Infallible Authority Of The Church.

[IcyChain]

The Church has authority from God to teach regarding faith and morals, and in her teaching she is preserved from error by the special guidance of the Holy Ghost.

The prerogative of infallibility is clearly deduced from the attributes of the Church: the Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. Preaching the same creed everywhere and at all times; teaching holiness and truth, she is, of course, essentially unerring in her doctrine; for what is one, holy or unchangeable must be infallibly true.

That the Church was infallible in the Apostolic age is denied by no Christian. We never question the truth of the Apostles' declarations;(See Gal. 4:14; 1Thess. 2: 13.) they were, in fact, the only authority in the Church for the first century. The New Testament was not completed till the close of the first century. There is no just ground for denying to the Apostolic teachers of the twenty-first century in which we live a prerogative clearly possessed by those of the first, especially as the Divine Word nowhere intimates that this unerring guidance was to die with the Apostles. On the contrary, as the Apostles transmitted to their successors their power to preach, to baptize, to ordain, to confirm, etc., they must also have handed down to them the no less essential gift of infallibility. [Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers]

Sure, but I think that's a tough argument to make. I don't think the Catholic Church has the actual records to trace back the succession of our bishops to the apostles. The best case we can make for that is the pope I think, and even then we have various controversies like the Avignon anti-popes. I think apostolic succession is something that Catholics can and should hold as a matter of faith, but that it cannot be definitively proven as historical fact. But I could be wrong if you have the evidence that indicates otherwise. I'd be interested to see it.

 

[Valletta]

The truth is generally simple. This is a good example of things. There is so much detailed fine print with everything, there is no way it's Apostolic. You need a manual to know which side of your mouth you are allowed to chew gum on.

The few minor disciplines are hardly "fine print" that are difficult to handle. If you are supposed to not eat meat on a day and forget then there is no sin. Sin would be in defying Christ and His Church, saying I don't care that Jesus gave the keys to Peter or care what he or any successor says. Also you appear not to grasp the concept of papal infallibility. There has not been ex cathedra statement by a pope since 1950.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

Sure, but I think that's a tough argument to make. I don't think the Catholic Church has the actual records to trace back the succession of our bishops to the apostles. The best case we can make for that is the pope I think, and even then we have various controversies like the Avignon anti-popes. I think apostolic succession is something that Catholics can and should hold as a matter of faith, but that it cannot be definitively proven as historical fact. But I could be wrong if you have the evidence that indicates otherwise. I'd be interested to see it.

List of the popes:

1. St. Peter (33-67)​

2. St. Linus (67-76)​

3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)​

4. St. Clement I (88-97)​

5. St. Evaristus (97-105)​

6. St. Alexander I (105-115)​

7. St. Sixtus I (115-125) Also called Xystus I​

8. St. Telesphorus (125-136)​

9. St. Hyginus (136-140)​

10. St. Pius I (140-155)​

11. St. Anicetus (155-166)​

12. St. Soter (166-175)​

13. St. Eleutherius (175-189)​

14. St. Victor I (189-199)​

15. St. Zephyrinus (199-217)​

16. St. Callistus I (217-222)​

17. St. Urban I (222-30)​

18. St. Pontain (230-35)​

19. St. Anterus (235-36)​

20. St. Fabian (236-50)​

21. St. Cornelius (251-53)​

22. St. Lucius I (253-54)​

23. St. Stephen I (254-257)​

24. St. Sixtus II (257-258)​

25. St. Dionysius (260-268)​

26. St. Felix I (269-274)​

27. St. Eutychian (275-283)​

28. St. Caius (283-296) Also called Gaius​

29. St. Marcellinus (296-304)​

30. St. Marcellus I (308-309)​

31. St. Eusebius (309 or 310)​

32. St. Miltiades (311-14)​

33. St. Sylvester I (314-35)​

34. St. Marcus (336)​

35. St. Julius I (337-52)​

36. Liberius (352-66)​

37. St. Damasus I (366-83)​

38. St. Siricius (384-99)​

39. St. Anastasius I (399-401)​

40. St. Innocent I (401-17)​

41. St. Zosimus (417-18)​

42. St. Boniface I (418-22)​

43. St. Celestine I (422-32)​

44. St. Sixtus III (432-40)​

45. St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61)​

46. St. Hilarius (461-68)​

47. St. Simplicius (468-83)​

48. St. Felix III (II) (483-92)​

49. St. Gelasius I (492-96)​

50. Anastasius II (496-98)​

51. St. Symmachus (498-514)​

52. St. Hormisdas (514-23)​

53. St. John I (523-26)​

54. St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)​

55. Boniface II (530-32)​

56. John II (533-35)​

57. St. Agapetus I (535-36) Also called Agapitus I​

58. St. Silverius (536-37)​

59. Vigilius (537-55)​

60. Pelagius I (556-61)​

61. John III (561-74)​

62. Benedict I (575-79)​

63. Pelagius II (579-90)​

64. St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)​

65. Sabinian (604-606)​

66. Boniface III (607)​

67. St. Boniface IV (608-15)​

68. St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18)​

69. Boniface V (619-25)​

70. Honorius I (625-38)​

71. Severinus (640)​

72. John IV (640-42)​

73. Theodore I (642-49)​

74. St. Martin I (649-55)​

75. St. Eugene I (655-57)​

76. St. Vitalian (657-72)​

77. Adeodatus (II) (672-76)​

78. Donus (676-78)​

79. St. Agatho (678-81)​

80. St. Leo II (682-83)​

81. St. Benedict II (684-85)​

82. John V (685-86)​

83. Conon (686-87)​

84. St. Sergius I (687-701)​

85. John VI (701-05)​

86. John VII (705-07)​

87. Sisinnius (708)​

88. Constantine (708-15)​

89. St. Gregory II (715-31)​

90. St. Gregory III (731-41)​

91. St. Zachary (741-52)​

92. Stephen II (752) Because he died before being consecrated, many authoritative lists omit him​

93. Stephen III (752-57)​

94. St. Paul I (757-67)​

95. Stephen IV (767-72)​

96. Adrian I (772-95)​

97. St. Leo III (795-816)​

98. Stephen V (816-17)​

99. St. Paschal I (817-24)​

100. Eugene II (824-27)​

101. Valentine (827)​

102. Gregory IV (827-44)​

103. Sergius II (844-47)​

104. St. Leo IV (847-55)​

105. Benedict III (855-58)​

106. St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)​

107. Adrian II (867-72)​

108. John VIII (872-82)​

109. Marinus I (882-84)​

110. St. Adrian III (884-85)​

111. Stephen VI (885-91)​

112. Formosus (891-96)​

113. Boniface VI (896)​

114. Stephen VII (896-97)​

115. Romanus (897)​

116. Theodore II (897)​

117. John IX (898-900)​

118. Benedict IV (900-03)​

119. Leo V (903)​

120. Sergius III (904-11)​

121. Anastasius III (911-13)​

122. Lando (913-14)​

123. John X (914-28)​

124. Leo VI (928)​

125. Stephen VIII (929-31)​

126. John XI (931-35)​

127. Leo VII (936-39)​

128. Stephen IX (939-42)​

129. Marinus II (942-46)​

130. Agapetus II (946-55)​

131. John XII (955-63)​

132. Leo VIII (963-64)​

133. Benedict V (964)​

134. John XIII (965-72)​

135. Benedict VI (973-74)​

136. Benedict VII (974-83)​

137. John XIV (983-84)​

138. John XV (985-96)​

139. Gregory V (996-99)​

140. Sylvester II (999-1003)​

141. John XVII (1003)​

142. John XVIII (1003-09)​

143. Sergius IV (1009-12)​

144. Benedict VIII (1012-24)​

145. John XIX (1024-32)​

146. Benedict IX (1032-45) He appears on this list three separate times, because he was twice deposed and restored​

147. Sylvester III (1045) Considered by some to be an antipope​

148. Benedict IX (1045)​

149. Gregory VI (1045-46)​

150. Clement II (1046-47)​

151. Benedict IX (1047-48)​

152. Damasus II (1048)​

153. St. Leo IX (1049-54)​

154. Victor II (1055-57)​

155. Stephen X (1057-58)​

156. Nicholas II (1058-61)​

157. Alexander II (1061-73)​

158. St. Gregory VII (1073-85)​

159. Blessed Victor III (1086-87)​

160. Blessed Urban II (1088-99)​

161. Paschal II (1099-1118)​

162. Gelasius II (1118-19)​

163. Callistus II (1119-24)​

164. Honorius II (1124-30)​

165. Innocent II (1130-43)​

166. Celestine II (1143-44)​

167. Lucius II (1144-45)​

168. Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)​

169. Anastasius IV (1153-54)​

170. Adrian IV (1154-59)​

171. Alexander III (1159-81)​

172. Lucius III (1181-85)​

173. Urban III (1185-87)​

174. Gregory VIII (1187)​

175. Clement III (1187-91)​

176. Celestine III (1191-98)​

177. Innocent III (1198-1216)​

178. Honorius III (1216-27)​

179. Gregory IX (1227-41)​

180. Celestine IV (1241)​

181. Innocent IV (1243-54)​

182. Alexander IV (1254-61)​

183. Urban IV (1261-64)​

184. Clement IV (1265-68)​

185. Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)​

186. Blessed Innocent V (1276)​

187. Adrian V (1276)​

188. John XXI (1276-77)​

189. Nicholas III (1277-80)​

190. Martin IV (1281-85)​

191. Honorius IV (1285-87)​

192. Nicholas IV (1288-92)​

193. St. Celestine V (1294)​

194. Boniface VIII (1294-1303)​

195. St. Benedict XI (1303-04)​

196. Clement V (1305-14)​

197. John XXII (1316-34)​

198. Benedict XII (1334-42)​

199. Clement VI (1342-52)​

200. Innocent VI (1352-62)​

201. Blessed Urban V (1362-70)​

202. Gregory XI (1370-78)​

203. Urban VI (1378-89)​

204. Boniface IX (1389-1404)​

205. Innocent VII (1404-06)​

206. Gregory XII (1406-15)​

207. Martin V (1417-31)​

208. Eugene IV (1431-47)​

209. Nicholas V (1447-55)​

210. Callistus III (1455-58)​

211. Pius II (1458-64)​

212. Paul II (1464-71)​

213. Sixtus IV (1471-84)​

214. Innocent VIII (1484-92)​

215. Alexander VI (1492-1503)​

216. Pius III (1503)​

217. Julius II (1503-13)​

218. Leo X (1513-21)​

219. Adrian VI (1522-23)​

220. Clement VII (1523-34)​

221. Paul III (1534-49)​

222. Julius III (1550-55)​

223. Marcellus II (1555)​

224. Paul IV (1555-59)​

225. Pius IV (1559-65)​

226. St. Pius V (1566-72)​

227. Gregory XIII (1572-85)​

228. Sixtus V (1585-90)​

229. Urban VII (1590)​

230. Gregory XIV (1590-91)​

231. Innocent IX (1591)​

232. Clement VIII (1592-1605)​

233. Leo XI (1605)​

234. Paul V (1605-21)​

235. Gregory XV (1621-23)​

236. Urban VIII (1623-44)​

237. Innocent X (1644-55)​

238. Alexander VII (1655-67)​

239. Clement IX (1667-69)​

240. Clement X (1670-76)​

241. Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)​

242. Alexander VIII (1689-91)​

243. Innocent XII (1691-1700)​

244. Clement XI (1700-21)​

245. Innocent XIII (1721-24)​

246. Benedict XIII (1724-30)​

247. Clement XII (1730-40)​

248. Benedict XIV (1740-58)​

249. Clement XIII (1758-69)​

250. Clement XIV (1769-74)​

251. Pius VI (1775-99)​

252. Pius VII (1800-23)​

253. Leo XII (1823-29)​

254. Pius VIII (1829-30)​

255. Gregory XVI (1831-46)​

256. Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)​

257. Leo XIII (1878-1903)​

258. St. Pius X (1903-14)​

259. Benedict XV (1914-22)​

260. Pius XI (1922-39)​

261. Pius XII (1939-58)​

262. Blessed John XXIII (1958-63)​

263. Paul VI (1963-78)​

264. John Paul I (1978)​

265. John Paul II (1978-2005)​

266. Benedict XVI (2005-2013)​

266. Francis (2013—)​

 

[IcyChain]

List of the popes:

1. St. Peter (33-67)​

2. St. Linus (67-76)​

. . .​

So your best evidence of apostolic succession is a list of the popes from Wikipedia?

That's perfectly fine by me, but you aren't going to convince any non-Catholics with a list from Wikipedia, if that is what you are hoping to do . . .

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

So your best evidence of apostolic succession is a list of the popes from Wikipedia?

That's perfectly fine by me, but you aren't going to convince any non-Catholics with a list from Wikipedia, if that is what you are hoping to do . . .

Non-Catholics will not be convinced by any evidence this side of the last judgement; though some exceptions exist.

 

[IcyChain]

Non-Catholics will not be convinced by any evidence this side of the last judgement; though some exceptions exist.

Well, I think it comes down to accepting it as a matter of faith, as with most things in Christianity.

Seek to believe so that ye may understand, not to understand so that ye may believe . . .

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

A thought or two about Pope Saint Gregory III

He was just standing there, not doing anything special. As a Syrian priest he must have felt a little out of place among the Roman people mourning that day for the dead Pope. As a good preacher, he must have wanted to speak to the funeral procession about Christ’s promise of resurrection. As a learned man, he must have wondered who would follow the holy Saint Gregory II as Pope and where he would take the Church. As a holy man, he must have been praying for Gregory II and for all the people around him to find their place after death in God’s arms. But he was just one of the crowd.​

​

Not to God. And not to the people who recognized the well-known holy man in their midst. Right in the middle of the funeral procession they singled him out. They swept him away and clamoured for him to be named the next bishop of Rome. Then suddenly, unexpectedly, without his even lifting a finger, his whole life changed and he could no longer just stand there and do nothing.​

​

After he was proclaimed Pope Gregory III, Emperor Leo II attacked the veneration of holy images. Because Leo II thought the honor paid to Jesus, Mary, and the saints by keeping statues and icons was idolatry, he condemned them and wanted them destroyed. Gregory III didn’t just stand there but immediately sent a letter to Leo II. He couldn’t get the letter through because the priest-messenger was afraid to deliver it. So instead, Gregory called a synod that approved strong measures against anyone who would try to destroy images of Jesus, Mary, or the saints.​

​

Gregory took his stand and Leo II apparently thought the only way to move him was through physical force. So Leo sent ships to kidnap Gregory and bring him to Constantinople. Many people in Rome must have tried to get Gregory to move — but he just stood there. And once again God intervened. A storm destroyed Leo’s ships. The only thing Leo could do was capture some of the papal lands.​

​

So Leo got a few acres of land and we kept our wonderful reminders of the love of God, the protection of Jesus, the prayers of Mary, and the examples of the saints. All because Gregory knew when to take a stand — and when to stand there and let God work. St. Gregory III was Pope from 731-741.​

 

[AlightSeeker]

Sure, but I think that's a tough argument to make. I don't think the Catholic Church has the actual records to trace back the succession of our bishops to the apostles. The best case we can make for that is the pope I think, and even then we have various controversies like the Avignon anti-popes. I think apostolic succession is something that Catholics can and should hold as a matter of faith, but that it cannot be definitively proven as historical fact. But I could be wrong if you have the evidence that indicates otherwise. I'd be interested to see it.

Records? I follow God's word. A am a letter written by God's own hand.

2 Corinthians 3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

The Spirit, Not the Letter
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the [a]Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

from Wikipedia

PS: it isn't from Wikipedia

 

[AlightSeeker]

People just can't see the church the Lord would build. It's built in a rock. You cannot see it. It's not a structure or a body of people. It's Christ himself. Only those with the spirit can see it.

 

[AlightSeeker]

The succession of the ministry of the Spirit is not what you believe it to be.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

People just can't see the church the Lord would build. It's built in a rock. You cannot see it. It's not a structure or a body of people. It's Christ himself. Only those with the spirit can see it.

The Unity Of The Church.​

By unity is meant that the members of the true Church must be united in the belief of the same doctrines of revelation, and in the acknowledgment of the authority of the same pastors. Heresy and schism are opposed to Christian unity. By heresy, a man rejects one or more articles of the Christian faith. By schism, he spurns the authority of his spiritual superiors. That our Savior requires this unity of faith and government in His members is evident from various passages of Holy Writ. In His admirable prayer immediately before His passion He says: “I pray for them also who through their word shall believe in Me; that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me,”(John 17:20, 21) because the unity of the Church is the most luminous evidence of the Divine mission of Christ. Jesus prayed that His followers may be united in the bond of a common faith, as He and His Father are united in essence, and certainly the prayer of Jesus is always heard.

St. Paul ranks schism and heresy with the crimes of murder and idolatry, and he declares that the authors of sects shall not possess the Kingdom of God. (Gal 5:20, 21) He also addresses a letter to the Ephesians from his prison in Rome, and if the words of the Apostle should always command our homage, with how much reverence are they to be received when he writes in chains from the Imperial City! In this Epistle he insists upon unity of faith in the following emphatic language: “Be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; one body and one Spirit, as you are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.”(Ephes 4:3-6) As you all, he says, worship one God, and not many gods; as you acknowledge the same Divine Mediator of redemption, and not many mediators; as you are sanctified by the same Divine Spirit, and not by many spirits; as you all hope for the same heaven, and not different heavens, so must you all profess the same faith.

Unity of government is not less essential to the Church of Christ than unity of doctrine. Our Divine Saviour never speaks of His Churches, but of His Church. He does not say: “Upon this rock I will build my Churches,” but “upon this rock I will build My Church,”(Matt 16:18) from which words we must conclude that it never was His intention to establish or to sanction various conflicting denominations, but one corporate body, with all the members united under one visible Head; for as the Church is a visible body, it must have a visible head.

 

[AlightSeeker]

The Unity Of The Church.​

By unity is meant that the members of the true Church must be united in the belief of the same doctrines of revelation, and in the acknowledgment of the authority of the same pastors. Heresy and schism are opposed to Christian unity. By heresy, a man rejects one or more articles of the Christian faith. By schism, he spurns the authority of his spiritual superiors. That our Savior requires this unity of faith and government in His members is evident from various passages of Holy Writ. In His admirable prayer immediately before His passion He says: “I pray for them also who through their word shall believe in Me; that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me,”(John 17:20, 21) because the unity of the Church is the most luminous evidence of the Divine mission of Christ. Jesus prayed that His followers may be united in the bond of a common faith, as He and His Father are united in essence, and certainly the prayer of Jesus is always heard.

St. Paul ranks schism and heresy with the crimes of murder and idolatry, and he declares that the authors of sects shall not possess the Kingdom of God. (Gal 5:20, 21) He also addresses a letter to the Ephesians from his prison in Rome, and if the words of the Apostle should always command our homage, with how much reverence are they to be received when he writes in chains from the Imperial City! In this Epistle he insists upon unity of faith in the following emphatic language: “Be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; one body and one Spirit, as you are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.”(Ephes 4:3-6) As you all, he says, worship one God, and not many gods; as you acknowledge the same Divine Mediator of redemption, and not many mediators; as you are sanctified by the same Divine Spirit, and not by many spirits; as you all hope for the same heaven, and not different heavens, so must you all profess the same faith.

Unity of government is not less essential to the Church of Christ than unity of doctrine. Our Divine Saviour never speaks of His Churches, but of His Church. He does not say: “Upon this rock I will build my Churches,” but “upon this rock I will build My Church,”(Matt 16:18) from which words we must conclude that it never was His intention to establish or to sanction various conflicting denominations, but one corporate body, with all the members united under one visible Head; for as the Church is a visible body, it must have a visible head.

I didn't read all that but the first part I will answer. You say we must be united in belief. This is true. But we won't unite under your church. We unite in Christ alone and are joined by his Spirit. We must seek things that edify the church. We must let go of things that divide us. There is only one thing we can agree on and that's not your church.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

I didn't read all that but

your reply was TLDR

 

[AlightSeeker]

your reply was TLDR

I don't know what that means. I speak only what edifies us all.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

I don't know what that means. I speak only what edifies us all.

TLDR = Too Long; Didn't read.

 

[BobRyan]

Sure, but I think that's a tough argument to make. I don't think the Catholic Church has the actual records to trace back the succession of our bishops to the apostles. The best case we can make for that is the pope I think, and even then we have various controversies like the Avignon anti-popes. I think apostolic succession is something that Catholics can and should hold as a matter of faith, but that it cannot be definitively proven as historical fact. But I could be wrong if you have the evidence that indicates otherwise. I'd be interested to see it.

multiple popes at the same time - elected by the same group of Cardinals, Papal armies fighting each other to find out who will be the surviving pope... So there is an example of the sort of thing we don't see in the actual NT, among many many other examples.

 

[BobRyan]

List of the popes:

1. St. Peter (33-67)​

2. St. Linus (67-76)​

3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)​

4. St. Clement I (88-97)​

5. St. Evaristus (97-105)​

6. St. Alexander I (105-115)​

7. St. Sixtus I (115-125) Also called Xystus I​

8. St. Telesphorus (125-136)​

9. St. Hyginus (136-140)​

10. St. Pius I (140-155)​

11. St. Anicetus (155-166)​

12. St. Soter (166-175)​

13. St. Eleutherius (175-189)​

14. St. Victor I (189-199)​

15. St. Zephyrinus (199-217)​

16. St. Callistus I (217-222)​

17. St. Urban I (222-30)​

18. St. Pontain (230-35)​

19. St. Anterus (235-36)​

20. St. Fabian (236-50)​

21. St. Cornelius (251-53)​

22. St. Lucius I (253-54)​

23. St. Stephen I (254-257)​

24. St. Sixtus II (257-258)​

25. St. Dionysius (260-268)​

26. St. Felix I (269-274)​

27. St. Eutychian (275-283)​

28. St. Caius (283-296) Also called Gaius​

29. St. Marcellinus (296-304)​

30. St. Marcellus I (308-309)​

31. St. Eusebius (309 or 310)​

32. St. Miltiades (311-14)​

33. St. Sylvester I (314-35)​

34. St. Marcus (336)​

35. St. Julius I (337-52)​

36. Liberius (352-66)​

37. St. Damasus I (366-83)​

38. St. Siricius (384-99)​

39. St. Anastasius I (399-401)​

40. St. Innocent I (401-17)​

41. St. Zosimus (417-18)​

42. St. Boniface I (418-22)​

43. St. Celestine I (422-32)​

44. St. Sixtus III (432-40)​

45. St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61)​

46. St. Hilarius (461-68)​

47. St. Simplicius (468-83)​

48. St. Felix III (II) (483-92)​

49. St. Gelasius I (492-96)​

50. Anastasius II (496-98)​

51. St. Symmachus (498-514)​

52. St. Hormisdas (514-23)​

53. St. John I (523-26)​

54. St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)​

55. Boniface II (530-32)​

56. John II (533-35)​

57. St. Agapetus I (535-36) Also called Agapitus I​

58. St. Silverius (536-37)​

59. Vigilius (537-55)​

60. Pelagius I (556-61)​

61. John III (561-74)​

62. Benedict I (575-79)​

63. Pelagius II (579-90)​

64. St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)​

65. Sabinian (604-606)​

66. Boniface III (607)​

67. St. Boniface IV (608-15)​

68. St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18)​

69. Boniface V (619-25)​

70. Honorius I (625-38)​

71. Severinus (640)​

72. John IV (640-42)​

73. Theodore I (642-49)​

74. St. Martin I (649-55)​

75. St. Eugene I (655-57)​

76. St. Vitalian (657-72)​

77. Adeodatus (II) (672-76)​

78. Donus (676-78)​

79. St. Agatho (678-81)​

80. St. Leo II (682-83)​

81. St. Benedict II (684-85)​

82. John V (685-86)​

83. Conon (686-87)​

84. St. Sergius I (687-701)​

85. John VI (701-05)​

86. John VII (705-07)​

87. Sisinnius (708)​

88. Constantine (708-15)​

89. St. Gregory II (715-31)​

90. St. Gregory III (731-41)​

91. St. Zachary (741-52)​

92. Stephen II (752) Because he died before being consecrated, many authoritative lists omit him​

93. Stephen III (752-57)​

94. St. Paul I (757-67)​

95. Stephen IV (767-72)​

96. Adrian I (772-95)​

97. St. Leo III (795-816)​

98. Stephen V (816-17)​

99. St. Paschal I (817-24)​

100. Eugene II (824-27)​

101. Valentine (827)​

102. Gregory IV (827-44)​

103. Sergius II (844-47)​

104. St. Leo IV (847-55)​

105. Benedict III (855-58)​

106. St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)​

107. Adrian II (867-72)​

108. John VIII (872-82)​

109. Marinus I (882-84)​

110. St. Adrian III (884-85)​

111. Stephen VI (885-91)​

112. Formosus (891-96)​

113. Boniface VI (896)​

114. Stephen VII (896-97)​

115. Romanus (897)​

116. Theodore II (897)​

117. John IX (898-900)​

118. Benedict IV (900-03)​

119. Leo V (903)​

120. Sergius III (904-11)​

121. Anastasius III (911-13)​

122. Lando (913-14)​

123. John X (914-28)​

124. Leo VI (928)​

125. Stephen VIII (929-31)​

126. John XI (931-35)​

127. Leo VII (936-39)​

128. Stephen IX (939-42)​

129. Marinus II (942-46)​

130. Agapetus II (946-55)​

131. John XII (955-63)​

132. Leo VIII (963-64)​

133. Benedict V (964)​

134. John XIII (965-72)​

135. Benedict VI (973-74)​

136. Benedict VII (974-83)​

137. John XIV (983-84)​

138. John XV (985-96)​

139. Gregory V (996-99)​

140. Sylvester II (999-1003)​

141. John XVII (1003)​

142. John XVIII (1003-09)​

143. Sergius IV (1009-12)​

144. Benedict VIII (1012-24)​

145. John XIX (1024-32)​

146. Benedict IX (1032-45) He appears on this list three separate times, because he was twice deposed and restored​

147. Sylvester III (1045) Considered by some to be an antipope​

148. Benedict IX (1045)​

149. Gregory VI (1045-46)​

150. Clement II (1046-47)​

151. Benedict IX (1047-48)​

152. Damasus II (1048)​

153. St. Leo IX (1049-54)​

154. Victor II (1055-57)​

155. Stephen X (1057-58)​

156. Nicholas II (1058-61)​

157. Alexander II (1061-73)​

158. St. Gregory VII (1073-85)​

159. Blessed Victor III (1086-87)​

160. Blessed Urban II (1088-99)​

161. Paschal II (1099-1118)​

162. Gelasius II (1118-19)​

163. Callistus II (1119-24)​

164. Honorius II (1124-30)​

165. Innocent II (1130-43)​

166. Celestine II (1143-44)​

167. Lucius II (1144-45)​

168. Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)​

169. Anastasius IV (1153-54)​

170. Adrian IV (1154-59)​

171. Alexander III (1159-81)​

172. Lucius III (1181-85)​

173. Urban III (1185-87)​

174. Gregory VIII (1187)​

175. Clement III (1187-91)​

176. Celestine III (1191-98)​

177. Innocent III (1198-1216)​

178. Honorius III (1216-27)​

179. Gregory IX (1227-41)​

180. Celestine IV (1241)​

181. Innocent IV (1243-54)​

182. Alexander IV (1254-61)​

183. Urban IV (1261-64)​

184. Clement IV (1265-68)​

185. Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)​

186. Blessed Innocent V (1276)​

187. Adrian V (1276)​

188. John XXI (1276-77)​

189. Nicholas III (1277-80)​

190. Martin IV (1281-85)​

191. Honorius IV (1285-87)​

192. Nicholas IV (1288-92)​

193. St. Celestine V (1294)​

194. Boniface VIII (1294-1303)​

195. St. Benedict XI (1303-04)​

196. Clement V (1305-14)​

197. John XXII (1316-34)​

198. Benedict XII (1334-42)​

199. Clement VI (1342-52)​

200. Innocent VI (1352-62)​

201. Blessed Urban V (1362-70)​

202. Gregory XI (1370-78)​

203. Urban VI (1378-89)​

204. Boniface IX (1389-1404)​

205. Innocent VII (1404-06)​

206. Gregory XII (1406-15)​

207. Martin V (1417-31)​

208. Eugene IV (1431-47)​

209. Nicholas V (1447-55)​

210. Callistus III (1455-58)​

211. Pius II (1458-64)​

212. Paul II (1464-71)​

213. Sixtus IV (1471-84)​

214. Innocent VIII (1484-92)​

215. Alexander VI (1492-1503)​

216. Pius III (1503)​

217. Julius II (1503-13)​

218. Leo X (1513-21)​

219. Adrian VI (1522-23)​

220. Clement VII (1523-34)​

221. Paul III (1534-49)​

222. Julius III (1550-55)​

223. Marcellus II (1555)​

224. Paul IV (1555-59)​

225. Pius IV (1559-65)​

226. St. Pius V (1566-72)​

227. Gregory XIII (1572-85)​

228. Sixtus V (1585-90)​

229. Urban VII (1590)​

230. Gregory XIV (1590-91)​

231. Innocent IX (1591)​

232. Clement VIII (1592-1605)​

233. Leo XI (1605)​

234. Paul V (1605-21)​

235. Gregory XV (1621-23)​

236. Urban VIII (1623-44)​

237. Innocent X (1644-55)​

238. Alexander VII (1655-67)​

239. Clement IX (1667-69)​

240. Clement X (1670-76)​

241. Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)​

242. Alexander VIII (1689-91)​

243. Innocent XII (1691-1700)​

244. Clement XI (1700-21)​

245. Innocent XIII (1721-24)​

246. Benedict XIII (1724-30)​

247. Clement XII (1730-40)​

248. Benedict XIV (1740-58)​

249. Clement XIII (1758-69)​

250. Clement XIV (1769-74)​

251. Pius VI (1775-99)​

252. Pius VII (1800-23)​

253. Leo XII (1823-29)​

254. Pius VIII (1829-30)​

255. Gregory XVI (1831-46)​

256. Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)​

257. Leo XIII (1878-1903)​

258. St. Pius X (1903-14)​

259. Benedict XV (1914-22)​

260. Pius XI (1922-39)​

261. Pius XII (1939-58)​

262. Blessed John XXIII (1958-63)​

263. Paul VI (1963-78)​

264. John Paul I (1978)​

265. John Paul II (1978-2005)​

266. Benedict XVI (2005-2013)​

266. Francis (2013—)​

so many examples of "Pope for a year" or "Pope for two years" and still missing all the other popes.

including 3 popes at one time -

Why were there three popes at the same time?

For almost two millennia, the Pope has been a figure of supreme spiritual authority for Catholics around the world. But in the late 14th century, Catholics found themselves with not one, not two, but three popes. Where did this plethora of popes come from? And who among them was the genuine...

www.ted.com

 

[AlightSeeker]

TLDR = Too Long; Didn't read.

Thanks. I see now.

 

[Philip_B]

The difficulty I have with the infallibility of the Church is that it seems to imply some affirmation of perfection or a particular sense of divine approval. This was how many of the ancient people of Israel understood the covenant with Israel. Yet it is clear in the cases of both Israel and the Church that History suggests otherwise. The Church is not perfect, and If it was I couldn't be part of it, as I am not perfect.