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Sitting In God's Seat
There is expansive coverage of the impending election of the new Pope by the Catholic church. News accounts, laced with minute detail concerning the process and the impending conclave, are abundant in the whole of modern media. Reporters have flooded Vatican City, tourists are coming from all over the world in order to view this moment in history, a moment that comes only a few times in the lifetime of most persons.
The idea of the Pope has a distorted and not-so-pretty history. Early in Catholic history, every Bishop was called by the name Pope. In the east it was early on confined to the Bishop of Alexandria, who was denominated, in Greek, pappas, meaning "father." He is referred to in Latin as the Holy See. Later, after considerable controversy between Catholic leaders, it was prohibited for wearing by other than the Bishop of Rome.
In a series of convoluted arguments and unstable ambiguous affirmations, the Pope is said to be the successor to the Apostle Peter, who is averred in Catholic legacy to have been the first Pope. The method of reaching that conclusion has been predicated on unsubstantiated evidence and even questionable tradition. For instance, it is said that Peter is buried in the confines beneath the Sistine chapel in Rome. No real evidence of such is available, saving for the fact that someone, sometime or the other, wrote on the box containing some clergyman’s remains, "the bones of St. Peter," or words to that effect.
The election of a new Pope has caught the attention of the world. The word conclave has erupted on the scene with such rapidity that it is heard in almost every newscast, referred to in every newspaper article, used in almost every conversation about the process of electing the new pontiff.
Actually,"conclave" is derived from the Latin cum-clave, which translates literally as "with a key," and describes, vividly, a very secret meeting. The modern Catholic conclave gathering is comprised of the 115 Cardinals from the Catholic Church around the world. Their charge is to enter the Sistine Chapel where they will be remain until a two-thirds majority of them can agree to the election of one of their peers as the new papal leader. The process employed for the election of the new Pope is as ambiguous as the derivation of the black or white smoke which announces the decision of the conclave to the delegates.
When the Pope speaks ex cathedra, or "from the chair," He is said by Catholics to be articulating information approved by God Himself and inspired for the saying by the Holy Spirit. This action is reserved, usually, for matters that are controversial on which the church is called upon to take a stand. In other words, when the Pope speaks ex cathedra, he sits in God’s chair.
Time and limited space will not allow me to say every much about how some man, no matter how good he is, or what he has done to promote morality and piety, can have the audacity to think–much less affirm–that he can sit in God’s seat and make new laws or render new information not heretofore available to mankind. But then, not much time is needed to show the fallacy of such an affirmation.
First of all, God never authorized any man to add to what He had approved to be written by His chosen Apostles and Prophets. In Galatians one, Paul says, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel–not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." Tell me, how much comment does that passage need? Who is qualified to sit in God’s seat?
"All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:16-17). Tell me, who can add to what He has given that will further furnish us? Who is qualified to sit in God’s seat?
"Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works" (2 John 9-10). Tell me, how is it possible to have fellowship or agreement with someone who dares change God’s word and sit in His seat?
Tell me, please, who is it that is qualified to sit in God’s seat? Who?
