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The Pope (from Latin "papa", father) is the [[head]] of the [[Catholic]] church. Today the pope is [[Pope Benedict XVI]]. He strongly opposes abortion, torture, and pre-emptive war.

The Pope (from Latin "papa", father) is the [[head]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] church. Today the pope is [[Pope Benedict XVI]]. He strongly opposes [[abortion]], [[torture]], [[birth control]]and pre-emptive war.

The Pope is nowadays claimed to be infallible in matters of doctrine (see Dictatus Papae).

The Pope is nowadays claimed to be infallible in matters of doctrine (see Dictatus Papae).

The Pope's position as Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church is dogmatic and therefore not open to debate or dispute within the Catholic Church; the First Vatican Council anathematized all who dispute the Pope's primacy of honor and of jurisdiction (it is lawful to discuss the precise nature of that primacy, provided that such discussion does not violate the terms of the Council's Dogmatic Constitution).

The Pope's position as Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church is dogmatic and therefore not open to debate or dispute within the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Church]]; the First Vatican Council anathematized all who dispute the Pope's primacy of honor and of jurisdiction (it is lawful to discuss the precise nature of that primacy, provided that such discussion does not violate the terms of the Council's Dogmatic Constitution).

Critics of the pope claim that past Popes, claimed successors to St. Peter, such as Callixtus III and Alexander VI from the Borgia family, were so corrupt as to be unfit to wield power, or to bind and loose on Earth or in Heaven. An omniscient and omnibenevolent God, they claim, would not have given those people the powers claimed for them by the Catholic Church. Their opponents say that even the worst Popes failed to wreck the traditions of the Church.

Critics of the pope claim that past Popes, claimed successors to St. Peter, such as Callixtus III and Alexander VI from the Borgia family, were so corrupt as to be unfit to wield power, or to bind and loose on Earth or in Heaven. An omniscient and omnibenevolent God, they claim, would not have given those people the powers claimed for them by the Catholic Church. Their opponents say that even the worst Popes failed to wreck the traditions of the Church.