When was the Roman Catholic Church corrupted?

[Jash Comstock]

At what point did the Church corrupt into Catholicism? Was it when the first Pope was named?

 

[Quatchu]

From what I understand things began to go down will in the 500s.

 

[hammondjones]

Sort of an impossible question to answer, but for what its worth, I will say things took a major turn for the worse after the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.

 

[Pilgrim Standard]

An answer to this question is lengthy, but a worthwhile study.
In tracing the origin you will find a general declension in doctrine, a segragating of the "Christian World" into four diocese by Constantine which excelerated a major battle between the elders/bishops of the five major Christian centers, Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Constantinople, and Rome. Constantine set up "A patriarch, who governed the whole clergy of his domain, and thus arose four great thrones or princedoms in the House of God. "

"[The bishop of Rome] now began to speak with an authoritative voice, and to demand obedience from all the Churches. Of this the dispute between the Eastern and Western Churches respecting Easter is an instance in point. The Eastern Church, following the Jews, kept the feast on the 14th day of the month Nisan. The Churches of the West, and especially that of Rome, kept Easter on the Sabbath following the 14th day of Nisan. Victor, Bishop of Rome, resolved to put an end to the controversy, and accordingly, sustaining himself sole judge in this weighty point, he commanded all the Churches to observe the feast on the same day with himself. The Churches of the East, not aware that the Bishop of Rome had authority to command their obedience in this or in any other matter, kept Easter as before; and for this flagrant contempt, as Victor accounted it, of his legitimate authority, he excommunicated them."

A massive decline in biblical understanding resulting in such ignorance in the western church that the Archbishop of Mainz proclaimed when seeing a Bible, "Of a truth I do not know what book this is, but I perceive everything in it is against us." see Bennet’s Memorial of the Reformation, p. 20; Edin., 1748. 986

Superstitions creeping into the Church such as "lamps were lighted at the tombs of the martyrs; next, the Lord’s Supper was celebrated at their graves; next, prayers were offered for them and to them; These customs began thus. In times of persecution, assemblies often met in churchyards as the place of greatest safety, and the 'elements' were placed on the tombstones. It became usual to pray that the dead might be made partakers in the “first resurrection.” This was grounded on the idea which the primitive Christians entertained respecting the millennium. After Gregory I., prayers for the dead regarded their deliverance from purgatory."

"Baptism, which apostles required water only to dispense, could not be celebrated without white robes and chrism, milk, honey, and salt." see Dupin, EccIes. Hist., vol. 1, cent. 3.

Then there is the "supposed" Donation of Constantine (Donatio Constantini) which "although an obvious forgery" granted all power spiritual and temporal to the Bishop of Rome. Constantine supposedly placed Sylvester on the papal throne at this time.

Then came the "Decretals of Isidore" which in another forgery, they caused the early Church Fathers through Sylvester to speak as if pontifical supremacy always existed.

"The election of the Bishop of Rome in early times was in no way different from that of other bishops — that is, he was chosen by the people. Next, the consent of the emperor came to be necessary to the validity of the popular choice. Then, the emperor alone elected the Pope. Next, the cardinals claimed a voice in the matter; they elected and presented the object of their choice to the emperor for confirmation. Last of all, the cardinals took the business entirely into their own hands. Thus gradually was the way paved for the full emancipation and absolute supremacy of the Popedom."

Around 1073 the Dictatus of Gregory VII (which were repetitions or corollaries of the Isidorian decretals) really began to cement in twenty-seven theses the idea of Papal omnipotence.

"The eleventh maxim says, “the Pope’s name is the chief name in the world;” the twelfth teaches that “it is lawful for him to depose emperors;” the eighteenth affirms that “his decision is to be withstood by none, but he alone may annul those of all men.” The nineteenth declares that “he can be judged by no one.” The twenty-fifth vests in him the absolute power of deposing and restoring bishops, and the twenty-seventh the power of annulling the allegiance of subjects."


Please read Volume 1, Book 1, Chapters 1-4 of J.A. Wylie's The History of Protestantism for a fuller view.
google the following remove only the quotes: "the history of protestantism wylie filetype: pdf"

Then read the Papacy: Its History Dogmas Genius and Prospects by the same.

 

[dudley]

An answer to this question is lengthy, but a worthwhile study.
In tracing the origin you will find a general declension in doctrine, a segragating of the "Christian World" into four diocese by Constantine which excelerated a major battle between the elders/bishops of the five major Christian centers, Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Constantinople, and Rome. Constantine set up "A patriarch, who governed the whole clergy of his domain, and thus arose four great thrones or princedoms in the House of God. "

"[The bishop of Rome] now began to speak with an authoritative voice, and to demand obedience from all the Churches. Of this the dispute between the Eastern and Western Churches respecting Easter is an instance in point. The Eastern Church, following the Jews, kept the feast on the 14th day of the month Nisan. The Churches of the West, and especially that of Rome, kept Easter on the Sabbath following the 14th day of Nisan. Victor, Bishop of Rome, resolved to put an end to the controversy, and accordingly, sustaining himself sole judge in this weighty point, he commanded all the Churches to observe the feast on the same day with himself. The Churches of the East, not aware that the Bishop of Rome had authority to command their obedience in this or in any other matter, kept Easter as before; and for this flagrant contempt, as Victor accounted it, of his legitimate authority, he excommunicated them."

A massive decline in biblical understanding resulting in such ignorance in the western church that the Archbishop of Mainz proclaimed when seeing a Bible, "Of a truth I do not know what book this is, but I perceive everything in it is against us." see Bennet’s Memorial of the Reformation, p. 20; Edin., 1748. 986

Superstitions creeping into the Church such as "lamps were lighted at the tombs of the martyrs; next, the Lord’s Supper was celebrated at their graves; next, prayers were offered for them and to them; These customs began thus. In times of persecution, assemblies often met in churchyards as the place of greatest safety, and the 'elements' were placed on the tombstones. It became usual to pray that the dead might be made partakers in the “first resurrection.” This was grounded on the idea which the primitive Christians entertained respecting the millennium. After Gregory I., prayers for the dead regarded their deliverance from purgatory."

"Baptism, which apostles required water only to dispense, could not be celebrated without white robes and chrism, milk, honey, and salt." see Dupin, EccIes. Hist., vol. 1, cent. 3.

Then there is the "supposed" Donation of Constantine (Donatio Constantini) which "although an obvious forgery" granted all power spiritual and temporal to the Bishop of Rome. Constantine supposedly placed Sylvester on the papal throne at this time.

Then came the "Decretals of Isidore" which in another forgery, they caused the early Church Fathers through Sylvester to speak as if pontifical supremacy always existed.

"The election of the Bishop of Rome in early times was in no way different from that of other bishops — that is, he was chosen by the people. Next, the consent of the emperor came to be necessary to the validity of the popular choice. Then, the emperor alone elected the Pope. Next, the cardinals claimed a voice in the matter; they elected and presented the object of their choice to the emperor for confirmation. Last of all, the cardinals took the business entirely into their own hands. Thus gradually was the way paved for the full emancipation and absolute supremacy of the Popedom."

Around 1073 the Dictatus of Gregory VII (which were repetitions or corollaries of the Isidorian decretals) really began to cement in twenty-seven theses the idea of Papal omnipotence.

"The eleventh maxim says, “the Pope’s name is the chief name in the world;” the twelfth teaches that “it is lawful for him to depose emperors;” the eighteenth affirms that “his decision is to be withstood by none, but he alone may annul those of all men.” The nineteenth declares that “he can be judged by no one.” The twenty-fifth vests in him the absolute power of deposing and restoring bishops, and the twenty-seventh the power of annulling the allegiance of subjects."


Please read Volume 1, Book 1, Chapters 1-4 of J.A. Wylie's The History of Protestantism for a fuller view.
google the following remove only the quotes: "the history of protestantism wylie filetype: pdf"

Then read the Papacy: Its History Dogmas Genius and Prospects by the same.

I say Amen to all that Benjamin said and I too read ‘ J.A. Wylie's The History of Protestantism for a fuller view, and Papacy: Its History Dogmas Genius and Prospects when I was converting to Protestantism.

The Great Apostasy is the corruption of Christ’s church and Gospel by Rome and the popes. The general fallen state of traditional Christianity, especially the Papacy, allowed the traditional Roman mysteries and deities of solar monism such as Mithras and Sol Invictus and idol worship into the church, and is not representative of the faith founded by Jesus and his twelve Apostles: in short, in , the RC church had fallen into apostasy as a result. In order to lure the Pagans to nominal Christianity, the Catholic Church and her popes wanting worldly power took measures to amalgamate the Christian and Pagan festivals so pagans would join the church; for example, bringing in the pagan festival of Easter as a substitute for the Pasch or Passover, although neither Jesus nor his Apostles enjoined the keeping of this or any other festival. This is why we who are reformed Protestants see Roman Catholicism as the ‘Whore of Babylon” It is why as ex Roman catholic I so openly renounce her and her pope.

WCF VI. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God.

 

[Pilgrim Standard]

My point was that the Development of the Papacy was just that. It was a "development."

Currently it is viewed within RCC in a very anachronistic manner. They apply "Papal" Titles upon those who knew nothing of the Papacy. As if the Papacy had always been so since Peter.

In the sixth and seventh canons of the Council of Nicea (325) they expressly recognize the authority of the Churches of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and others, each within its own boundaries, even as Rome had jurisdiction within its own limits.

 

[PointyHaired Calvinist]

Indeed, the church started going downhill when the parity and identity of the bishops and presbyters was lost to a proto-episcopalian church government. Local bishops led to regional bishops, then archbishops, then patriarchs, then the pope.

 

[Moireach]

When it became the "Roman Catholic" church?

 

[J. Dean]

Constantine unwittingly planted the first seed in this through his paring of church and state. The church never should have accepted stipends from the state for the payment of its clergy.

Taking money from government is like taking money from Tony Soprano: sooner or later those attached strings you didn't see are pulled.