Rome Never Changes

[Hanseng]

 

This statement, “Rome never changes” is not a quote from Ellen White. The book Great Controversy, page 494 says “And let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes.” Great Controversy is simply reporting  a boast made by Rome. GC [the book Great Controversy] then immediately states “The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are still the principles of the Roman Catholic Church.”  The principles of Gregory VII that do not change can be found in Great Controversy, pages 46,47: “Among the propositions which he put forth was one declaring that the church had never erred, nor would it ever err, according to the Scriptures.” “The proud pontiff also claimed the power to depose emperors, and declared that no sentence which he pronounced could be reversed by anyone, but that it was his prerogative to reverse the decisions of all others” (Ibid.).

Regarding Innocent III, GC said this: “In the year 1204, Pope Innocent III extracted from Peter II, king of Arragon, the following extraordinary oath: “I, Peter, king of Arragonians, profess and promise to be ever faithful and obedient to my lord, Pope Innocent, to his Catholic successors, and the Roman Church, and faithfully to preserve my kingdom in his obedience, defending the Catholic faith, and persecuting heretical pravity” (GC 493,494). “This is in harmony with the claims regarding the power of the Roman pontiff,  “that it is lawful for him to depose emperors” and “that he can absolve subjects from their allegiance to unrighteous rulers” (Ibid.).

 Note that in the immediate context, GC refers specifically to Gregory VII and Innocent III. The points objected to regard the pope’s authority to depose emperors and the  infallibility of the RC church. Great Controversy cites Innocent III as in harmony with Gregory VII.