Pope

Definition and Meaning

The pope (Korean gyohwang, 敎皇) is the Bishop of Rome, the supreme leader of the Catholic Church (the Roman Catholic Church). The English word "pope" derives from the Latin papa, meaning "father." The Catholic Church regards the pope as the successor of the apostle Peter. It also teaches that the pope holds primacy (a supreme authority that takes precedence over that of other bishops) over the universal church. The pope is elected by the cardinals, leads the Holy See, and also serves as head of state of Vatican City.

Biblical and Historical Background

The Catholic Church cites Matthew 16:18 ("thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church") and John 21:15–17 as the basis for the papal office. Protestants generally interpret this "rock" as Peter's confession of faith or as Christ himself. They also reject the claim that Peter's authority passes down in succession to the bishops of Rome.

The authority of the Bishop of Rome grew gradually after the early church period. The question of primacy was one of the points of contention in the East–West Schism of 1054. The Orthodox Church grants the Bishop of Rome only a primacy of honor.

During the sixteenth-century Reformation, Martin Luther and others directly challenged papal authority. Chapter 25 of the Westminster Confession of Faith confesses that there is no head of the church but Christ and identifies the pope as the Antichrist. Some Presbyterian churches outside Korea later removed this language in revised editions.

At the First Vatican Council in 1870, the Catholic Church defined papal infallibility as dogma. This is the teaching that the pope is preserved from error when he makes an official pronouncement on matters of faith and morals.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korean Protestantism, the pope is mentioned mainly when explaining how Protestants differ from the Catholic Church. The rejection of papal authority, together with the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, is taught as one of the pillars of Protestant identity. Attitudes toward the Catholic Church, however, vary by denomination.

• Conservative Presbyterians: Conservative Presbyterian denominations such as the Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong) and the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin) regard the papacy as unbiblical, in accordance with the Westminster Confession of Faith.
• Ecumenical denominations: Denominations belonging to the National Council of Churches in Korea have engaged in dialogue and cooperation with the Catholic Church as part of the ecumenical movement. In 2014 they reportedly launched the Korean Christian Faith and Order Council together with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. This did not, however, mean that they accepted papal primacy.
• Anglicans: The Anglican Church of Korea values the episcopate and apostolic succession but does not recognize the pope's jurisdiction.
• Lutherans: The Lutheran World Federation, to which the Lutheran Church in Korea belongs, signed a joint declaration with the Catholic Church on the doctrine of justification in 1999.

Popes visited Korea in 1984 and 1989 (John Paul II) and in 2014 (Francis). Protestant responses to these visits differed among denominations and organizations.