Lutherans & the Papacy

by Pastor Andrew Kneeland

Should we care about the pope?

Even confessional Lutherans can admit that the Roman Catholic Church is one of the oldest institutions in the history of the world. For nearly two millennia, the papacy has towered over culture and history and profoundly shaped our world today.

Understanding this history is important. Knowing where the papacy came from helps clarify our theological convictions and equips us to engage our Roman Catholic neighbors with truth and charity.

Early Church Origins

Following Pentecost, the disciples carried the gospel throughout the entire world, and churches were planted in cities throughout the Roman Empire. There were no schisms or denominational differences, but even in the first few centuries of Christian history, churches in several cities claimed unique importance.

Jerusalem was important because Jesus walked its streets. Antioch was important because there believers were first called Christians. But the church in Rome had them beat: they were a church founded by Peter, the “rock” many believed Jesus had founded his Church upon.

Lutherans understand Matthew 16:18 differently—the Church is built not on Peter himself but on Peter’s confession two verses earlier—but nearly everyone in the Early Church looked to Rome for leadership. The lead pastor in Rome appointed other pastors, settled church conflicts, and influenced key decisions.

When Rome fell to the Visigoths in AD 410, the prestige of the bishop of Rome only increased. The center of the Roman Empire had shifted east to Constantinople, leaving the bishop of Rome as the only remaining figure with any level of authority. It fell to him to organize the distribution of food and water, oversee reconstruction projects, and even plan the defense of the city. This trajectory continued through the fifth century. Bishop Siricius was the first to call himself pope—from the Latin word for “father”—and Innocent I, who succeeded Siricius two years after his death, issued a decree that claimed “all greater issues” must be settled by Rome.

At the end of the fifth century, Pope Gelasius I extended Rome’s power even further. He claimed that not only did the pope have authority over the other churches, but also over the state. If the church and the state were ever in conflict, the decision of the church would have more authority.

The medieval church called this the Sun and the Moon Doctrine. The church is like the sun, and the secular government is like the moon. They both shine light, or exercise authority, but the moon only reflects light that comes from the sun.

The crystallization of this growing power was Christmas Day in the year AD 800, when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Reformation Conflict

The papacy claimed more and more authority through the Middle Ages and into the Reformation period. Rome controlled the correct interpretation of Scripture. Rome distributed grace through the sacraments. Allegiance to the Roman pope was the only way to be saved.

Many Christians called attention to the errors and abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. Peter Waldo believed in the universal priesthood of all believers. John Wycliffe worked to make the Bible available in the common language. Jan Hus held that papal authority was not equal to Scriptural authority. And finally, Martin Luther taught that being made righteous was a gift from God and not available for sale through indulgences. Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther in 1521, and the Council of Trent (1545–1563) solidified Rome’s position against this new Protestant teaching.

This history defines Lutheran identity. The Reformation clarified that salvation is by grace through faith, not through papal mediation. Christ is the head of the Church, not the pope. The Lutheran confessions famously label the pope as “Antichrist” for usurping authority that rightfully belongs to Christ.

Why It Matters

Does this history matter today, more than 500 years later? Yes! Knowing the history of the papacy sharpens our theological clarity and guards our teaching. The Roman Catholic Church, with a quartermillion parishes and more than one billion souls, is a human institution that evolved into the elaborate papacy we see today. There are certainly true believers within this church, many of whom are our friends and neighbors, but several of Rome’s official teachings obscure Christ and the gospel. The Roman Catholic Church makes theological claims that challenge justification by faith, sola Scriptura, and how the Holy Spirit works through the local congregation.

We cling to Christ alone and trust his Word above all human institutions. Understanding Roman Catholic tradition, from Peter’s confession to Reformation battles, equips us to share the gospel with precision and charity. We study the past not to dwell on division but to boldly call all to the cross where salvation by grace through faith is proclaimed.

Kneeland, a member of Solid Rock Free Lutheran, is the editor. Artwork: “St. Peter’s, the Basilica and the Piazza,” Francesco Panini, c. 1800, Los Angeles County Museum of Art.