The Pope and the role of the papacy
The The Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church. is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican, Orthodox, or Catholic clergy ranking above a priest. They are usually in charge of a diocese. of Rome.
- The Pope is believed by Catholics to be the direct successor of St Peter, who was the leader of the One who was sent out by Jesus to preach the gospel or 'good news'.. This is why they accept his authority.
- The current pope is Pope Francis.
- The office of the pope is referred to as the papacy.
- Other Christians, such as Christians who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation. They believe in the teachings of the Bible but reject the authority of the Pope., do not accept the authority of the pope.
Why is the papacy important for Catholics?
The papacy is an additional source of authority for Catholics. While many Catholics often turn to theHoly book of the Christians. Split into two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. for guidance, they are also able to turn to the teachings of the pope.
The pope is important as he represents a direct line back to The central figure of Christian history and devotion. The second person of the Trinity.. In this sense, Catholics see Jesus as being present in the papacy.
The papacy has been very politically active throughout history. One aim of the modern papacy is to tackle A lack of justice. This may include denying human rights, unfair distribution of wealth or discrimination. and poverty.
The Roman Catholic Church is the largest A group within a religion. Christian denominations include, for example, Roman Catholic and Anglican denominations. within Christianity. This means the papacy plays a significant role in how Christianity is perceived globally.