False Decretals

[dairygirl4u2c]

False Decretals. The theory that the early church just thought of the bishop of rome as only large and influential (or small and influential or whatever.. you know what I mean). The papacy would not be as it is today without them. The other thread I started didn't get into this much. (I suppose I might have gotten off on the wrong foot )

So, false decretals.


Have at it, boys.

[Aloysius]

proove your theory.

in almost every example of an ECF talking about Rome being authoritative, the reason they give is that Rome is where Peter died and left successors.

[Theoketos]

I think that you need more of an apology for any of us to go at it.

[dairygirl4u2c]

no disprove it. or argue about it. or whatever.

[quote]in almost every example of an ECF talking about Rome being authoritative, the reason they give is that Rome is where Peter died and left successors. [/quote]

Using this terminology I agree. And this is about the only extent that you can derive from them as well, vaque terminology. And lots of things not being there that should be if you're correct.

You imply a lot more when you say that than they may or may not have.

Edited September 1, 2004 by dairygirl4u2c

[Aloysius]

i'd say it's pretty big to say that the Early Church believed the Bishop of Rome was authoritative and influential because he was sucessor to St. Peter.

thus, the only Churches today that could claim the early church as having their same beliefs would have to believe that the Bishop of Rome is authoritative and influential because he is a successor to St. Peter.

then the rest of the doctrines are gravy from there. once you've established that the Early Church said the Bishop of Rome was authoritative because he was successor to St. Peter, there's only one Church that could be related to the early Church. that is the one and only connection we can have to view what their thought process was, because those are the people that were taught by the Early Church. so because the only Church which agrees with the Early Church about the Bishop of Rome also holds to a doctrine of Papal infallibility, it is the most plausible reasoning that this would be the same mindset of the church which passed down this tradition.