The Times newspaper has revealed today that plans are to be published this year on proposals to reunite the Anglican and Catholic churches. The two bodies hope to find enough common ground between them, which will enable them to unite under the leadership of Pontificus Maximus (the Pope), ending a 400 year old division. The Anglican church split from Rome in the 1600s during the reformation period. Before the reformation period, the Pope ruled Europe by force, and overthrew countries that refused to pledge allegiance to his authority. Only Rome can claim the description in Revelation as a city that has ruled over kings (Revelation 17:18). Christian groups that were persecuted by Rome include the Waldensians and Huguenots (from which it seems I descend, "On his father's side Mr. Pervear is of French Huguenot ancestry"), who fled mainland Europe and settled in England, Ireland and America. But after the Scriptures were published in the English language in Britain, the Pope's authority was rejected as unscriptural and antichrist (meaning someone attempting to take the place of Christ - head of the true Church).

Quote: "In one significant passage the report notes: "The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the ministry of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) as universal primate is in accordance with Christ's will for the Church and an essential element of maintaining it in unity and truth." Anglicans rejected the Bishop of Rome as universal primate in the 16th century. Today, however, some Anglicans are beginning to see the potential value of a ministry of universal primacy, which would be exercised by the Bishop of Rome, as a sign and focus of unity within a reunited Church.

The Roman Catholic church bases the ministry of the Bishop of Rome upon a falsehood, for they state that Peter was given this authority from Christ as first Pope, when there is no evidence Peter even visited Rome nor that he was given authority over the Church. The Scriptures correctly proclaim that Christ is the Head of the Church, not the Pope or the king of England. The Pope claims the title "Holy Father", but this term is only used once in the entire Bible, in the Lord's prayer to His Father shortly before His crucifixion in John 17:11. But the book of Revelation gives other titles for this "church". Someone once emailed me about the phrase "Mother of Harlots", noting that seeing Rome was the "Mother", the "Harlots" must be the reformation churches. And looking around us today, that is sadly a fitting term for many of them. When the Lord talks of adultery and harlotry, He is not meaning in the physical sense, rather in the spiritual sense, worshipping other gods rather that Him alone. It looks like many of these "Harlot churches" will once again join themselves to Rome before the whole thing is judged by God for its wickedness.

Revelation 18:4-5
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Source The Australian, Roots Web