What is it ?
I spoke to a Lutheran pastor several days after the official signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) by the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church. "I agree that the Catholic Church has some incorrect doctrines," he said, "but she cannot be a counterfeit church. That would be impossible, because of her antiquity. Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church. And there was no alternative for many centuries. So she must be a true church."
The claims of the Catholic Church hinge on doctrines such as PAPAL INFALLIBILITY and APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION. These doctrines have been defended by claiming that they were held by the early church fathers.
The "Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals" (also known as the "False Decretals") are 115 documents that were allegedly written by the early "popes". The compiler of these documents went by the pseudonym of Isidore Mercator. The letters were actually forgeries drafted around 850 A.D. Sixty of the letters were attributed to the Bishops of Rome (later called "popes") from Clement (88-97) to Melchiades (311-314). 58 were forgeries. A letter attributed to St. Ambrose stated that if a person does not agree with the Holy See, then he or she is a heretic. Many of these letters were relied upon by future writers in support of Catholic teaching and law. In 1140 Gratian wrote the "Decretum," which became influential in the development of Canon Law. Gratian quoted 324 passages allegedly written by the early popes. Of these quotations, only eleven were not forgeries. Then Thomas Aquinas relied upon Gratian's work in many of his quotations of the early fathers.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the False Decretals were deemed reliable until two cardinals, John of Torquemada (1468) and Nicholas of Cuda (1464) declared the earliest of the documents to be forgeries. At the time of the Reformation, Erasmus and other scholars openly questioned the genuineness of the letters. But even in 1580, the Church officially deemed them accurate. In 1628, Blondel (a Protestant) published "Pseudo-Isidore et Turrianus vapulantes." Since that time, the Decretals have been established to be forgeries.
How did it come about ?
The following information is from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
1) The false decretals were forged in the North of France. The Church in France had been weakened by the strong reign of Charlemagne and the Carlovingian dynasty. The Church was subject to the State in temporal matters. The lay element of the Church was also strong.
2) At this time, the papacy was weak; Pope Sergius II (844-847) was charged with simony, as was Pope Leo IV (847-855).
3) The Decretals addressed the superiority of spiritual over temporal authority. The Decretals stated that a bishop could not be accused or condemned by a secular tribunal. Church property was deemed to be immune from secular reach.
4) The Decretals stated that ecclesiastical hierarchies were structured by Clement of Rome (88-97), and were to be modelled on the ecclesiastical divisions of Rome.
5) The greatest concern of the False Decretals was the authority of the bishops.
6) The Decretals declare again and again that there be as few charges as possible made against bishops, and that any trial against a bishop be as difficult as possible. A layman cannot bring a charge against a bishop. It took seventy-two witnesses to condemn a bishop.
7) A cleric could never bring a charge against his superior.
The effect of the Decretals was to strengthen the hierarchical nature of the Church. This powerful hierarchy is still evident today. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power that he can always exercise unhindered. The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, as its head." The documents of Vatican II state that "loyal submission of the will and intellect must be given, in a special way, to the authentic teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he does not speak ex cathedra..." In other words, Catholic, check your mind at the door.
Why it is wrong:
1) ...because the Decretals influenced the Catholic Church to become authoritarian (cultic) in its hierarchy;
2) ...because the Decretals disenfranchised the laity of the church, giving them no recourse in church matters;
3) ...because the Decretals encouraged the secular powers to submit to the papacy in temporal matters;
4) ...because the Decretals supported the foundation of the counterfeit church.
Warnings from Scripture:
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave... Mt. 20:25-27
Not that we [the apostles] lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm. 2 Cor. 1:24
Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 1 Tim. 5:19
The woman [the great religious harlot] whom you [John] saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. Rev. 17:18
? Point to Ponder
There is a legal adage "Buyer beware." The Catholic Church, especially since Vatican II, has been a master marketer. I urge you, reader, take the time to check out the product. Be like the noble-minded Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Acts 17:11
