In a document issued by the Vatican's congregation for the doctrine of the faith, it contained Pope Benedict's assertion that the Roman Catholic Church is the one church that Jesus Christ established on earth.
The Pope's statement also said that other Christian denominations cannot be called "churches" in the proper sense of the word, a comment that has prompted condemnation and confusion from Protestants and the Orthodox.
The pronouncement from the Vatican said that Pope Benedict was trying to clarify teachings from the second Vatican council of 1962-1965 which the current Pope attended and has been very concerned over its liberal interpretations.
Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News
Pope Benedict's statement that the Catholic Church is the church that Christ established on earth has a prophetic significance that is played out during the End Times according to Bible prophecy.
Pope Benedict, the very conservative leader of the world-wide Catholic Church, has made another very controversial statement. Last summer, the Pope angered the Muslim world when he referred to Islam as a dangerous religion.
This summer, the Pope's new assertion that the Catholic Church is the church that Jesus Christ establish here on earth has brought about condemnation and confusion. What is interesting is that the Pope's assertion parallels the prophecy found in the book of Revelation about a one-world church in the future.
John the Apostle, who wrote Revelation, wrote in Revelation 17 of a one-world church coming to power in the first half of the Tribulation Period and being led by the Antichrist. That church described in Revelation 17 will be headquartered in Rome, Italy and will be the only church of that time in history.
John, in Revelation 17, describes in detail that coming false church during the Tribulation Period. Hear me please now, I did not say that the Catholic Church is that false church of Revelation 17.
I have only reported the latest news from the Vatican which does indeed set the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.