Cults | Roman Catholicism: Who Has Authority in the Church?

Episode 2.96

In this episode of Cults, Michael and Zach shift from the gospel question to a foundational issue beneath it: authority. Who has the final say in matters of faith—Scripture itself, or an institution that interprets it?

Tracing the development of papal authority from Gregory the Great to Vatican I, the episode examines whether Rome’s claims represent legitimate development or a departure from earlier church history. The discussion then turns to the formation of the biblical canon, challenging the idea that the Church created Scripture and instead arguing that it recognized what was already functioning as authoritative across the early Christian world.

Finally, the episode addresses the role of the Magisterium, the nature of interpretation, and key texts like Matthew 16. The takeaway is clear: the core divide is not structure versus chaos, but where ultimate authority rests—within the Word of God itself or in a centralized interpretive authority.

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