The Admiral

I heard a comentater on PBS state that the papacy is the longest lasting institution on Earth. He stated that it extends in an un-broken line from Peter to the present Pope.

I think this is baloney. I don't believe there is any more historical evidence for the existence of Peter than there is for Jesus of Nazareth, which is almost none.

And then there was a time of some length when there were 2 popes and a short period when there were 3.

Your comments please.

The Admiral

Chris Weimer

Regardless of whether Peter was ever alive or not, its still the longest institution. I know of none older (well, I take that back, several episcopal positions in the east might be about as old...)

No wait, maybe the Dalai Lama is...? Wasn't this started well before Christ?

Lógos Sokratikós

There is no such thing as an unbroken line from the first pope.

1) It isn't known -with scientific certainty- if Peter really was the first.
2) Even if he was, Peter was no pope, he was just overseer (Episcopus) of the incipient Christian community at the city of Rome.
3) Pontifex Maximus would be the definitory feature. The Roman Emporor was the Pontifex Maximus, right from Caius Iulius Cæsar. There could not be two, so: Bullshit, tens of bishops of Rome were never popes.
4) The presence of AntiPopes and splits creates "breaks" in that "unbroken line".

Peter Kirby

Get all technical on him and say that the bishopric of Jerusalem is older, being traced through James the brother of Jesus.

I do imagine that some Buddhist monasteries and Hindu or Buddhist shrines are older.

best,
Peter Kirby

Toto

Dalai Lama only dates to 1391 as an institution. Buddhism predates Christianity, but doesn't seem to have established many institutions that survived from its earliest years.

However, there is the Kamakoti Peetam - a Hindu Temple I doubt if this is the only Temple that can be traced back that far.

John A. Broussard

There's even the problem of a missing pope, John XX. It seems to me that would be a rather embarrassing break.

yummyfur

Patriarch of Constantinople are supposed to be from the Apostle Andrew till present. Patriarch of Antioch is from Apostle Peter to present. Patriarchs of Alexandria from St. Mark till present. These are pobably no more dubious than the Roman Bishops claims.

John A. Broussard

For what it's worth, the Japanese emperors trace their unbroken lineage back to the 7th Century BCE.

yummyfur

is supposed to be the 131st in succesion, though I'm not sure how many years these reigns span.

Chili

. . . but the Pope just occupies the seat of Peter who was the kind of faith that the church would be built on. It doesn't matter if the pope sleeps in, goes on holiday, or is absent minded for a while.