Is the Pope a Christian leader?

Answer 1

Yes, the Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church, the largest Christian denomination.

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Catholic AnswerFirst of all, the Catholic Church is the original and only Christian Church. All other "Christian" Churches are ecclesial communities which have broken away from the Catholic Church or from each other and are only Christian in so far as they still maintain valid Baptism and belief in the Nicene Creed as it has been traditionally interpreted. Jesus Christ founded only ONE Church and guaranteed that He would remain with it and protect it from error until the end of time.

Secondly, the Holy Father is usually elected from the College of Cardinals, who are all Bishops of the Catholic Church; and thus Christian priests who follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ in bringing Him to the world and the world to His Father.

So the answer is, of course, the Holy Father (the Pope) is a Christian. He is the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, and the visible head of His Church; and THE Christian leader for the world.

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

Pope, Authority of the. Although elected by the college of cardinals, the pope's authority is not derived from them, but is given to God directly. He exercises it de iure divino (by divine right) as successor of St. Peter. He is infallible in teaching, and he has full and supremem power of jurisdiction over the whole Church, and directly and immediately over every Catholic, and all this in virtue of his office and permanently.

from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

880 When Christ instituted the Twelve, "he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly, a the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them." (Lumen gentium 19; cf Lk 6:13; Jn 21:15-17) Just as "by the Lord's institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with and united to one another." (Lumen gentium 22; cf. Codex Iuris Canonici, can 330.)

881 The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock. (Cf. Mt16:18-10; Jn 21:15-17.) "The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head." (Lumen gentium 22 section 2) This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church's very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.

882 The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." (Lumen gentium 23) For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered. (Lumen gentium 22; cf. Christus Dominus 2, 9.)

Answer 2

His main calling is to be Christ's Vicar on earth. To show people the path on which they should tread. He is the spiritual leader of all Catholics and those who hold to the Catholic faith.

Answer 3

The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church but most other Christian denominations do not recognize his leadership beyond that.

Answer 4

Yes, the pope is the head of the entire Christian religion but he is only recognized as such by Catholics.

Answer 5

No only the Catholic Church.

Answer 6

NO!