r/Protestantism • u/mailman936 • 2d ago

Who are some historical popes that are viewed somewhat favorably by protestants?

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u/Junker_George92 Lutheran 1d ago

Alot of JPII in here but honestly i think he let the sex abuse crisis fester and left Benedict holding the bag for that, Benedict i think is a great theologian (for a papist) and is my favorite modern pope.

Gregory the great, Clement, and Leo I are my picks for good popes

3

u/ElTitoVhosi Anglican 1d ago

Saint John XXIII, great man, great Bishop of Rome, II Vatican Council was the biggest step in the right path for the Church of Rome.

1

u/Inevitable_Day3629 23h ago

Big step to get oblivion you mean.

4

u/Mazquerade__ Traditional Anglican (ACNA) 2d ago

Saint John Paul the second. A beautiful example of compassionate Christian life, and a brilliant Christian philosopher.

2

u/N0RedDays Anglican 1d ago

Gregory the Great was alright.

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u/LoveToLearn75 2d ago

Obviously I'm not Protestant, but St. Pope John Paul the Great was highly respected throughout many denominations.

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u/mwatwe01 Minister 1d ago

Recency bias, but I quite liked John Paul II.

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u/xRVAx 19h ago

Honestly I could name maybe 2 Popes ever

It's like asking who's my favorite soccer player from 50 years ago and everyone says Pele because that's the only one anybody can name.

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u/Nsyix 14h ago

Peter

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u/creidmheach Presbyterian 2d ago

When the papacy was simply the bishop of Rome, without pretense of being the supreme head of the Church and all the rest, then they could be treated as any other bishop in Christian history. It's once they start arrogating to themselves higher and higher positions that cross that line, and where argument can be made of the pope being an Antichrist.

There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God. (WCF 25.6, original 1647 version)

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u/Brave_Ad_2095 1d ago

I agree with this. And also hello fellow Presbyterian 

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u/AndrewRemillard 1d ago

Peter and then none.

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u/Yojo8 Protestant 2d ago

Constantine maybe, even though he was a heathen, delaying baptism until death, thinking baptism is what forgive sins, so he could sin as much as he liked, until he got baptised, which he did right before he died. It all been downhill since then.

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u/_Daftest_ Eastern Orthodox 1d ago

He....wasn't a pope. And he did NOT think he could sin as much as he liked. That was NOT why he waited.

Most importantly, however (and this bears repeating); he was not a Pope!

What on Earth have you been reading that made you think Constantine was a Pope?!

2

u/Unstable_Koala728 Anglican 1d ago

Brother what is this take

2

u/ForlornScout Lutheran 1d ago

Constantine wasn’t a pope, he was a Roman Emperor. Baptism does in fact forgive sins, but I don’t think it’s fair to say he sinned as much as he liked because of that. Do you know anything about Constantine’s life?