How the Papacy Rose and the Church Was Oppressed | John Calvin

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - The Origin and Growth of the Roman Papacy Until It Raised Itself to Such a Height That the Freedom of the Church Was Oppressed, and All Restraint OverthrownThe historical rise of the Roman Papacy reveals a progression from a modest, regional see to an absolute, tyrannical power, a development the source material argues is contrary to ancient ecclesiastical order. In the early church, particularly at councils like Nicaea and Ephesus, the Roman bishop was recognized as one of several patriarchs and was often limited to overseeing the suburbicarian churches. Delegates from Rome did not consistently hold the first seat, and presiding roles were frequently yielded to bishops from Alexandria or Constantinople.The jurisdiction of Rome expanded gradually, largely due to external factors: orthodox bishops, like Athanasius, sought help during crises, and condemned clergy appealed to Rome to evade local judgments. This growth was frequently contested; for instance, African bishops rejected the idea of cross-sea appeals, exposing Roman reliance on fabricated documents to assert supremacy. Early titles emphasized equality—bishops called each other "brother"—and even as late as the sixth century, Pope Gregory the Great vehemently condemned the title "universal bishop" as profane, sacrilegious, and characteristic of the Antichrist, refusing to adopt it for himself or his see.The decisive establishment of the papacy’s supremacy was achieved through political expediency rather than spiritual right. After the title was formally granted by Emperor Phocas to Boniface III, later alliances, notably with Pepin and Charlemagne, cemented Rome’s jurisdiction across Europe, effectively destroying the old system of church governance.Consequently, the modern papacy, with its extravagant claims of being the universal head of the church and holding unreviewable power, is deemed an utter apostasy. Lacking the necessary marks of a true church, such as faithful teaching and spiritual discipline, the see is portrayed not merely as corrupt, but as the anticipated seat of Antichrist, who usurps divine honor while sitting in the purported temple of God.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730