Originally posted by Gregory
The title of Pope wasn't used until around 250 AD; they just traced it back to Jesus's time (to Peter, I think) to give it authority, I think. I believe it wasn't until about 400 AD that the Pope was actually declared the head of the Church, instead of being first among equals.
Peter...or whom ever, whoever Jesus said the rock thing to was the first Pope, though he may not of been called Pope then, he was still in a sence the head of the Church, he built the first place of worship after Christ had died, and went around for along time after preaching and starting more churches
Paul was a head of a Church, but so were John the Baptist (who declared Christ's divinity long before Jesus even met Paul), and James the Just, and who knows how many others. Paul's letters got into the New Testimant, and other other people's writings didn't, so it's easy to forget that he wasn't the sole person laying down the law in early Christiandom.
Originally posted by Nazgulinthedark
John the Baptist was not a head of the Chruch, a Church was not formed when he was alive, Christ dint even start his teachings while John was alive, or he started shortly before John's death.
John the Baptist was the head of a church; a cult leader, to put it indelicately. He proclaimed Jesus' divinity, at the baptism, and according to Matthew (and the other Gospels, I think), they must have been contemporaries, since John, while in prison, sends his followers to speak with Jesus:
"When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.’"
Sorry, bored:
1. I yessessë Eru ontanë Menel ar Cemen. 2. Cemen né cumna ar lusta, ar engë mornië or i undumë, nan Eruo Súlë willë or i neni.
3. Ar equë Eru: "Eä cálë!" Ar engë cálë. 4. Eru cennë sa i cálë né mára, ar Eru ciltanë i cálë i morniello. 5. Ar Eru estanë i cálë Aurë, ar i mornië estanes Lómë. Ar engë sinyë, ar engë arin, i minya aurë. 6. Ar equë Eru: "Eä telluma endessë i nenion, ar ciltuvas nén nenello." 7. Ar Eru carnë i telluma ar ciltanë i neni or i telluma i nenillon nu i telluma. Ar engë sië. 8. Ar Eru estanë i telluma Menel. Engë sinyë, ar engë arin, i attëa aurë.
9. Ar equë Eru: "Na i neni nu menel hostainë minë nómessë, ar na i parca nór cénina!" Ar engë sië. 10. Ar Eru estanë i parca nór Cemen, nan i hostainë neni estanes Eär. Ar Eru cennë sa nes mára.
11. Ar equë Eru: "Á colë cemen salquë, olvar carila erdi, yávaldar colila yávë nostalentassen, cemendë." Ar engë sië. 12. Cemen collë salquë, olvar carila erdi, nostalentassen, ar aldar colila yávë yassë ëar erdentar, nostalentassen. Ar Eru cennë sa nes mára. 13. Ar engë sinyë, ar engë arin, i nelya aurë.
14. Ar equë Eru: "Eä calmar tellumassë menelo ciltien aurë lómillo, ar nauvantë tannar asarion ar aurion ar coranárion. 15. Nauvantë calmar tellumassë menelo caltien cemenna." Ar engë sië. 16. Eru carnë i atta altë calmar, i analta calma turien auressë ar i pitya calma turien lómissë, ar i eleni. 17. Ar Eru panyanë ta tellumassë menelo caltien cemenna 18. ar turien auressë ar lómissë ar ciltien cálë morniello. Ar Eru cennë sa nes mára.
19. Ar engë sinyë, ar engë arin, i cantëa aurë.
20. Ar equë Eru: "Á ëa úvë cuinë onnolíva i nenissen, ar á wilë aiweli tellumassë menelo." 21. Ar Eru ontanë i altë ëarcelvar ar ilya i úvë cuinë onnaiva i rihtar i nenissen, nostalentassen, ar ilyë rámavoiti onnar nostalentassen. Ar Eru cennë sa nes mára. 22. Ar Eru laitanë te ar quentë: "Na yávinquë ar na rimbë, á quatë nén i ëarion, ar na i aiwi rimbë cemendë!" 23. Ar engë sinyë, ar engë arin, i lempëa aurë.
24. Ar equë Eru: "Á colë cemen cuinë onnar nostalentassen, lamni ar celvaller ar cemeno hravani celvar, nostalentassen." 25. Ar Eru carnë cemeno hravani celvar nostalentassen, ar i lamni nostalentassen ar ilyë celvar i vantar cemendë, nostalentassen. Ar Eru cennë sa nes mára. 26. Ar equë Eru: "Alvë carë Atan venwelvassë, canta velvë; ar turuvas ëaro lingwi ar menelo aiwi ar i lamni ar ilya i cemen ar ilyë celvar i vantar cemendë." 27. Ar Eru ontanë Atan venweryassë, Eruo venwessë ontaneryes; hanu ar ní ontaneryet. 28. Ar Eru laitanë te, ar equë Eru tienna: "Na yávinquë ar na rimbë, á quatë cemen ar ása panya nu le, ar á turë ëaro lingwi ar menelo aiwi ar ilyë cuinë onnar i vantar cemendë." 29. Ar equë Eru: "En! antan len ilyë olvar carila erdi, ilya i ëar ilya i palúressë cemeno, ar ilyë aldar carila yávi yassen ëar erdi. Nas ya matuval. 30. Ar ilyë hravani celvain ar ilye menelo aiwin ar ilyan i vanta cemendë, ilya cuinan, antan ilyë laiquë olvar matien.
31. Ar Eru cennë ilya ya carnes, ar en! nes ammára. Ar engë sinyë, ar engë arin, i enquëa aurë.