Early Foundations and Forged Pillars of Papal Authority – Part 2

Vatican II: Reforms or Fig Leaves?

Bishops gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica during a session of the Second Vatican Council (1962–65). The Second Vatican Council brought dramatic changes to Roman Catholic practice and tone, if not to its essential dogmas. Pope John XXIII spoke of aggiornamento (updating), seeking to modernize the Church’s face to the world. The Council’s decrees authorized vernacular languages in the Mass and greater lay participation, discarding Latin’s mystique for a more populist garb . Yet changing the Mass’s language did not change its idolatrous heart. The Reformers condemned the Mass as a “blasphemous fable” that affronts Christ’s finished sacrifice, and Vatican II did not repent of this core error. On the contrary, while liturgical forms were updated, the Council reaffirmed Trent’s dogma that the Mass is the same sacrifice of Christ “offered in an unbloody manner” . In Reformed eyes this was mere window dressing: the substance of the error remained. As Calvin might put it, Rome “ceases not to profane God’s mysteries” by its Masses. A Mass in the common tongue is still the same false sacrifice in need of abolition, not adaptation.

The Council also adopted a new posture of openness toward other faiths. In Dignitatis Humanae it proclaimed a right to religious freedom, a stunning reversal after centuries of coercion. Likewise Nostra Aetate (1965) praised elements of truth in non-Christian religions, softening Rome’s exclusivity. While charity and tolerance are good, Protestants see hypocrisy and compromise in these moves. Rome only discovered “religious liberty” once it lost the power to persecute, and it only extols other religions to curry favor in a secular age. The same papal Church that once kindled inquisitorial fires now coos about human dignity – a change born of expediency, not true repentance. And to extol pagan faiths (“rejecting nothing true and holy” in them) smacks of indifferentism. Rather than call all nations to repent and believe in Christ alone, Rome began speaking of a shared “brotherhood” of faiths. This horizontal humanism betrays the Gospel. It confirms the Reformers’ charge that the Papacy, in courting the world’s approval, downplays Christ’s exclusivity. As Scripture says, “friendship with the world is enmity with God” (Jas. 4:4). Vatican II’s aggiornamento let in a spirit of error under the guise of peace.

Most notably, Vatican II pursued ecumenical outreach to Protestants. The Council’s Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio) for the first time dubbed Protestants “separated brethren” instead of heretics. Gone was the old rhetoric of excommunication; Rome now spoke of dialogue and mutual respect. However, this irenic tone concealed an unyielding demand: that all Christians return to the Roman fold. Nowhere did Vatican II renounce the Council of Trent’s anathemas on Reformation doctrines. Those condemnations remain, even if unspoken. Indeed, Unitatis Redintegratio admits that Protestant communities “are not blessed with that unity which Jesus Christ wished” for his Church – implying that only reunion with Rome can supply what we lack. In other words, the “separated brethren” must eventually submit to Papal authority if true unity is to be achieved. This is unity on Rome’s terms, a one-way street. From a Reformed perspective, such ecumenism is a subtle stratagem to undo the Reformation by stealth. It is as if the Roman system, having failed to crush the Gospel by force, now seeks to absorb it by flattery. But “can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). True unity must be founded on God’s truth, not on burying the hatchet at the expense of the Gospel. We lament that some naïve Protestants have been seduced by Rome’s new friendly face, forgetting that beneath the smile of Vatican II the old papal arrogance still lurks. The Reformation divide cannot be winked away by pleasant words while Rome’s doctrine of papal primacy and sacramental idolatry remains intact.

Modern Papal Claims and the Dogma of Infallibility

If Vatican II softened Rome’s image, it did not diminish Rome’s claims. In fact, the century preceding Vatican II saw the papacy reach new heights of blasphemous pretension. The First Vatican Council (1870) dogmatically defined papal infallibility, elevating the Pope’s teaching authority to an almost divine level. Pastor Aeternus declared that the Roman Pontiff, when speaking ex cathedra on faith or morals, possesses “that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer willed His Church to be endowed,” so that such papal definitions “are of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church, irreformable” . In plain terms, the Pope claimed the right to proclaim truth without possibility of error or appeal. This was the capstone on centuries of papal aggrandizement – the ultimate forged pillar of spiritual tyranny. For who is infallible but God alone? (Mark 2:7). In proclaiming himself infallible under certain conditions, the Bishop of Rome fulfilled Paul’s warning of the man of sin who “exalts himself” in God’s temple (2 Thess. 2:3–4). No mere man – a sinner like us – can demand such absolute trust. Little wonder that even some Catholics (e.g. the historian Lord Acton) were horrified. It was in response to Vatican I that Acton wrote his famous maxim: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He knew that investing a fallen man with unchecked spiritual power would breed corruption.

Modern popes have not hesitated to wield this exalted authority. Although only two Marian dogmas have ever been defined ex cathedra, the papal will to power permeates Roman Catholicism. The Pope claims supreme jurisdiction over the entire Church – appointing bishops, issuing canon law, and being answerable to no earthly tribunal. Vatican I affirmed that the Pope has “full and supreme power of jurisdiction over the whole Church” and can speak as supreme teacher of all Christians . In practice, this means the Pope can shape doctrine and practice at will. Even when not invoking infallibility, his official teachings demand “religious submission of will and intellect” from the faithful . In other words, Catholics are told to assent even when the pope or bishops teach non-infallibly. This is nothing less than the enslavement of the Christian conscience. It directly contradicts the Reformers’ insistence that God’s Word alone binds the conscience and that councils and popes have often erred. To a Reformed mind, Rome’s demand for unconditional submission is a hallmark of Antichrist. As the Westminster Confession declared, the Pope sets himself up in the Church as “that Antichrist” because he usurps Christ’s prerogatives.

The dogma of papal infallibility and the continued assertion of papal supremacy place the Pope on a pedestal where no sinner belongs. This usurpation of Christ’s headship was recognized by the Reformers for what it is – an anti-Christian conceit. After 1870, their assessment is even more vindicated. Rome now officially teaches that the Pope cannot err when speaking ex cathedra, and that no council or church body can overrule his judgments. This is the peak of papal blasphemy. It attributes to a man the inerrancy that belongs to God’s Word alone. We have seen the practical results: popes have contradicted one another, and many popes in history taught manifest error (from selling indulgences to endorsing idolatries). The dogma only stands by demanding blind faith and historical amnesia from the laity. For Reformed believers, it confirms that the papacy fits Paul’s description of the lawless one “proclaiming himself to be God” – for only God’s word is unfailing. In claiming infallibility and unchecked supremacy, the papacy has built a lofty throne of pride, but “the LORD will destroy the house of the proud” (Prov. 15:25).

The Ecumenical Movement: Unity at the Expense of Truth

Hand-in-hand with Vatican II’s changes came a broader ecumenical movement, in which Rome has been a key (if duplicitous) player. The 20th century saw new efforts to heal the breach between Catholic and Protestant, and to forge a united Christian front. This seemed noble – did not our Lord pray for His followers to be one (John 17:21)? Yet unity must be grounded in truth, not achieved by sacrificing it. Rome’s idea of unity, despite warm words, still means absorbing all churches under papal authority. The Vatican entered into dialogues with Protestant denominations, signing joint statements and holding joint prayers. Some of these dialogues produced optimistic declarations that areas of agreement had been found. But at no point has Rome actually repudiated its false teachings. Instead, differences are papered over with ambiguous language. A prime example was the 1999 Joint Declaration on Justification with certain Lutheran bodies, hailed as a breakthrough. In reality, Rome quietly maintained the substance of Trent (insisting that we are not justified by faith alone), even as it agreed to new phrasing. Likewise, ecumenical initiatives like Evangelicals and Catholics Together in the 1990s encouraged joint mission while setting aside doctrinal disputes. The result is a shallow “peace” where crucial truth is politely ignored. As one Puritan said, “Unity in error is unity in ruin.” So it is: a false unity that glosses over Rome’s heresies is spiritual treason.

Rome’s ecumenical strategy can be summed up as embrace and neutralize. Rather than openly fighting Protestants, Rome now flatters them, calls them “separated brethren,” and invites cooperation on social issues. All the while, it continues to teach that the Catholic Church is the only true Church. Indeed, the Vatican reminds the world of this belief – for instance, stating that Protestant communities are not true churches “in the proper sense.” Such frank moments betray Rome’s unchanged mindset beneath the ecumenical veneer. From a Reformed standpoint, this is merely the papal leopard changing its spots. The goal is still to have one fold under one shepherd – with the Pope as that shepherd. Ut unum sint (“that they may be one”) was the title of an encyclical by John Paul II calling for Christian unity, but he made clear that the Petrine primacy was non-negotiable. In other words, Rome will welcome other Christians – as long as they acknowledge the Pope’s authority. This is not unity but coercion. We do well to heed Paul’s warning: “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). The ecumenical gestures of Rome, however lovely the rhetoric, are a disguise. Underneath is the same institution that once condemned the Gospel and has never retracted those curses.

Thus, Reformed Christians remain deeply wary of the ecumenical movement’s Romeward bent. We desire true unity of Christ’s Church, but not a pretend unity that requires us to betray the Gospel. Better honest division than a delusive fellowship. The Protestant Reformers counted the cost and separated from Rome for the sake of Christ’s truth; their spiritual descendants cannot now sell that truth for a handshake and a joint worship service. True unity will come when Rome repents of its false teachings and submits to Christ’s Word. Short of that, any “reunion” is a fatal compromise. We remember God’s command regarding mystery Babylon: “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins” (Rev. 18:4). That call still stands. Until Rome abjures its papal pretensions and doctrinal corruptions, evangelicals must lovingly call individual Catholics to the light of the Gospel – but refuse to endorse the papal system as legitimate. Ecumenism that obscures the fundamental divide between a Bible-founded faith and a man-founded hierarchy does no one any favors. It only bolsters Rome’s illusion of legitimacy.

Rotten Fruits: The Sexual Abuse Crisis

If anyone still doubts the papal system’s fallibility and corruption, the ongoing sexual abuse scandals within Roman Catholicism should settle the question. In the past few decades, revelations of widespread child sex abuse by Catholic clergy – and systematic cover-ups by bishops – have rocked the world. An independent report in the U.S. found that roughly 4% of Catholic priests had been accused of sexually abusing minors in the latter 20th century . Thousands of victims have come forward, from the Americas to Europe and beyond. In 2018 a grand jury in Pennsylvania reported hundreds of predator priests over decades, abetted by superiors who quietly reassigned them. In France, a recent inquiry estimated some 330,000 children were abused in the Church since 1950 . These numbers stagger the soul. Yet for years the Catholic establishment’s priority was to protect itself, not the flock. Bishops and cardinals shuffled abusive priests to new parishes, hid scandals, and silenced whistleblowers. The Vatican itself often turned a blind eye. Such a pattern betrays a profoundly diseased institution. As Dr. Al Mohler, a Reformed Baptist leader, observed in the midst of these revelations: “the moral catastrophe in the Roman Catholic hierarchy is a lesson to all: hiding sin and refusing accountability breeds a toxic culture.” Indeed, the Roman hierarchy’s reflex was to hide the sin to save face – and in doing so it accumulated judgment upon itself.

Protestants acknowledge that sexual sin can arise anywhere; the issue is the systemic rot that let it fester in Rome. The abuse scandal is not a random failing but a direct result of the papal system’s unscriptural rules and unchecked power. One contributing factor is Rome’s insistence on mandatory clerical celibacy. By forbidding priests to marry (a practice enforced since the Middle Ages), the Church created a distorted subculture. Scripture warns that false teachers will “forbid marriage”, calling it a doctrine of demons (1 Tim. 4:3). God’s Word presumes ministers will often be husbands and fathers (1 Tim. 3:2-5), yet Rome demanded an unnatural state for all its clergy. The predictable result was that many who lacked the gift of chastity burned with lust and deviancy. The majority of abuse cases were homosexual in nature – priests preying on boys or young men. This has exposed what even some Catholic insiders dub a “Lavender Mafia” in the ranks: networks of gay clergy in high positions who protect each other’s secrets . When a church forces celibacy yet attracts men with disordered desires, is it any wonder that sordid subcultures thrive? The medieval papacy sank into open debauchery during the “pornocracy” of the 10th century ; the modern papacy has seen an even more perverse hidden debauchery, but equally vile. John Calvin’s description of Rome’s prelates – “gross adulterers and sodomites, a sink of all filth” – though penned long ago, sounds eerily apt today.

The moral implosion in Rome has shredded its pretensions to holiness. The Church that claims to be the one true holy Church has been unmasked as a haven for predators. The Pope who styles himself the vicar of Christ has presided (often unwittingly) over an institution drenched in scandalous iniquity. How does Rome dare assert its authority as the guide to morals and faith when its bishops have harbored such crimes? Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16). The fruits of the Roman hierarchy have been rot and poison. Far from being led by an indefectible Holy Spirit, the system shows the same ugly fruits that Scripture attributes to those who suppress God’s truth – “all manner of unrighteousness…evil, covetousness, malice” (Rom. 1:29). Reformed observers see the abuse crisis as the latest proof that the papal edifice is built on sand. A church governed by political expediency and human tradition, rather than God’s Word, will always end in tragedy. In contrast, churches that adhere to Scripture have means of correction: errant ministers can be disciplined or removed, and no leader is above the law of Christ. The Roman model, by concentrating absolute power in a hierarchy claiming divine sanction, created an environment where “no one can call the Pope to account” – and even at lower levels, clergy were shielded from scrutiny. Such a structure was ripe for exploitation by wicked men. It is a grim irony that an institution claiming to be the pillar of truth became a “hold of every foul spirit” (Rev. 18:2).

Conclusion: “Semper Reformanda”

The modern history of Roman Catholicism – its Vatican II reforms, its ongoing claims of papal authority, its embrace of ecumenism, and its shameful scandals – only serves to vindicate the Reformers’ critique of the papal system. At root, Rome’s fundamental problem has never been solved: it is built on a foundation of human authority and unbiblical tradition, rather than on Christ alone. No cosmetic council or half-measure can remedy that. The only hope for Rome (and for any church) is true reformation according to the Word of God. The Protestant Reformation called the Church back to Scripture and the gospel of grace; Rome tragically hardened itself against that call. Today, after all the turmoil, the need for that call remains. We who stand in the Reformed tradition implore Roman Catholics: come back to the Scriptures and repent of the Papacy’s corruptions. Abandon the “forged pillars” of fake decrees, worldly power, and priestcraft, and build on the one sure foundation: Jesus Christ, the sole head of the Church, whose sacrifice and word are sufficient.

As long as the Papacy continues in its pride, we must continue to identify it as a manifestation of Antichrist and urge God’s people to “come out of her.” This is not hate – it is fidelity to the truth and love for souls. We desire that Catholics be saved in spite of the errors of their system, by clinging to Christ above all. The recent convulsions in Rome might even be God’s mercy, shaking false confidences and exposing the futility of trusting in princes (Psalm 146:3). The Gospel of Christ remains the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16) – and it is freely offered, without need of pope, mass, or merit. In the end, the Roman church must be measured by its faithfulness to Christ’s Word. By that standard, it has been found wanting. But Christ still calls, “repent, and believe in the gospel!” May many hear that call, and may the Church continually be reformed in doctrine and life to align with Scripture alone, Christ alone, and grace alone. To God alone be the glory.