Page:William John Sparrow-Simpson - Roman Catholic Opposition to Papal Infallibility (1909).djvu/22

2 our Lord to St Peter: "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Now seeing that this dogma of Papal Infallibility would be, if true, no less than fundamental, it is necessary to dwell at length on the asserted scriptural witness to the same. For those who believe that fundamental Christian truth must be traceable to the records of Revelation must test each doctrine by what is told them there. And we are here concerned with the express words of Christ. And the issues which depend on a right understanding of the Redeemer's words are, as all Christians will acknowledge, momentous.

The Roman interpretation of this passage maintains the following points;—

1. That Christ here confers on Peter an exclusive prerogative, on the ground of Peter's superior position;

2. That this prerogative is infallible insight;

3. That thereby he was enabled to give infallible instructions to his brethren;

4. That this prerogative extends to all Peter's successors and to none but those—the prerogative being as exclusive in its range as it was in its origin.

There is, however, another interpretation which has been in substance and in many details accepted by members of the Roman Church, and which is unable to find any of these doctrines in the words of Christ.

There are clearly four points to be considered: Christ's Prayer; Peter's Faith; Peter's Brethren; Peter's Successors.

i. First, then, Christ's Prayer: I have prayed for thee.

I. Certainly it was an exclusive prayer. Satan hath desired to have you, collectively; but I have prayed