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Is St. Peter the Rock on Which Jesus Founded His Church
Jimmy Akin’s interpretation is at odds with the binding hermeneutical principle of the Catholic church as decreed by the Council of Trent and Pope St. Pius IV in the Tridentine Creed. By taking one interpretation of Matthew 16:18 – the one Jimmy likes – he throws Tradition to the wind.
As Archbishop Kenrick had to remind the church at Vatican I:
“Archbishop Kenrick of St. Louis, in his speech prepared for, but not delivered in, the Vatican Council, and published at Naples in 1870, declares that Roman Catholics cannot establish the Petrine privilege from Scripture, because of the clause in the Creed of Pius IV, binding them to interpret Scripture only according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers. And he adds that there are five different patristic interpretations of St. Matt. 16:18: (1) That St. Peter is the Rock, taught by seventeen Fathers; (2) that the whole Apostolic College is the Rock, represented by Peter as its chief, taught by eight; (3) that St. Peter’s faith is the Rock, taught by forty-four; (4) that Christ is the Rock, taught by sixteen; (5) that the Rock is the whole body of the faithful. Several who teach (x) and (2) also teach (3) and (4), and so the Archbishop sums up thus: “If we are bound to follow the greater number of Fathers in this matter, then we must hold for certain that the word Petra means not Peter professing the faith, but the faith professed by Peter”. – Friedrich, Docum. ad illust. Conc. Vat. I. pp. 185-246.”
How sad that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Peace.
I always believed Peter also was the true rock of the Catholic Church. His tomb is underneath the altar at St. Peters in Rome. Well done AO Becky
Constantine confuses the Petrine privilege (perhaps also confuses the Pauline privilege) with the office of the Papacy.
Catholics are not sola Scriptura Christians. Despite this, Matthew 16 does teach the Papacy. Lot’s of evidence for this. Begin with CCC 552-553.
Geo,
I don’t believed I’ve confused either of the things you mention. But please feel free to correct me if you think I have. My only point is that Jimmy Akin violated dogmatic Catholic teaching in his use of Matthew 16.
Becky,
To believe Peter is the “rock” is to ignore the testimony of the entire Old Testament which is in itself a heresy. (Marcionism).
Blessings,