The Bishop of rome (pope) was not the sole authority or "final say" of the church.

I agree with my oppenent that there can be different interpretations of church father quotes. However, i attempted to not be bias, thats why most if not all of my quotes were from that of the roman fathers. I can see there being different interpretations on all of the quotes i used except for the quotes from St. Gregory, the bishop of rome. Few things in life are "black and white" so to say, but the quotes i used from St. Gregory are not! I don't see how these quotes can be interpreted any other way! He was very clear. He was concerned that the bishop of constantinople, St. John, was taking on the title of universal bishop, a title that neitehr St. Gregory or St. John held. St. Gregory's quotes were bold and straight forward, leaving no room for interpretation. I will also say that i'm dissapointed that my opponent did not have a response for these quotes. They were direct quotes from the bishop of Rome! "I say it without the least hisitation, whoever calls himself the universal bishop, or desires this title, is by his pride, the precursor of the anit-christ, because he thus attemts to raise himself above the others. The error inot which he falls springs from pride equal to that of the anti-christ, for as that wicked one wish to be regarded as exalted above other men, like a god, so likewise WHOEVER WOULD CALL HIMSELF SOLE BISHOP EXALTETH HIMSELF ABOVE OTHERS." Ok, how can this be interpreted any other way? Can you see the vast interpretations that arise from this quote? No, it was straight forward. I hate to repeat my previous quotes but i feel i must do so to emphasize my point. "It cannot be denied that if any one bishop be called universal, all the church crumbles if that universal one fall." I'm still not seeing the many ways you can interpret this quote. Seems pretty straight forward to me! Finally, the big quote. (hang in there folks) " Your Holiness has been at pains to tell us that in addressing certain persons you no longer give them certain tiles that have no better origin than pride, using this phrase regarding me 'as you have commanded me.' I pray you let me never again here this word command; for i know who i am and who you are, by your position you are my brethren; by your virtue you are my fathers. I have, therefore, not commanded; I have only been careful to point out things which seemed to me useful. Still i do not find that your Holiness has perfectly remembered what i particularly wished to empress on your memory; FOR I SAID THAT YOU SHOULD NO MORE GIVE THAT TITLE TO ME THAN TO OTHERS; and lo! in the superscription of your letter, you gave to me, who have proscribed them, the VAINGLORIOUS TITLES OF UNIVERSAL AND POPE. May your sweet Holiness do so no more in the future. I beseech you; FOR YOU TAKE FROM YOURSELF WHAT YOU GIVE EXCESS TO ANOTHER. I do not esteem that an honor which caused my brethren to lose their own dignity. My honor is that of the whole Church. My honor is the unshakable firmness of my brethren. I consider myself truly honored when no one is denied the honor due to them. IF YOUR HOLINESS CALLS ME UNIVERSAL POPE, YOU DENY THAT YOU ARE YOURSELF WHAT I SHOULD BE ALTOGETHER. GOD FORBID! FAR FROM US BE WORDS THAT PUFF UP VANITY AND WOUND CHARITY." This in my opinion is his strongest quote. I can't emphasize any more that this quote came directly from the bishop of rome, the one who roman catholics claim is the sole and universal head of the church. If Pope gregory was the universal head of the church, then he diffinitely was unaware of it, which seems unlikely unless,infact, that the claim that the bishop of rome was the universal head of the church was nonexistent. Once again, i still can't see the many ways you can interpret this quote. It's too straight forward to have many interpretations! When speaking of the church fathers, another question arises. If the roman catholic theory concerning the bishop of rome was established by Christ and "set in stone" so to say, then why was there so many questions among the church fathers? Why did some agree and disagree? If this was established by Christ then why was there room for doubt? Why was this theory not universaly accepted among the church fathers? Analogy time. haha. Anyone who is familiar with the NFL will agree that the ESTABLISHED colors of the pittsburgh steelers are black and gold. Why then, would someone argue that the steeler's colors are blue and green? I understand that this is an extremely cheesy analogy (the first one that came to my mind) but a similar analogy nevertheless. haha I understand that my opponent would rather not use church fathers in this debate but here are a few more STRAIGHT FORWARD quotes that would be hard to interpret differently The Counsil of NIcea (325 a.d.) In Canon 6, this council declared that each center was to be ruled by its own bishop and not by one head over all bishops. (Ante Nicene Father, 7:502, "Constitutions of the Holy Apostles") St. Cyprian(200-258 a.d.): "For neither does any of us set himself up as a bishop of bishops, nor by tyrannical terror does any compel his colleague to the necessity of obedience; since every bishop, according to the allowance of his liberty and power, has his own proper right of judgment, and can no more be judged by another than he himself can judge another" (Ante-Nicene Fathers, 5:565, "The Seventh Council of Carthage Under Cyprian") Is there any other interpretations to this quote? If so, i'm currious to hear them. This quote seems very straight forward to me. St. Jerome (342-420 a.d.) "Wherever a bishop may be whether at Rome or at Eugubium, at Constantinople or at Rhegium, at Alexandria or at Thanis, he is of the same worth...for all of them are the successors of the apostles." Sure you can interpret many church father quotes but make sure their quotes actually call upon interpretation! A few more points to make: 1. My opponent once again failed to demonstrate peter actually practicing his supposed authority over others. 2.My opponent also failed to respond to the straight forward quotes of Pope Gregory, (the bishop of rome) 3. MY oppenent also failed to respond to the confessions (as i would like to call them) of the catholic theologians that i mentioned in the last round. As i conclude i would would like to make it known that i am in no way criticizing the roman catholic faith. I am not one to believe that only a certain "type" of christian will make it into heaven. Alot of my close friends are catholic and protestant, infact, i don't have any eastern orthodox friends! The Roman catholic and eastern orthodox church shares most of the same tradtions, we agree on more subjects then we disagree on! I love roman catholics and protestants as my brothers and sisters in christ and i wish jozen the best luck in all he does. Be safe, God bless, and take care Joze