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Lesson 76

THE RISE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY

The organization and development of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy dates from the time of the launching of fusion religion by the Roman emperor Constantine in A.D. 325. It does not date from nor have its source in the original governing body of the apostles. All such claims to apostolic succession and origin are false, and the Hierarchy's structure is grossly contrary to the original Theocratic organization as established by Christ Jesus.

Under the fusion-religion setup the pagan Roman emperor Constantine became the head of the new Catholic church. The word "Catholic" means "universal", and for this reason the newly organized, fused "Christian" religion was properly so named, as it became the official religion universally throughout the Roman Empire, the dominating world power at that time. Constantine continued to be recognized as Pontifex Maximus, or "Supreme Pontiff", which was the title he bore as the high priest of the ancient Roman pagan cult. In actuality, he was the first pope,

though not so recognized. He assumed the supreme power over the Catholic church and took steps to remodel the entire government of the "Christian" congregations along Roman pagan lines. A hierarchic form of priest rule was the order. The word "hierarchy" meaning a body of ecclesiastical rulers, we here have during the fourth century the beginning of the Catholic Hierarchy. The following quotation is noteworthy:

"Before the time of Constantine the clergy were not recognized as holding any distinct rank in the state; but when Christianity was adopted as the religion of the Roman empire, its ministers were considered as occupying the place of those heathen priests whose superstitions had fallen into disrepute." —McClintock and Strong, Volume VIII, page 396.

The political divisions of the Roman Empire in Constantine's reign comprised thirteen dioceses, which were further divided into 120 provinces. The term diocese means "administration", and under the Roman government it meant a territory over which a Roman governor had jurisdiction. With the advent of fusion religion Constantine arranged for the 1,800 "Christian" congregations, each with their local elders as servants and overseers (falsely termed "bishops", "deacons," and "presbyters"), to be reorganized according to the political divisions of the empire. All the congregations and their overseers in each of the 120 Roman provinces would be placed under the ecclesiastical rulership of a "metropolitan". Likewise all the "metropolitans" in each of the 13 great dioceses would be placed under the rulership of a "patriarch". To complete the pyramid hierarchic organization the 13 "patriarchs" were then responsible to the emperor as the head of the church. With the passing of the centuries the smaller divisions of the church became known as dioceses over which "see" a bishop had jurisdiction, and the larger sections were ruled over by archbishops, patriarchs and cardinals.

By the end of the fourth century the universal Catholic church was divided into four major "holy sees", each with its own hierarchy or bishops and priests and with a "patriarch" at its head, subject directly to the emperor as head of the church. The Roman see comprised almost all the 800 Latin congregations in the western provinces of the Roman Empire, with the city of Rome as the episcopal city from which the patriarch or bishop of Rome had jurisdiction. The Byzantian or Constantinopolitan see comprised the eastern Roman provinces in Greece and the east, with the patriarch residing at Constantinople. The Antiochian sec served all the congregations in the Roman provinces in Asia, whereas the Alexandrian see supervised all the churches in Egypt and eastern Africa. Later a fifth major see was organized with Jerusalem as a center.

With the growth in power of the new fusion religion Catholic church rivalry arose as to which of the five patriarchs should enjoy primateship as leader of the entire church second to the emperor. In the course of the contest the bishop of Rome became the most prominent, having the largest number of churches under his supervision and with the expansion of so-called "Christianity" in western Europe increasing his power and influence with the Roman emperors. In 378 the Roman emperor Gratian conferred upon Damasus, the then bishop of Rome, supreme spiritual authority in the Western Empire, permitting the bishop to use the title Pontifex Maximus, which hitherto only the emperors had used. However, it was not until after the year 440 that the then newly made bishop of Rome exerted himself and endeavored to establish spiritual supremacy over the eastern sees and thus gain supremacy over the entire Catholic world. Note the following historical account of Leo I's being inducted as the first pope of Rome:

"Until this epoch no man who combined lofty ambition with commanding intellect and political dexterity had presided over the Roman see; and although its influence had gradually increased, and many of its bishops had

sought to extend and confirm that influence, yet they had merely availed themselves of accidental circumstances to augment their own personal authority, without acting upon any distinct and well-devised scheme. But Leo, while he zealously watched over his own peculiar flock, concentrated all the powers of his energetic mind upon one great design, which he seems to have formed at a very early period, and which he kept steadfastly in view during a long and eventful life, following it out with consummate boldness, perseverance, and talent. This was nothing less than the establishment of the 'apostolic chair' as a spiritual supremacy over every branch of the Catholic Church, and the exclusive appropriation for its occupant of the title of Papa, or father of the whole Christian world." —McClintock and Strong, Volume V, page 356.

Presumptuously this first pope of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy declared for himself universal sovereignty, a title which belongs to Jehovah God alone. Thus Leo I betrays himself openly as an agent of Satan in the Devil's bid for universal domination. Upon his ascension to the papal chair he made the following bold declaration:

"I will revive government once more upon this earth; not by bringing back the Caesars, but by declaring a new theocracy, by making myself the vicegerent of Christ, by virtue of the promise made to Peter, whose successor I am, in order to restore law, punish crime, head off heresy, encourage genius, conserve peace, heal dissensions, protect learning; appealing to love, but ruling by fear. Who but the Church can do this? A theocracy will create a new civilization. Not a diadem, but a tiara will I wear, a symbol of universal sovereignty, before which barbarism shall flee away, and happiness be restored once more." —Beacon Lights of History, Volume III, pages 244, 245.