Everything in the Vatican is dominated by the Popes fear of Russian Communism, that the Soviets may reach Western Europe.''
In 1870 the new Italian State seized the Papal territory. It was from 1870-1922 that a period of "anti-clerical" and liberal upsurge arose. The term "anti-clerical" indicates fanatical outspoken hatred of the, clergy; the term "Liberal" is synonymous with "Socialist", "atheist" and "communist.'' It was a time of virtually, complete suppression of the Papacy by the State. As far as political involvement was concerned the Catholics were in no position to speak or to ally themselves with a strong power.
On 22nd October 1922 under the dictatorship of Mussolini the New Fascist State came to power. Mussolini initially, before he came to power, was a "noisy'' anti-clerical and because he saw that the Papacy could strengthen his cause, he completely turned about. He learned about the Church's influence at home and abroad and acknowledging its long and "fruitful" history he was prepared to assume complete affiliation with it.
It is important to realize that within just a matter of ten years the same maneuvers were being worked out in Germany - under the dictatorship of Nazism.
In February 1929 the Lateran Treaty was signed between Pius XI and Mussolini. The treaty reaffirms the principle contained in the first article of the constitution of the Halian Kingdom, by which the Catholic Apostolic Roman religion was the only state religion in Italy. The treaty recognized the full property and occlusive dominion and sovereign jurisdiction of the Holy See over the Vatican as at present constituted. The city of the Vatican was created, and in its territory no interference by the Italian government would be possible, for there was to be no authority other than that of the Holy See. The Vatican territory would always be considered neutral and inviolable. Annexed to this treaty was the Concordat which recognized the juridical personality of the Church.
THE VATICAN'S INTEREST IN GERMANY
The Franco-German wars of 1872, 1914-18, 1939-45 were instigated by the Vatican. The objective was and has been for years to strengthen the grip on the German nation. The Vatican went to incredible lengths to pursue their cause.
It is almost unbelievable as to the atrocities which were committed to maintain a hold on the vatican's interest on a specific goal. The Vatican saw the Germanic power as one of great importance and potential to build up her relations with the other European countries, and this became her main goal.
Vatican intrigue played a major part in the rise and promotion of Adolf Hitler. Franz von Papen, the Pope's Privy Chamberlain declared, "Nazism is a Christian reaction against the spirit of 1789" (the French Revolution), This statement placed a cloak of respectability over Hitler's ideas and it was due to Franz von Papen's intrigue into political affairs that Hitler was a success. Von Papen was a member of a political party as well and he soon came to power in the 1930's. Hitler was behind him and on 30th January he came to power.
It required a two thirds majority for full powers to be given to Hitler. There was a majority of Catholics; (the Centre Party and the Bavarian Peoples Part (BVP)) and therefore their powers were asserted. It was the work of Mqr Pacelli (the future Pius XII) to keenly observe and effect influence in the Nazi Party to establish itself.
The Concordat (agreement between a head of State and the Pope) negotiated after accession of Hitler was one of great benefit to the Church.
It has been assumed that Hitler was irreligious because of his initiation of callous, unspeakable atrocities. He once and again publicly stated that it is the desire of God that such and such should be done. His association with the Catholic System is evidenced when he began to justify his motives or actions. Just as he was anti-French he was anti-Semitic; his tenacity was to permeate his beliefs and enthusiasm amongst his followers.
We are aware of the atrocities which followed; of the slaughter of millions of Jews and W.W. II in which the Nazis were engaged. It is not our endeavor to show the atrocities but just to make you aware of the influences of the Catholic System. The extermination of the Jews in so many concentration camps through Europe took place and yet Pope Pius XII claimed that he wasn't aware of it. It wasn't a period of months over which this happened but of years. This is a hard thing to believe as the communication of information to the Vatican in many ways is faster and more efficient than many other systems. With the incredible number of the clergy present in Germany it is amazing that the Pope claims he didn't know? Francois Charles Rowe, Ambassador of France to the Vatican: Pius XII was perfectly aware what cruelties the Germans were committing in Poland. He also knew of the hardships they were imposing on the Czechs in Bohemia and Moravia. The evidence of German cruelties is so abundant that Pius XII no longer feels entitled to doubt it" (22.1.1940)
Catholic propaganda, states that the Church was persecuted by the Germans between 1933-1954, but in reality the clergy in their churches were blessing the Swastika.
Much more could be mentioned, of the intrigue by the Vatican in the affairs of the Nazi regime but it is sufficient to acknowledge who initiated the moves that were made. Such books as "Catholic Terror Today" - Avro Manhattan and "The Vatican Against Europe" - Edmond Paris depict in greater depth the actual Catholic involvement of the callous and indescribable atrocities which were condoned.
THE VATICAN INTEREST IN SPAIN
It was necessary for the Vatican to find a Spanish politician or soldier prepared to oppose the Liberal Government of Spain and to proclaim a dictatorship, such a man was Franco.
Having started on 17th July 1936 with 35,000 Moorish Soldiers, Franco was soon to receive reinforcements from Italy and Germany and took control of Spain. Edmond Paris in "The Vatican against Europe" writes. "the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) made it a dress rehearsal of the great tragedy that was on its way (W.W. II) A "Father" Duclos wrote "Franco had conducted the entire civil war as champion of the Church....."
On 23 May the "Osservatore Romano" stressed the warm welcome given by Pius XII to 3,000 soldiers and officers from Catholic Spain. On 17th August came the news of the reinstatement of Crucifices in every Spanish school." Bishop of Cartagena said (1936-9) "Blessed be the guns if they make way for the flourishing of the Gospel". This was a good testing ground for the Vatican to determine the acceptability of its influence in such countries.
THE VATICAN INTEREST IN RUSSIA
Ever since the Bolshevick Revolution of 1917 it was the endeavor of the Pope to organize a Concordat with the new Russian Government and consequently the Pope sent delegates to Russia, but without success.
In 1922 the Genoa Conference took place between the Russian delegate, Chicherin and the allies. The problem at this stage was that Russia was not recognized by the major powers, such as U.S. and Britain etc. The Vatican saw a use however in an affiliation with the Russian power because she saw an influence of vast dominion. The Pope sent to this Conference a memorandum "to all the powers at the Conference." Its aim was to persuade them to recognize U.S.S.R. only if the Soviet Union guaranteed religious freedom in Russia.
After the Conference Chicherin said "Pius XII flirted with us at Genoa, in the hope that we would break the monopoly of the Orthodox Church in Russia and open the way for him."
In May 1927 however, Russia no longer needed Vatican recognition as Britain and the U.S. recognized the U.S.S.R.
From 1918 the communists began a systematic persecution of the churches throughout the country. Between 1918 and 1923 there was an extreme endeavor to eradicate the churches. This uncovered persecution was due to the newness of their ability to exercise power. Between 1923-1929 Russia's policy incorporated Lenin's NEP but was not so open in its endeavor to rid the churches.
The Vatican during this time found great difficulty in penetrating through the communist power. "Today," says Anthony Rhodes, "the Vatican watches the growing power of Russia. On the one hand she awaits the revival of western Germany as her champion and on the other she contemplates the wisdom of coming to term with the possible future conqueror of Europe."
Accordingly in the year 1972 major Vatican ecclesiastics met with the Russian Foreign minister to discuss the wellbeing of the Church and affairs in the world generally. One newspaper wrote, "Fifty years ago this scene was considered impossible, to day it's a reality."
CHANGES IN POLICY
Talking of the declaration by the Vatican, one theologian said "a Catholic reconciliation with the ideas of the French Revolution are the keystones of the council doctrine which, only yesterday were unconditionally condemned." "The Vatican (Pope Paul) no longer holds the "hard line" that she once had against communism" - Norman St. John Stevas.
"A fact shows that catholicism is not so foreign to National Socialism as one would wish it to be . Hitler Goebbels and Himmler, as well as most of the party's "old guard", were Catholics ...."
THE CHURCH IN TROUBLE
Newsweek, Nov. 4th 1974 reports on the Church's struggle for survival. "On the eve of the fourth world Synod of Bishops, Pope Paul VI stunned a vatican audience with an ominous declaration - "The Church is in difficulty," the Pontiff said flatly, "The Church seems destined to die..... While the bishops succeeded in pinpointing the church's most crucial problems, they failed to come up with any specific recommendations for a cure.... Paul VI, who celebrated his 77th birthday the day before the synod convened appears convinced that the days of his papacy are numbered. Reportedly afflicted with chronic arthosis he had to be assisted up and down steps at the synod. Associates report that the Pontiff is severely depressed and is cutting back on his papal activities. His major goal, they say is simply to make it through 1975, which he has designated as a Holy Year.
Whoever succeeds Paul VI will have much to do - as the synod dramatically demonstrated. But the meeting also suggested that the next Supreme Pontiff may have a new kind of episcopacy at his side - one that is determined to bring its own expertise to bear. The present Pope, however, seemed anything but overjoyed at that prospect. In his closing address to the synod Paul VI issued on unprecedented censure of some of the prelate's views. The church's future, he emphasized, should not "be left to the arbitrary impulse of individuals."
It is most likely however that an ambitious
pope will soon arrive on the scene and join hands in an unholy alliance with
the Russian Confederacy.
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PART TWO: The True Character of The Papacy
The Character Of The Popes
One's admiration goes forth to the few illustrations and moral men who have been bishops of Rome, whilst at the same time not condoning the system they represent. But unfortunately there were also many unworthy ones. So long as Catholic doctrine teaches that the Pope represents Christ on earth, that as supreme Pastor full power was given to him by Jesus to rule, feed and govern the Church, then the personal characters of popes cannot be ignored. Gregory VII asserted "that the Roman Pontiff, if canonically ordained by the merits of Peter, is without doubt rendered holy." Unfortunately this claim cannot be upheld from the testimony of history.
Callistus I (219-223) is described as a man of disreputable life. Hippolytus, a contemporary bishop and theological opponent, narrated at length the history of the times. Even when allowance is made for partisan bias, the matter-of-fact details of Callistus being a heretic, embezzler, runaway slave and convict cannot be ignored.
Vigilius (537-555) has an unsavory personal history. The Empress Theodora deposed the existing pope and by a disgraceful plot made Vigilius pope to support her ideas. Vigilius then exiled the former Pope, Silverius and put him to death.
Stephen III (IV) in 769 by aid of the Lombards and two prominent Church officials, Christopher and Sergius, deposed the previous pope, put his eyes out and ignominiously cast him out in the world. Later Stephen tired of Christopher and Sergius as well and tearing their eyes out had them killed.
Pope Formosus died in 896 and 8 months later Stephen VI, with his cardinals and bishops, held a trial on him. The corpse of Formosus was taken from the grave. Dressed in pontifical garments, it was propped up on the throne and received accusations hurled from Stephen's advocate. Being denounced and formally condemned by Stephen, the papal vestments were torn from him, the three fingers of his right hand were cut off and the body was then tossed into the Tiber. All his ordinations were declared invalid. Before the year was finished, Stephen himself was stripped of his vestment, thrown into prison and strangled. His successor Romanus reigned for 3 months and the next pope Theodore II for 20 days.
In the tenth and eleventh centuries Theodora, the wife of an influential Roman, and her two daughters Marozia and Theodora, frequented the Vatican often. Ecclesiastic historians like Luitprand and Baronius freely named them "harlots" and stated, "to the eyes of the dismayed Catholics the Church at that time resembled a brothel."
In 903 Leo V was dethroned and imprisoned after a month's reign by Christopher, who a few months later shared a similar fate at the hands of Sergius III. Both were put to death. Sergius III is described by the Roman Catholic Dr. W. Barry as "malignant, ferocious and unclean." He was the father of a son by Marozia.
John XII became pope in 955 at 17 and was publicly noted for his debauchery, vice and wickedness. The Emperor Otto tried and deposed him in Rome in 963. In 1032 there arose a pope Benedict IX who became the infallible head of the Church at 12. He is acclaimed by most historians as leading a life so shameful and foul as to forbid description. After practicing adulteries and homicides, he tired of the Papacy and sold it for a large sum to Gregory VI.
Urban VI (1378-89) lived such a repulsive life that the plea of insanity has been suggested for him. Among other brutalities he inflicted savage punishment on six cardinals of his own appointment and had five of them executed.
The fifty years from 1471 to 1521 saw a succession of disreputable popes, the worst of whom was Alexander VI. He secured his election by simony and remained the slave of sensuality. His daughter Lucrezia's marriage in the Vatican was the scene of scandalous revelry. Among the ladies present was the pope's newest mistress, the notorious Guilia Farnese. Lucrezia's marriage was dissolved four years later, and her next husband was mysteriously murdered. The next marriage was celebrated in Rome with excessive pomp. When Alexander left Rome to take possession of some newly conquered fortresses, he appointed Lucrezia to be his viceregent in the Vatican! A woman presiding over the cardinals in consistory demolishes any theory of the pope being God's viceregent on earth. The authenticated accounts of the indecent orgies which took place in the presence of Alexander and Lucrezia are unfortunately too well documented to be challenged. Alexander's treachery, greed and cruelty were likewise appalling. He imprisoned the blind Cardinal Orsino after seizing his palace and goods and the cardinal's mother had to pay the pope 2,000 ducats and a costly pearl for the privilege of sending the cardinal a daily supply of food.
The list could be extended but that which
has gone before suffices to show the immorality prevalent in "God's
representative" on earth.
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The Persecutions Of The Waldenses
There arose in certain areas of France opposition to the Catholic Faith by a number of people who were called Waldenses, and disturbed the pope so much that he proclaimed crusades against them.
Bzovius, a Roman Catholic historian, says:
"INNOCENT III AD 1209. Pope Innocent could no longer brook the obstinacy of the erring Albigenses; for as much as they were never moved by the miracles wrought by the godlike Dominick, nor by the truth of his doctrine, nor by the sanctity of his life, nor by the force of his reasoning, and they defended their contumacy with arms; wherefore he proclaimed a sacred war against them - and he animated the crusaders with many rewards, in order that they might carry it on strenuously. Simon Montfort lived in those days - a man distinguished by his faith, bold in war, of great prudence, intelligent, munificent, splendid and affable, a defender of the Catholic faith and a most eager adversary of the heretics. By advice of the legates and the princes, he was appointed to command the army....... Much trouble was expended in taking the camp of Minerva; for there were found therein 180 persons, who preferred being burnt alive to adopting a pious creed ........
This year at the command and exhortation of Pope Innocent a vast number of crusaders came to Lyons on the feast of St. John the Baptist. Chief among these were Peter Archbishop of Sienna etc... and besides these a great multitude of the nobility and potentates of France and Spain collected together, for the destruction of the Albigensian heretics; so that 500,000 were reckoned in the Catholic army.
In France the Albigensian war was prosperously carried on under the direction of Count Montfort. For when, as in the preceding year, the Albians had opened their gates to him and had suffered no injury, when they afterwards returned to their impiety they did not escape with impunity and the authors of the mischief were capitally punished. Vaurum itself was taken by storm; there also the impious were delivered to the fire, when they persisted in their madness.
In the year 1211 Lavavre being taken, Aymeric, the Lord of Mount royal, who held the camp with a garrison was hanged; eighty others, who fell by the gibbet, were slain by the crusaders who were impatient of the delay, by the orders of Simon; and innumberable heretics were burnt ...
In the same year, the crusaders obtained
possession of another great city, by the divine aid, situated near Toulouse,
called, from the event, the beautiful valley; in which, when, after an
examination of all the people, all promised to return to the faith, 450 of
them, hardened by the devil, persisted in their obstinacy, of whom 400 were
burnt and the rest were hanged. The same was done in the other towns and
castles; these wretches willingly exposing themselves to death.
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The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day
An uneasy peace existed in France between Protestants and Catholics in 1570, but this did not last long. On August 24th 1572 at the feast held on St. Bartholomew's day, the Catholics struck a mortal blow against the Protestants.
Mezarai, a Romish historian, describes the events:
"The daylight, which discovered so many crimes which the darkness of eternal night ought for ever to have concealed did not soften their ardor but exasperated them more. The populace and the most dastardly, being warned of the smell of blood, 60,000 men, transported with their fury and armed in different ways, ran about where ever example, vengeance, rage and the desire of plunder transported them. The air resounded with a horrible tempest of the hisses, blasphemies and oaths of the murderers - of the breaking open of doors and windows - of the firing of pistols and guns - of the pitiable cries of the dying - of the lamentations of the women whom they dragged by the hair - of the noise of carts, some loaded with the booty of the houses they pillaged, others with the dead bodies which they cast into the Seine - so that in the confusion, they could not hear each other speak in the streets or if they distinguished certain words, they were these furious expressions - "kill, stab, throw them out of the window." A dreadful and inevitable death presented itself in every shape. Some were shot on the roofs of houses, others were cast out of the windows. Some were cast into the water and knocked on the head with blows of iron bars or clubs; some were killed in their beds, some in the garrets others in cellars; wives in the arms of their husbands - husbands on the bosoms of their wives, sons at the feet of their fathers. They neither spared the aged, nor women great with child, nor even infants. It is related that a man was seen to stab one of them who played with the beard of its murderer and that a troop of little boys dragged another, in its cradle, into the river. The streets were paved with the bodies of the dead or the dying; the gateways were blocked up with them. There were heaps of them in the squares; the small streams were filled with blood which flowed in fresh torrents into the river. Finally, to sum up in a few words what took place in these 3 days - 600 houses were repeatedly pillaged and 4,000 persons massacred, with all the confusion and barbarity that can be imagined."
Intelligence of the event was borne to Rome
and the Pope went to St. Peter's and rejoiced. Fleury, another Romish
historian, in his "Ecclesiastical History", says: "Gregory XIII
only regarding the good which he thought likely to result from this to the
Catholic religion in France, ordered a procession, in which he himself joined,
from the Church of St. Peter's to the Church of St. Lewis, to return thanks to
God for so happy a result; and to perpetuate the memory of this event he caused
several medals to be struck werein he himself is represented on the one side,
and on the other side, an angel carrying a cross in one hand and a sword in the
other exterminating the heretics, and more particularly the Admiral in Spain
the same deed was panegyrized in the presence of king Philip II and they dared
to call it "the triumph of the Church Millitant." "
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The Revocation of The Edict of Nantes
In 1598 Henry of Navarre, King of France, published a decree by which he granted to Protestants the free exercise of their religion and many civil privileges. Under the reign of Henry's successor, Louis XIII the Protestants were exposed to much hardship, but in the year 1685 in the reign of Louis XIV the Decree of Nantes was revoked and the protection of the Protestants went with it.
"What less than blood", writes a French historian, "are exile, proscription, vexations and tortures? Can anyone reflect, without shuddering, on the cruelties of the dragoons; the disunion of families; the sight of numerous flourishing people, now wandering, naked fugitives; aged persons, men famous for knowledge and virtue, accustomed to the life of ease, now thrown into a dungeon, chained to the oar, perishing under the lash of the galley officers - and only for the sake of religion! .... The revocation of the edict of Nantes, was dictated by priests equally fanatic and crafty. The edict, the fruit of the wisdom of Henry IV, which even the sanguinary Richelieu had respected, was repealed by one most atrocious. The Protestants emigrated by thousands. Holland, England and Germany received them with open arms."
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Popery Opposed To The Reading of The Bible
1. The Council of Toulouse AD 1229 passed the following decree:
"We prohibit the reading and also the permitting of the laity to have the books of the Old or New Testament unless anyone should wish from a feeling of devotion, to have a psalter or breviary for divine service or the hours of the blessed Mary. But we strictly forbid them to have the above mentioned books in the vulgar tongue" Labbey & Cassort's Councils part I, tom ii Paris 1671
2. Alphonsus Ligouri, a high authority in the Catholic Church in the 1840's said:
"The Scriptures and books of controversies may not be permitted in the vulgar tongue, as also they cannot be read without permission."
3. The fourth rule of the Index of the Council of Trent distinctly prohibits the use of Scripture unless by licence. The rule reads:
"Inasmuch as it is manifest, from
experience, that if the Holy Bible translated into the vulgar tongue, be
indiscriminately allowed to everyone, the temerity of men will cause more evil
than good to arise from it; it is, on this point, referred to the judgment of
the bishops, or inquisitors, who may by the advice of the priest or confessor,
permit the reading of the Bible translated into the vulgar, tongue by Catholic
authors, to those persons whose faith and piety, they apprehend, will not be
augmented, and not injured by it; and this permission they must have in
writing. But if any one shall have the presumption to read or possess it
without such written permission, he shall not receive absolution until he have
first delivered up such Bible to the ordinary. Booksellers, however, who shall
sell, or otherwise dispose of Bibles in the vulgar tongue, to any persons not
having such permission shall forfeit the value of the books, to be applied by
the bishop to some pious use, and be subjected to such other penalties as the
bishop shall judge proper, according to the quality of the offence. But
regulars shall neither read nor purchase such Bibles without a special license
from their superiors" "Canons & Decrees of Council of Trent"
Paris 1832.
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Galileo --
an Example of Rome's Opposition To Knowledge
Galileo's great theory was that the earth
rotated on its own axis around the sun. Before his time, it was believed that
the sun revolved around the earth, but he corrected that notion and was
therefore exposed to great persecution from the Church of Rome. He was summoned
twice before the Inquisition, the doctors of which pronounced that his theory
was "false in philosophy and heretical in religion." He made a
promise, extorted from him by compulsion that he would no longer teach his
theory. Such was the conduct of an 'infallible" church on a theory it now
believes itself.
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Tumults And Confusion Associated With The Papacy
4TH CENTURY
Platina in his life of Damasus, says, "But Damasus, when he was elected to assume the pontificate, had the deacon Uricinus for a rival in the Church, called Sicinus, where many were killed on both sides in the Church itself, since the matter was not only discussed by votes, but by force of arms". Platina de Vita Dam 1 Chr 366.
5TH CENTURY
Cardinal Baronius describes the state of Rome in 498:
"For many being bribed, he (i.e. the Emperor) brought it to pass, that contrary to custom, a certain Bishop should be elected, a Roman, named Laurentius. For the sake of these persons, murders, robberies and numberless other evils were perpetrated at Rome........ And not only did the clergy, but also the Roman senate, strive against each other upon this account, with mutual dissensions and quarrelling. Festus and Probinus, two very powerful senators, undertaking the patronage of the one party, namely that of Laurentius; and Faustus the ex-consul and the other senators favouring the party of the other, namely that of Symmachus. The conflict between them is described by Anastasius; but we shall relate everything in its proper place. For there was not a contest of this nature in the Roman Church for one only, but for many years, which, when frequently lulled to sleep, revived again with a more vehement eruption ..... The state of the Church of Rome this year was most turbulent, since the clergy, divided among themselves, contended with each other and the senators of the highest rank fought among themselves very obstinately at a great risk of destroying the whole city." Annals p 532 Vol. VI ut supra.
7TH CENTURY
The contention which arose as to the election of the Pope 687, is thus described by Platina:
"For the Roman people, divided into two parties, on the one hand desired Theodorus, and on the other hand desired the archdeacon Paschal. Theodorus, with his faction, had broken into the interior of the Lateran episcopal residence; but Paschal occupied the exterior, from the oratory of St. Sylvester to the temple of the house of Julia, which is close to the field. But when so great a strife and quarrelling took place there, that they did not hesitate to fight and when neither seemed inclined to yield except compelled by force of arms, the chief persons of the city, the clergy and the Roman militia, departing into one place consulted what was the best to be done for allaying the sedition. Having at length discussed the matter, when they decided that neither of those two, who by their ambition had raised such a tumult, were fit to demand the Popedom, by the will of God, no one opposing it, they elected Sergius as Pope; and raising him on their shoulders from the crowd, they first brought him into the chapel of the martyr Caesarius and presently to the palace of Lateran, the doors being broken open by force and those who occupied the place being repulsed. But Theodorus, having ascertained the general wish, saluted Sergius as Pope and kissed him; Paschal reluctantly did the same, the multitude which clasped their hands around him compelling him to do so." p 103 ch 687 Sergius I
9TH CENTURY
Pope Stephen in this century carried the spirit of faction so far that he dug up the body of Pope Formosus, his predecessor and treated it with indignity.
In reference to Stephen's successor, John, Platina says:
"John X, a Roman, being created Pope, re-established the interests of Formosus, a great part of the Roman people opposing, whence so great a sedition arose, that a battle very nearly took place. But he going to Ravenna and calling a council of 70 bishops, condemned the acts of Stephen and restored the acts of Formosus. I am of opinion that this occurred both because the Pope's themselves had deserted the footsteps of Peter, and more especially because the Christian commonwealth had idle and slothful princes, whose chief interest it was that Peter's ship should be tossed about by the waves." Life of Pope Romanus, AD 897 ut supra
10TH CENTURY
Baronius, in reference to the tumults of this time says:
"Thus, indeed, at Rome, all things, as well as sacred as profane, were mixed up with factions, so that the promotion of the Apostolic See was in the hands of that party which was in appearance the most powerful; so that at one time the Roman nobles, at another time the prince of Tuscany, intruded by their secular power, whatever Roman Pontiff they wished, and cast out, whenever they could him who was elevated by the contrary faction; which things were in agitation during almost the whole of this century, until the Ottos, the Emperors of Germany, who opposed both parties, interferred between them, arrogating to themselves equally the election of the Pope and the deposition of the elected.
When he (i.e. Christopher) was again cast out, that wicked Sergius again, who as you have heard, proceeded such lengths against Formosus, being powerful by the arms of Adelbert, Marquis of Tuscany, and being the slave of every vice, what did he leave unattempted? He invaded the seat of Christopher, not of Formosus as Luitprand relates through forgetfulness, who it appears indeed, after a bad entry and a worse course, attained a worse departure. These were most unhappy times, when each pope, thus intruded, abolished the acts of his predecessor." Ann p8 An 4 AD 900 ut supra.
11TH CENTURY
It was during this century that the wars between Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand) and the Emperor, Henry IV took place. It had been the custom for the Emperor to elect a bishop to a new bishoprick when an office became vacant, but in this century Gregory boldly determined to wrest this right of election from the civil power by pronouncing anathema against any Emperor so doing.
Henry however was determined to oppose this new rule and when the exasperated Hildebrand ordered Henry to appear in Rome, the Emperor did so but this time with an army. The Pope was deposed and an order of election was issued by Henry. Hildebrand however acted with great vigour in return and excommunicated the Emperor and his subjects. This led to open war and unfortunately Henry found a powerful confederation of dukes against him.
This difficult position caused Henry to yield and implore the forgiveness and aid of the Pope. Accordingly he repaired to the fortress of Canusium., where the Pope lived with the Countess Matilda, and was forced to stand in the open Air for 3 days with his feet and head bare and only a blanket for his covering. On the fourth day he received absolution from the Pope, but was still kept in suspense as to his restoration of the throne.
A series of wars followed when Henry returned to the throne but he died broken-hearted and deserted by his friends in 1106.
12TH AND 13TH CENTURIES
During this era many wars and commotions occurred which can be read in the first part of these notes.
14TH CENTURY
Dupin on the election of John XXII says:
"After the death of Clement V, 23 cardinals, which were at Carpentras, where the Pope held his court, entered into the conclave and remained there from May to July 22nd in the year 1314 but could not fix upon the election of a pope. The Italian cardinals were very desirous to have a pope of their nation, who might have his residence at Rome: and the Gascoygnes were for a Frenchmen, who might reside on this side of the Alps. The Italians proposed the Cardinal of Praeneste who had been before the Bishop of Aix and wrote for him to the King, but he was not at all liked by the French. Their contests lasted so long that the people gathering together under the conduct of Betrand and Raimond Gott, the nephews of the deceased pope, and coming armed to the conclave, demanded that the Italian cardinals should be delivered to them, and crying out that they would have a pope, they set fire to the conclave. The cardinals thereupon made their escape and were dispersed, and it was a very hard thing to get them to gather after this incident.
15TH CENTURY
In this age there were 3 popes reigning together which led to much commotion and war.
These examples have been quoted to
illustrate the continual source of tumult, bloodshed and war associated with
Rome's ecclesiastical history. They are not isolated examples and if space
permitted much more could be said about the remaining centuries but what has
been said so far will suffice to illustrate the point.
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The Deceitfulness of The Papacy
A little has been said of the forgeries appearing in Rome at certain epochs of history and much could be said to illustrate "the lying wonders" of Catholicism. Rather than outline them all, consider just one example - the Ten Commandments.
|
THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD |
THE COMMANDMENTS OF ROME |
|
1. Thou shalt have no
other gods before me |
1. Thou shalt have no
other gods but me. |
|
2.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything
that is in the heaven above or that is in the earth beneath. |
2. Thou shalt not take the
name of God in vain. |
|
3. Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain |
3. Remember thou keep holy
the sabbath day. |
|
4. Remember the sabbath
day to keep it holy. |
4. Honour thy father and
mother |
|
5. Honour thy father and
mother |
5. Thou shalt not kill |
|
6. Thou shalt not kill |
6. Thou shalt not commit
adultery |
|
7. Thou shalt not commit
adultery |
7. Thou shalt not steal |
|
8. Thou shalt not steal |
8. Thou shalt not bear
false witness against thy neighbor |
|
9. Thou shalt not bear
false witness against thy neighbor |
9. Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's wife |
|
10. Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. |
10. Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's goods. |
The Catholics have conveniently omitted the
second commandment about images and split the last into two.
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The Inquisition
The spread of opposition to the Papacy by the Albigenses and Waldenses in France, gave rise to the Inquisition in the beginning of the 13th century. Lord Acton one of the most learned of English Roman Catholics wrote: "The Inquisition is peculiarly the weapon and peculiarly the work of the Popes. It stands out from all those things in which they co-operated, followed or assented as the distinctive feature of papal Rome. In was set up, renewed and perfected by a long series of acts emanating from the supreme authority in the Church. No other institution, no doctrine no ceremony is so distinctly the individual creation of the Papacy, except the dispensing power. It is the principal thing with which the Papacy is identified and by which it must be judged. The principle of the Inquisition is the Pope's sovereign power over life and death. Whosoever disobeys him should be tried and tortured and burnt.
The office of the inquisition first began with brutal crusades the first of which consisted of an army of 500,000 amongst whom were archbishops, bishops, abbots and clergy. Afterwards a more vicious policy of accusation was adopted.
The first step towards the punishment of the accused was a denunciation by a third party., whether right or wrong. Anonymous information was always accepted and the accused never knew his accusers. After this came imprisonment and few ever hoped to see their friends, if once arrested. When the accused was brought before the judges his property was instantly seized and only a small percentage was returned should he be considered not guilty. If found guilty his property became the Inquisition's. The prisoner was generally obliged to repeat the Creed and the Lord's Prayer and any inaccuracy was accepted as additional evidence against him. After three such audiences, in which every advantage was taken of the nervousness or weakness of the prisoner, the charges were formally made and then came the torture.
This torture was inhuman. If the accused acknowledged altogether his guilt he was tortured to confess more - or if he acknowledged it in part he was tortured to admit all - or if he denied completely he was tortured that he might admit some, In every case he could not escape.
The following tortures and cruelties were used:
1. THE PULLEY
This was generally the first torture.
Divested of all his clothes, except his drawers, the victim had his hands tied
behind his back whilst a heavy weight was fastened to his feet. A rope was then
passed through a pulley on the ceiling and then firmly attached to his wrists.
At a given signal the wretched victim was suddenly hoisted up to a considerable
height by the rope attached to his wrists, where he was left to dangle and
receive either whippings or brandings. The torture was completed when he was
allowed to suddenly fall and stop within a few inches from the ground, the jerk
of which caused agony and dislocation of the joints.
2. THE CHAFING DISH
The accused was secured in the stocks so
that he could not move and then a chafing dish with burning coals was then so
placed that the fire might affect the soles of his feet - the most sensitive
part of the body. To increase combustion his feet were rubbed with an
inflammable oil.
3. THE RACK
This was to tear the arms from people's
sockets and to cause a rope to cut into the tender parts of the body.
4. THE PENDULUM
The English translation of Lorrents' work
states that "on the abolition of the Holy Office by the Cortes in Madrid 1820,
a prison was found who was to have undergone death by the pendulum, which was
usually inflicted as follows - The condemned was fastened in a grove upon a
table on his back. Suspended above him was the pendulum, the edge of which was
sharp and it was so constructed as to become longer every moment. The wretch
saw this implement of destruction swinging to and fro above him, and every
moment the keen edge approaching nearer and nearer, at length it cut the skin
of his nose and gradually cut until life was extinct." P. 396 Hist. of
inquisition 1850.
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PART THREE
The Future of The Catholic System
Prior to the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ the Roman Catholic Church will have attempted to ensure its perpetual existence in the face of the Russian expansion in Europe and world wide democratic or communistic socialism, by coming to a political concordant with Russia and the powers of Europe.
If we take each prophetic vision of the kingdom of men in its final stage we see the religious aspect of its power emphasized as follows:
1. Nebuchadnezzar's image Dan. 2:40-44
Here the Roman iron is perpetuated in the 10-toed European remnant of the Roman Empire. It is the Roman Catholic church which has continued this Roman influence down to latter days and the smiting of the image.
2. The Fourth Beast Dan. 7:7-11; 23-26
In this vision the little horn with eyes and mouth (i.e. Emperor and Pope) is seen to be the power which comes in for special judgement at the hands of Christ.
"I behold then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake" V. 11
"But the judgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end" v. 25
Again it is the Catholic papal power supported by a militant horn power which is emphasized. At the end it will be the Russian power in Constantinople which will play the latter day role of the Eastern Emperors (such as Justinian and Phocas in 429-610 AD).
3. The Sea Beast and 2 horned beast Rev. 13: 1-2;15:11-18
The Sea-Beast represents the same things as Nebuchadnezzar's image and Daniel's 4th Beast with more emphasis on the Roman Catholic influence on the course of the history of the kingdom of men. For example, the "names of blasphemy" characterizes the heads of the beast. It has a Babylonian-lion mouth and is supported by the dragon-power in Constantinople. v. 4-5
The religious persecuting character of the beast is emphasized in a separate vision of the 2-horned beast (Pope and secular power) which describes the same things as the little horn with eyes and mouth of Daniel's 4th Beast.
4. The Woman and the Scarlet beast Rev. 17
Here because the Spirit has described the development of the Roman Catholic power in previous visions the emphasis is almost totally on the religious aspect of the kingdom of men at the time of the end.
The emphasis is most striking as the Spirit says in verses 8 & 11 that the form in which the beast goes into final perdition is in the Roman Catholic form. The beast is equated with the beast of the bottomless pit (Rev. 11:7) which killed the anti-Catholic witnesses in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is also called "the eight," equating it with the little horn with eyes and mouth or Papal/"Holy Roman" phase of the 4th beast which was the eighth system of government upon Rome's seven hills.
Thus we can appreciate that Christ's real controversy is with this system at his return. When Christ returns as the stone-power and smites the image of the kingdom of men, the Russian power which has caused the image to stand as a complete entity for the first time in history will be quickly smitten on the mountains of Israel, (Ezekiel 38 & 39). This will result in the kingdom of men or great Babylon fragmenting back into the three divisions from which it was welded together. These are, the Eastern third which until this point of time is controlled from Constantinople by Russia but will then be in the possession of Christ and the saints, the false prophet or papal power in Rome, now independent of his Russian overlord; and the beast or central European powers of Germany, France etc. also independent because of Russia's demise. This event is described as following immediately upon Armageddon in Rev. 16: 13,16,19.
There will be a short period occupied in clearing the land of the destroyed Russian army and burying the carcasses and burning the remnants of the weapons of war (Ezekiel 39: 9-12). No doubt time will be occupied in wonderful communion with Christ by the saints whilst Israel will be instructed in their role in future events.
The mid-heaven gospel call of Rev. 14:6-7 is then made, proclaiming the hour of judgement and inviting nations to fear Yahweh and give glory to him. Britain will be one nation to heed this call (Isa. 60:9), but the Roman church and the European powers (or the 10 kings of the earth) will not. Great Babylon comes into remembrance and a call to both Jew and Gentile is made to come out of Rome and Europe in the spirit of Yahweh's invitation to the mixed multitude to come out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus cp. Rev. 16: 19; Rev. 18:4.
The next event will be a stupendous demonstration of Yahweh's power and a vindication of the opposition of countless saints down through the years. In a tremendous volcanic upheaval both sudden and absolutely devastating in its effect, Rome will plunge beneath the waters of the Mediterranean Rev. 18:21.
That this event is localized to the city of Rome itself is obvious, because the merchants and kings of the earth or European powers stand off and observe Rome's demise with wonder and consternation (Rev. 18: 9-19). However, the saints, especially those who had previously lost their lives at Rome's hand will rejoice beyond measure at this long awaited event (Rev. 18:20).
Dr. Thomas gives a lucid description of these events in Eureka Vol. III Ch. 18 "The Destruction of the Great Harlot" and reading of this section is recommended.
In the fashion of Pharoah of old however the hearts of the lamenting spiritual traders of the Catholic system and the powers of the European "earth" will be hardened. They will lament and wail over Rome's demise but will not repent of their deeds. Like their predecessors of the Napoleonic era they will "gnaw their tongues for pain and blaspheme the, God of heaven." This blasphemy will take the form of ignoring the commands to acknowledge the power of Christ now invested in Jerusalem and resisting attempts by the exiles of Israel to return to the land under Elijah. (Mal. 4:5,6; Rev. 18:4).
At the end of the joyous events including the marriage supper of the Lamb in which Christ and the redeemed saints celebrate the great consummation of their labours to enter into life eternal, preparations are made for war. This is indicated in the words of Rev. 19:6 where the anthem "Alleliua, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth" is sung in a multitudinous voice like mighty thunderings.
Thus the short lull in events ends with "heaven opened", that is the Lord Jesus Christ now enthroned as sovereign lord and Yahweh Tz'vaoth, Revelation 19:11- 21 describes the awesome impact of the armies of Christ upon Catholic Europe as the European "earth" is turned into a lake of fire which consumes the ten kings or powers of Europe along with the Papal false prophet. It would appear from v. 20 that despite the fact that the Vatican will be destroyed with Rome, the papacy survives, and perhaps even another Pope is elected who wields power from the seat of the beast or Central Europe (v. 19, 20). This will be the final phase of the visions of Daniel 2 and 7 and Rev. 13 as the 10 toes or horns along with the little horn with eyes and mouth or two-horned beast of Rev. 13:11 find their final destruction together.
The armies of heaven who destroy the Papacy and Catholic power in Europe and slay the remnant of the resistant European populace with the sword consist of the immortal saints and natural Israel who will be Yahweh's bow and arrows (Zech. 9:13) and they will fight with the immortal saints overshadowing the work as the angels did for Joshua (cp. Micah 5:6).
The saints will be responsible for the campaign strategy and will determine the punishment to be meted out in special cases. Psa. 149 speaks of them executing vengeance, binding the kings of the earth, (that is the leaders and nobles) and executing upon them the judgement written (verses 5-9).
Jesus promises us this power over the nations if we overcome now Rev. 2.26-27. The conquest of self is now the sole objective in order to fit us to conquer Christ's enemies in that day.
What a triumph also for Israel as the arena of some of their greatest persecution becomes a battle-ground of victory. The realization at last that this is not in their own strength but that their God is mighty to save will sweeten that victory. Jeremiah in Chapter 51 in verses 19-24 shows in a remarkable prophecy, that Israel will be Yahweh's "battle axe and weapons of war, for with thee will I break in pieces the nations - and I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all the evil that they have done in Zion in your sight saith Yahweh." Israel played no part in the destruction of Babylon of old but the prophecy relates to Great Babylon and the time of which we have been dealing.
Thus the apostate papal system and Catholic Europe will meet its ultimate destruction at the hands of those who have suffered most through its cruel history - the Jewish people and the true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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