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confessional document

The Book of Concord

The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church [Tappert Edition]

Excerpts from THE SMALCALD ARTICLES Part II, Article IV. Of The Papacy

1. “The pope is not the head of all Christendom by divine right or according to God’s Word, for this position belongs only to one, namely, to Jesus Christ. … Hence it follows that all the things that the pope has undertaken and done on the strength of such false, mischievous, blasphemous, usurped authority have been and still are purely diabolical transactions and deeds…which contribute to the destruction of the entire holy Christian church (in so far as this lies in his power) and come into conflict with the first, fundamental article which is concerned with redemption in Jesus Christ.” (#’s 1&3)Read More »The Book of Concord