Was Jesus Christ or The Catholic monk [Martin Luther] the top contributor to Christianity?

Jesus Christ Established a Visible Church On Earth

by Fritz Tuttle

Every Christian believes that Jesus Christ established and sustains a community of faith, hope and love for all believers. This community we call His Church. The Church that Christ founded is the Catholic Church which has a formal earthly structure established by Christ and which continues under His authority and protection.

In the Old Testament we see God's continual involvement in the lives of the Israelites through appointed prophets. God delivered, instructed and admonished the Israelites. He made His motions in a visible, specific and formal way. He always did so through human hands, mouths, feet, minds and wills. God established a law and a means for executing it.

In concert with His redemptive act, Jesus did three things that established the framework of His Church. First, He chose humans to carry out His work. He appointed Peter to be the visible head of the Church. Jesus said to Peter, "You are Rock and on this rock I will build my Church." (Matthew 16: 18) Jesus said "build," as in to create a structure. Jesus built His structure on specifically chosen human beings Peter and the apostles.

Second, Jesus gave Peter and the apostles the power and authority to carry out His work. "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven."(Matthew 16:19; 18:18) "Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven, whose sins you retain, they are retained."(John 20:23)

Third, Jesus gave Peter and the apostles commands as to what that work should be. At the last supper, He commanded, "Do this in memory of Me." (Luke 22:19) He commanded them to "Make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19), and to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)

The early Church was structured in a hierarchical manner as it is today. We see in Acts, chapter 15 how the apostles and the elders came together under the leadership of St. Peter to decide the question of what was required of Gentiles. We also see how St. Peter was regarded as the head of the Church when St. Paul, "Went up to Jerusalem to confer with Kephas [Peter] and remained with him fifteen days." (Galatians 1:18) There is no Scriptural evidence of independent local churches.

The Catholic Church is the only church that can claim to have been founded by Christ personally. Every other church traces its lineage back to a mere human person such as Martin Luther or John Wesley. The Catholic Church can trace its lineage back to Jesus Christ who appointed St. Peter as the first pope. This line of popes has continued unbroken for almost 2,000 years.

God rules, instructs and sanctifies His people through His Church. Under her teaching office, the Catholic Church preserves the Word of God. She is the custodian, keeper, dispenser and interpreter of teachings of Christ. And she accomplishes this under the protection of the Holy Spirit.

(Fritz Tuttle is active in Catholic apologetics and the Legion of Mary.)

DID JESUS REALLY MAKE PETER POPE?

Fr. William Saunders

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A Protestant friend of mine and I recently had a debate over whether Jesus actually made St. Peter the first pope. Although I cited Matthew 16, my friend had some other interpretation of it. What is a good answer to this question?—A reader.

In Catholic tradition, the foundation for the office of the pope is indeed found primarily in Matthew 16:13-20. Here, Jesus asked the question, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" The Apostles responded, "Some say John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Our Lord then turned to them and point-blank asked them, "And you, who do you say that I am?"

St. Peter, still officially known as Simon, replied, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Our Lord recognized that this answer was grace-motivated: "No mere man has revealed this to you, but My heavenly Father."

Because of this response, our Lord said to St. Peter, "You are 'Rock,' and on this rock I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The name change itself from Simon to Peter indicates the Apostle being called to a special role of leadership; recall how Abram's name was changed to Abraham, or Jacob's to Israel, or Saul's to Paul, when each of them was called to assume a special role of leadership among God's people.

The word "rock" also has special significance. On one hand, to be called "rock" was a Semitic expression designating the solid foundation upon which a community would be built. For instance, Abraham was considered "rock" because he was the father of the Jewish people (and we refer to him as our father in faith) and the one with whom the covenant was first made.

On the other hand, no one except God was called specifically "rock," nor was it ever used as a proper name except f

Jesus Christ of course He founded the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Orthodox Church which established the doctrines and dogmas through the 21 Eumencial Councils for the Roman Catholic Church and the 8 Eumencial Councils for the Eastern Orthodox Church.Father Martin Luther created nothing but mayhem and false theology like his Sola Scripture and only 2 valid sacrements

what nonsense is this the Eastern Orthodox Church seperated from the Roman Church.The Eastern Church uses the Bzytaine Rite not the Latin Rite and is a communion of the 5 Churches Rome ,Antioch ,Alexendria Costantinpole and Jerusalem.It was your Roman Catholic Church who started to act independently by itself by intefering in the affairs of the Eastern Orthodox Church when your own Pope does not even celebrate the Eastern Rite and is only in charge of your own jurisdiction.Saint Peter Cephas the Rock never imposed his own jurisdiction over the Eastern Church.He acted like a Brother among Brothers being a Protos the First among equals of the Bishops in the 5 Patriaches.Do you know he was not even aware of Papal jurisdiction.It was your confusing theology to state that Yes we should not add the word Filoque into the Niceas Creed which is forbidden in the Council of Ephesus and even if you wanted so you have to call a Eumencial Council and then you teach privately it is Ok to state the Filoque cause.What are you teaching to your adlherents.Your priest are decreasing in numbers .Your scandals are rising in numbers that never happened to the Eastern Catholic Church or the Eastern Orthodox Church Your Church is fragmented with so many breakaways.The Eastern Orthodox Church is prospering spiritually with more vocations and greater spirituality

Your Pope claims to be the Universal Head of the Church.I dare you tell your Holy Father to celebrate the Holy Mass in the Eastern Rite

When Saint Ignatius of Antioch believed in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church he was refering to the entire Church the East and Western Church

Yours in Christ

Jesus Christ

Of course our Lord, Jesus, was the top contributor.

Jesus founded the Church in which Martin Luther was ordained 1,500 years later.

I am amazed at how many protestants, even some Lutherans, don't know that Martin Luther was a Catholic priest. To my knowledge, Martin Luther was excommunicated, but never laicized. I might be mistaken, but the man who led so many people away from Catholicism died as an excommunicated Catholic priest who was married to an excommunicated Catholic nun.

I have some very dear Lutheran friends whom I love very much. They are thoughtful Christians and they are very intelligent. I genuinely respect their faith. It does puzzle me greatly, though, that they regard the teachings of Luther as authoritative. The man severely contradicted himself on some very important matters. To me, Luther had some legitimate complaints, but he also blatantly violated the lifelong vows he professed at his ordination. I do not understand how people can trust his teachings.

Although I do not regard Martin Luther's teachings as authoritative, I find it ironic that he professed that he highly venerated Mary, the mother of God. Most protestants, including Lutherans, complain strongly against Catholics for the same sort of veneration of Mary and other saints. It seems to me to be another example of why all sincere Christians should try to study the history of Christianity, including the writings and teachings of important figures in Christianity.

Martin Luther was very important, and I believe that an honest examination of his actions and writings would show any reasonable person that Martin Luther was significantly wrong about very important things.

I pray and confidently hope for the eternal salvation of all people, including Martin Luther.

I pray that we all will be reconciled with each other and to God in the fullness of time in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I am Roman Catholic.

Merry Christmas and Peace to all.

Good night.

You've posted this list before under a different question.

Jesus is not a contributor to Christianity; He *is* Christianity. He is its foundation and its very life. The Church exists where believers gather around Word and Sacrament: and Word and Sacrament are Jesus Himself given to us as a gift from God.

As for Martin Luther being top contributor to Christianity, that's just ludicrous--and I'm a Lutheran.

Hi there..Well first of all lets take a look at who Jesus is the bible says that Jesus Christ was supernaturally born through the Virgin Mary and Jesus also went to the cross to die for the sins of this world and on the 3rd day he rose from the dead..Jesus is the reason for Christianity and martin Luther was a follower of Christianity and made a big impact on Christianity..Without Jesus Christ there would be no hope for mankind without Jesus Christ there would be no salvation for mankind..Jesus is not what man makes him to be or by some group of people starting a new religion and they view Jesus as they perceive who they think he is..The bible says loud and clear that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Jesus says in John chapter 17 father return me back to the glory i shared with you before the world began..Don't view Jesus from mans perspective just open the bible and it clear and simple of who Jesus really is...

It's always the source, Jesus Christ. At one point, they say that JP11 wa so popular, perhaps second only to JC. Luther is just a back seat driver, so to speak and gives a lot of instructions... but failed to reach the destination.

Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity.

Although I think Martin Luther was a pretty awesome guy, Jesus kind of, uh... CREATED Christianity. So yeah. Jesus trumps.

Neither was, don't let anyone fool you about this.

If Jesus Christ did then we would love one another and not be judgmental.

Christianity was created by committee in the fourth century by Rome to control their citizens.

This is why Christianity can't help involving itself in government, it was created by government.

If this weren't true I'd be a Christian and not a Gnostic, Christians tried to kill off my kind, but like the human spirit we live on.

/.\

The Roman emperor who made Christianity the official language of his empire made the most impact.