June 2005

THE
INFLUENCE
OF THE
PAPACY
“And all that
dwell upon
the earth
shall worship
him…”
Revelation 13:8.		 Which have been the expectations
of the world in regards to the papacy
and its infl uence? Is it increasing,
decreasing or is it stable? How has it
been during the past centuries? Has
it remained almost the same? What
about modern and recent times? In
the last years, and specifi cally in
our decade, has the papacy been
losing or gaining infl uence in the
world? God’s Word announces
that “all that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him… ” (Revelation
13:8). How do you understand it?
Is this prophecy for the past, for
the present, or is it still something
to come in the future? What do you
think?
It is possible that you have
the answer already on your lips
or that you are still thinking about
what would be the most correct
one. Considering some historical
events of the past, which more
or less known, it would not be
easy to make a prognosis for the
future. Newer generations think
in completely different ways than
in the past and have less interest for
a religious life. How many would
agree that this institution’s infl uence
will grow in the future? In a special
way, if we consider the past, this
would be still more diffi cult. Before
answering, let us, for example,
remember and consider the Crusades,
the Inquisition, the temporal power,
and the relationship with the Nazi
regime.
The Crusades
As it is known, crusades
have been military expeditions send
to the East in order to make free the
sepulchre of Jesus, and the other holy
places, from the Muslims, all for
political reasons. These wars occurred
between the years 1070 and 1278 and
involved some popes, as well a lot of
other people. Pope Urban II promoted
the fi rst one in 1070; others were
organized from Gregory VIII (1187)
and had few results. Still another
crusade, from Innocence III (1204),
had more political than religious
interest. During the Lyon’s Council
in 1245, Innocence IV followed and
fi nally Gregory X (1278), which did
not also reach the desired goal. All
together, the seven or eight crusades
lasted more than two centuries, and
they involved church and believers,
absorbed effort and expenses, and		 paid the high price of six millions
lives and many, many wounded! If the
infl uence of the papacy today should
be measured on such enterprise, it
would surely be not so much! (1).
The Inquisition
The Inquisition is another
dark and long page in the history of
the papacy. From single actions, it
later developed as an ecclesiastical
court created in order to repress people
having other religious thinking.
Persecuting and repressing actions
reached the year 1184, the time of pope
Lucius III, who fought the Catarians
and Valdensians. Innocence III, in
1215, used the same system against
the Albigensis. Gregory IX, in 1231,
founded the Court of Inquisition with
a special judge, the inquisitor, to
search and punish the “heretics” (2).
In Spain, the Jews also came under
the sword of the Inquisition. One
the most known of that country was
Dominican Tommaso de Torquemada.
Other popes involved with the
Inquisition were Paul III, 1542, who
established it in Rome; Paul IV, and
Sistus V in 1588. In different cases,
it was conducted with an agreement,
or promoted directly from popes,
and it lasted for centuries. There
are books that tell the history of this
negative institution and its atrocity.
According to certain information,
everything was managed through
popes, bishops or sovereigns,
directly or indirectly, the victims
of the inquisition in the centuries
are reckoned between fi fty and
hundred millions! (3). This is also
a testimony of the history which
reveals, up to a certain degree, the
character of the papacy and its
infl uence, but not even for the best
of so many people or for the good
name of Christianity!
The Temporal Power
In order to know the
infl uence of the papacy, as a third
reference, the temporal power should
be considered. With reference to
the papacy, as the words indicate,
“temporal power” means authority
on temporal realities, like territories,
peoples and deals with political
rights. This began in the VII and
VIII centuries, with the exercising
of political authority on certain
territories. Known as the “Pontifi cal
State”, it extended with the time
and lasted until 1870, when a big
confl ict with the Italian government,
and the military force, occupied the
town of Rome. Temporal power was
rebuilt in 1929 through the “Lateran
Concordat” with the constitution
of the “Vatican City” State (4).		 As it is easy to understand, this
mixing of temporal [power] with
religious elements, reveal itself as
big problems for the papacy. With
reason, Jesus said: “My kingdom
is not of this world … now is my
kingdom not from hence” (John
18:36).
Agreement still to be
clarifi ed
A chapter, still involved in
darkness, pertains to the twentieth
century. It is the relationship of
the papacy with the Nazi regime.
It seems that Rome had interest
in such an agreement in the hope
that Germany could become a hold
for the Communism of Russia and
of the East. Concluded as Hitler
had still not revealed his truly
nature, Rome remained involved
in the agreement also later, when
the world was a witness of the
regime’s tyranny and awaited a
condemnation of such abuses. Until
now, after such a long time, the
world is waiting for a clarifi cation
of this issue and the papacy has also
lost credibility among free thinkers
for this dark chapter of the former
century.
These black spots of the
past are now part of the history and
are known to every student and to
millions in the different countries of
the world. In Christian, as well in non-
Christian countries, they constitute
some of the greatest obstacles for
accepting Christianity. Also some
Catholics fi nd it not easy to explain
and accept everything.
New trends
Seeing that it could not go
any further with the former system,
the papal leadership has changed its
strategy in recent times, beginning
with John Paul XXIII. It has also been
understood in other communities
that this may be something good.
Therefore, there are no more
anathemas and condemnation for
people’s thinking, as it occurred in
the Council of Trident, but nearness
and friendship; this is not only
operating inside the Vatican, but also
outside, closer to the people. This has
inaugurated the new era of different
trips and visits in some countries
and, in his language, Protestants have
become “brethren” or “separated
brethren”. An ecumenical council
was organized in the Vatican, to
which Protestant representatives, as
well those of the Orthodox Church,
were invited. With these initiatives,
people began to speak of the “good
pope”. With him, the infl uence of

the papacy in the world sensitively
increased. Paul VI moved in the
same line with less, who inherited
the task to bring to conclusion the II
Vatican Ecumenical Council, which
began in the time of his predecessor.
(To be continued)
–A. Di Franca
Ministerial Department Leader


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