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> Historically this was the result of the fact the church predates modern communications. It was not possible for a Pope to direct things That's not really acc

by KK7NIL 25d ago

> Historically this was the result of the fact the church predates modern communications. It was not possible for a Pope to direct things That's not really accurate. All bishops were essentially "autocephalus" in antiquity. Whether they could even be removed by a council of other bishops was something that was really not resolved for many centuries. There were many occasions of competing councils declaring each other heretics and shenanigans like that. The Orthodox still practice this system of governance (although sovereignty has been moved up from diocesan bishops to the patriarch of each autocephalus church).

expedition32 24d ago
There is an offshoot of the Catholic church in the Netherlands were the bishop is not chosen by the Vatican. Dutch people really handle hierarchy poorly and prefer "flat" organisation style. Anyone who acts as the boss doesn't last long.
- graemep 24d ago
  There are many such because the Church's own belief is that a bishop always remains a bishop (even if removed from their diocese) and can make others bishops.
graemep 24d ago
You are right and that history is another reason: the starting point was that. However, even when popes started claiming greater authority there was a practical constraint on centralisation.
- KK7NIL 24d ago
  Your theory seems to be that the speed of information significantly increased the power the pope can wield and this is what allowed for the centralization of power. I don't think the historical record shows that. The speed of information changed little from the time of the Nicean council to the council of Trent, yet the primacy of the pope was very much established by the latter, even if it was only formalized in the 1st Vatican council. Even to this day church politics plays out over many months and years (just look at the recent SSPX situation which was a slow-mo train wreck), the speed of information doesn't seem very significant.

by KK7NIL 25d ago

expedition32 24d ago

There is an offshoot of the Catholic church in the Netherlands were the bishop is not chosen by the Vatican. Dutch people really handle hierarchy poorly and prefer "flat" organisation style. Anyone who acts as the boss doesn't last long.

graemep 24d ago
There are many such because the Church's own belief is that a bishop always remains a bishop (even if removed from their diocese) and can make others bishops.

graemep 24d ago

You are right and that history is another reason: the starting point was that. However, even when popes started claiming greater authority there was a practical constraint on centralisation.

KK7NIL 24d ago
Your theory seems to be that the speed of information significantly increased the power the pope can wield and this is what allowed for the centralization of power. I don't think the historical record shows that. The speed of information changed little from the time of the Nicean council to the council of Trent, yet the primacy of the pope was very much established by the latter, even if it was only formalized in the 1st Vatican council. Even to this day church politics plays out over many months and years (just look at the recent SSPX situation which was a slow-mo train wreck), the speed of information doesn't seem very significant.