Is it possible for the Pope to reform the Roman Catholic Church?

[Constantine I]

Is it possible for the Pope to reform the Roman Catholic Church?

Assuming the Pope has a change of heart, and realizes the flaws of the Roman Catholic Church, is it possible for him to reform it, in a similar fashion Martin Luther did? Or is the Pope bound by the church's laws?

Just an interesting question I had.

[Metania1]

The pope is bound by his own words. The Catholic church claims that the pope is the mouth piece for God. So to admit that any teaching is incorrect would be the same as saying or admitting that God was wrong. This will not happen.

[Clouds]

Is it possible for the Pope to reform the Roman Catholic Church?

Assuming the Pope has a change of heart, and realizes the flaws of the Roman Catholic Church, is it possible for him to reform it, in a similar fashion Martin Luther did? Or is the Pope bound by the church's laws?

Just an interesting question I had.

With God, anything is possible.
But my true feelings about this possibility leans more towards the idea posed by (Jeremiah 13:23) ..."Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?"....."then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."

[God's Trombone]

With God, anything is possible.
But my true feelings about this possibility leans more towards the idea posed by (Jeremiah 13:23) ..."Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?"....."then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."


Very wise answer IMO.

[His Bride]

The Catholic Church would have to deny its entire existence. It never has been a true branch of Christianity. In my opinion, no , it won't change. Now, that said, the Holy Spirit is always leading people away from the RCC to a true born again faith in Jesus Christ, one heart at a time. I was one of those. But Satan is using that religion to deceive the nations. I believe he always will.

[FrankBeMe]

I agree. There is just too much that he would have to renounce in order for that to happen. It's going to stay as is to the very end.

[goinghome]

I have to agree it would be pretty impossible to reform the catholic church. It couldn't be reform, it would have to be total obliteration and then rebuilt from ground zero, as the RCC is built on the fact that the word of the Pope is as good as the word of God (in their opinion) in things concerning church policy.

[Buzzardhut]

They made some minor changes at Vatican II
Don't know if they will make any other changes

Their goal today is reconverting protestants 'back to Rome' with deceptive programs such as Evangelicals & Catholics Together (http://www.seekgod.ca/ect.htm), fooling many Christian leaders.

I have to agree it would be pretty impossible to reform the catholic church. It couldn't be reform, it would have to be total obliteration and then rebuilt from ground zero, as the RCC is built on the fact that the word of the Pope is as good as the word of God (in their opinion) in things concerning church policy.Jesus will take care of the obliteration - Revelation 18

[Zaphnathpaaneah]

On a human level, this religious system is way too corrupt to repair. Maybe if there were a revival, it could be disbanded and a new church formed.

A pope would not be the right leader to do this in any event though.

[JoelH]

I think thsi is where most of us lacks in Roman Catholic church understandings. Suppose Benedict XVI were to do so tomorrow, he would be quickly branded an anti-pope and hauled away from the Congregation for the Defense of the Faith.

Catholic theology does mention the weight of "tradition" - this tradition, which is akin to the Westminster system of government's supremacy of precedence, declares that the current pope can't flat out contradict what the previous popes and councils have declared. The pope is supreme, but even he has to follow the tradition along the line.

In other words, going back to the Bible will need to mean "the pope ceases to be Catholic" magnitude.