August 2nd, 2010 10:18 pm
The title pope derives its name from the Greek word papas, which means father. Early in Christian history it was used as a formal title expressing affectionate respect for any bishop and sometimes even priests. The papacy is the oldest continuously functioning institution in the world. It was developed in A.D. 30 when Jesus gave his disciple Peter the authority to create a church. The Bishops of Rome grew their organization from a small flock of worshipers to a religion that counts one-sixth of the world's population as members today.
The papacy history basically consists of four histories which spread over last 2000 years.
• The History of the "Petrine" Idea
• The History of an Institution
• The History of Popes and Antipopes
• The History of Western Civilization
The papacy has had an enormous influence on the world stage in religious, geopolitical, legal, social, artistic, and cultural matters. Today, more than a billion Roman Catholics throughout the world look to the pope for guidance and leadership.