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Which Bible passages have been used to support papal primacy?
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papacy
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.
The Roman Catholic Church’s doctrine of papal primacy is grounded in the Petrine theory, which asserts that Jesus Christ conferred authority upon the Apostle Peter and that this authority is passed to his successors, the bishops of Rome.12
The primary biblical passages used to support this claim include:
- Matthew 16:18–19: This is the central text, in which Jesus tells Peter, "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church," and promises to give him "the keys to the kingdom of heaven," along with the power to bind and loose on earth and in heaven.12
- John 21:15–17: Following the Resurrection, Jesus commands Peter to "feed my lambs" and "tend my sheep," which is interpreted as a commission to govern the universal church.1
- Luke 22:32: During the Last Supper, Jesus tells Peter, "I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers." This passage is cited to support the pope's authority to issue infallible pronouncements in matters of faith and morals.1
These texts were formally defined by Vatican I to establish that Christ directly appointed Peter as the visible head of the church.1