Papal Succession: What Protestants Can Learn from the 2025 Conclave
Three Reflections for Protestants on the Death of Pope Francis
Some Protestants are fascinated by the Pope, while others—understandably, given church history—want nothing to do with him. While I don’t think fascination with the Pope is healthy for Protestant Christians, I do believe that meaningful dialogue between Catholics and Protestants is increasingly necessary. The reasons behind the Protestant Reformation remain essential, but they do not mean there is nothing we can learn from one another. With that in mind, I would like to consider three lessons that Protestants can take away from the 2025 conclave—lessons that will hopefully bolster our understanding of leadership and succession within our own traditions.
1. Catholic Theology is Scriptural, even if Protestants Disagree (Biblical-Theological Foundations for Episcopal Succession)
As a ‘died in the wool’ Protestant, I’m almost daily faced with the reality that even within Protestantism, where we value Sola Scriptura, we don’t always agree on the precise nature, form, function, or interpretation of the Bible. This occurs on the level of folk religion, where what people happen to believe causes disagreement with the official doctrines of the local church. Even beyond that, Protestant church traditions differ among themselves in their doctrines and practices, some of which are more significant than others. (It may surprise you to learn that not all Catholics agree on every point of doctrine either, as if the Pope mandates the beliefs of the people. That’s not really how it works.)
With that said, I think there are notable reasons that the Catholic Church utilizes an episcopal model of Church governance, with a Pope (from Greek papas "patriarch, bishop;" originally "father;” today, the Bishop of the Church in Rome who serves as the head of the Roman Catholic Church) at the top of the episcopal hierarchy.
What Is Papal Succession?
The question of papal succession has arisen recently, with the rising speculation about Pope Francis’s health, and culminating with his death on April 21, 2025. Many are asking, What happens when a pope dies? For Roman Catholics, this isn’t a minor shift in Church leadership, but a matter of apostolic continuity. A process, called the conclave, follows the death of a Pope, where cardinals gather in Rome to elect the next Bishop of Rome, the Pope. The church believes the Pope to be the successor of the Apostle Peter and the earthly head of the universal Church. However, this is not viewed in Catholic theology as a mere ‘vote,’ as if the various Catholic cardinals campaign and vie for the position. Instead, the conclave is designed to reveal the ‘one’ God has appointed to the apostolic position.
This moment, essential to Roman Catholic ecclesiology (study/thinking about the church), often captures the attention of the broader Christian world. For Protestants, the succession of Popes always prompts theological reflection on the appointment of Elders (as well as bishops and deacons), and why the idea, though expressed differently, remains relevant in Protestant ecclesiology.
The Catholic doctrine of apostolic succession is founded on the Gospel narratives, where Christ appointed twelve apostles (later, Matthias and Paul were added to their number), who in turn laid hands on successors to carry on their teaching authority in sacramental ministry. For Catholics, apostolic succession is observed in Acts 1:20-26, where Matthias is called to replace Judas, as predicted in the Old Testament, through the casting of lots. Further, in 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul urges Timothy to entrust the apostolic teaching “to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Paul also instructs Titus (1:5) to “appoint elders in every town,” a practice that, in Catholic thinking, signals a continuation of episcopal leadership.
Frequently cited, for illustration's sake, is the model of episcopal leadership given to Moses by his father-in-law, Jethro.
…look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. (Exodus 18:21-22)
We see a similar episcopal structure among Israel’s priests.
Many will also wonder what the structure of dominion may have looked like in the Garden (Paradise) if sin had not entered the world. Would Adam have served as head alone? Or would he have appointed others to lead groups of his children as they multiplied to fill the earth? – an episcopal model.
Although Protestants may theologically disagree with the way a hierarchical church polity should be structured, in biblical wisdom, it is challenging to disregard (in a baby/bathwater sense) everything the Catholic Church teaches about church governance. Many Protestant pastors have failed in their positions, as much or more so as popes and priests, thus the care given to the appointment of Pope Francis’s successor should give us all pause and to head Paul’s warning, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands [so as not to] take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22). We don’t do well to demonize the papacy, even if Protestantism is founded on the disagreement with a universally infallible human, because there is much to learn from the Catholic Church’s careful and prayerful consideration during the upcoming conclave.
2. Many Protestant Churches have Functional Popes (Protestant Approaches to Church Leadership)
Most Protestants reject the idea of a singular vicar of Christ on earth. Yet the theology behind apostolic succession—continuity of faithful leadership rooted in Scripture and shaped by local church discernment—is not foreign to us. Every Protestant pastor/elder/priest I know is concerned about who will lead their local parish once their time expires. Yet, most of us will see headship of a church (denomination) or a church (congregation) as demonstrated in plurality–so why not the church? And this is kind of the rub, I think, where all willingly submit themselves to a single head, there will be intentional or unintentional defection from biblical orthodoxy. Notes Luther:
The Pope is not the head of all Christendom by divine right... nor is the Church under him, nor is he the head of the bishops and pastors by divine right... The pope is nothing else than the bishop and pastor of the Church at Rome, and of those who voluntarily or through a human institution have attached themselves to him. (Smalcald Articles, Part II, Article IV: Of the Papacy)
Luther is correct in his assessment. The New Testament concept of eldership is consistently plural (e.g., Titus 1:5, Acts 14:23, Philippians 1:1), relational, and local rather than centralized. The idea of bishops in the early church was never to create a singular centralized model of church governance; rather, bishops were appointed regionally, who would then convene internationally to bring unity to the local churches across regions. But their primary responsibility was to the local churches. The issue–one of which instigated the schism between the Eastern and Western churches–was the submission of the regional bishops to the bishop of Rome, later considered the Father, or Pope.
The plurality of bishops in the early church was intended to reflect the plurality of elders in local congregations. Make no mistake: a plurality of elders was never intended to submit to a single elder — an elder among elders. This is where most Protestant churches fail. There may be a plurality of elders, but they submit to a single church planter, lead pastor, or executive pastor. This may be official (that is, in the by-laws of the church) or unofficial (de facto), but it is most common, even among democratic congregations (which is a whole other bag-of-cats, in my opinion).
In a biblical model, succession happens communally, with congregations and remaining elders discerning the Holy Spirit’s call on new leaders (see Acts 13:1-3). Never are we given the sense that the elders and congregations are affirming a single elder to rule over the church. Rather, they are calling elders with a focus on character and gifting, not social or political influence. The role of a pastor is not exactly an institutional office: leaders are qualified by their faithfulness, teaching ability, and spiritual maturity (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). They should enact their gifts in the congregation, which may give the perception of singular authority. But that authority should never be officiated (written into the church by-laws) or practiced de facto (allowing a pastor to exercise authority contrary to the Scriptures, the call of the Holy Spirit, or the consciences of the elders or congregation). To be clearer: biblical pastors/elders/priests operate in plurality to avoid abuses, and when hierarchy is intentionally or unintentionally compromised, abuses will inevitably occur.
Therefore, as in many Protestant churches, elder transitions should involve a prayerful examination, mentorship whenever possible, and congregational affirmation. I think this is what we see in the appointment of the Pope, even if we believe that the seemingly unconditional power of the Pope is unbiblical. While there's no conclave or smoke signals in (most?) Protestant churches, we share an abiding concern for maintaining doctrinal integrity, spiritual oversight, and accountability among elders. If you hear nothing else from this point, please hear me saying, churches need a real plurality in leadership.
3. Succession is Spiritual Before it is Strategic
With the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the conclave will come together to elect someone to carry forward Rome’s vision of global church leadership. I say “someone” because any baptized male Catholic is eligible to be elected Pope. But, in practice? Since the early 15th century, every pope has been selected from among the cardinals, not because it is required by canon law, but due to custom and practicality. The Cardinals are the closest to the Pope and, therefore, most familiar with his office. As senior church officials in the Roman Catholic Church, cardinals are appointed by the Pope to serve as principal advisors. While you don’t technically have to be a bishop to become a cardinal, most modern popes have required new cardinals to be ordained bishops. So, there is, in a sense, a ladder to climb from priest→bishop→cardinal→Pope.
Protestants may disagree with the overall structure of the Catholic Church and its appointment process, but the current conclave should still prompt some reflection. (Again, every serious Christian tradition is trying to enact a biblical ecclesiology. We’re more alike than we’re different.) Here are some questions for us to consider:
A. Do our leaders embody the gospel, or merely occupy roles?
Protestants, full of latent Reformation hostilities, may quip, “The Pope does not embody the Gospel!” But that depends on your definition of gospel. If by 'gospel' you mean your pet atonement theory, then perhaps your intuition is correct. But, technically speaking, the gospel precedes discussion of atonement. Atonement is a fruit of the biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ. A gospel is a message of good news. It is the proclamation of victory. It is the message the messenger (or evangelist) proclaims in the city streets when he returns home from the battle, heralding, “Victory to King and Country.” In many ways, I think the ecumenically accepted Apostle’s Creed succinctly describes the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the work that brought about the victory of the Kingdom of God in the second stanza.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
This is the work of Christ. And by faith in the victorious King, Jesus, we recieve atonement (however that is defined, tradition to tradition). Therefore, to say that the Pope must embody the Gospel is not to say that he must proclaim the atonement in the same way as Protestants–as, in fact, he will not–but to say that we are in agreement with the Catholic Church on the work of Christ–that Christ is King, seated at the right hand of the Father. (NOTE: I make this point far more comprehensively in my book, The Gospel is Bigger than You Think. See also, Matthew W. Bates, Beyond Salvation Wars, for a treatment of the agreement between Protestants and Catholics on Gospel necessities.)
I believe we can learn from the Catholic Church on this point by remembering that the proclamation of the Gospel is at the heart of Church life. Business acumen is at best of secondary importance (though, perhaps tertiary) when appointing church leaders. But, to appoint one who lives a life centered on the works and words of Christ (on the Gospel) is fundamental.
B. Are we cultivating a faithful generation of elders and pastors who will shepherd the church for the next generation?
This is a brief point, but an important one: Protestants seem comfortable with a church’s lifespan being based on the effectiveness of its lead pastor—its own kind of private pope, so to speak. Ideally, I think everyone would want to see some kind of succession take place, but succession is the exception, not the norm. It’s amazing how formalized Catholic succession is, and I suspect this is due to century after century of development based on its need. Elders of churches should continually work to replicate themselves so that, in the event of their inevitable death (or other reason for vacancy), another church elder can easily step over into their position. (Notice, I say over, not up, as a plurality of elders should not infer hierarchy among the elders. A lead pastor is an elder among peers, not a bishop over elders.) So, we’re not talking about creating a succession plan where a young pastor is hired and groomed into the position. Instead, it’s about creating a culture where many will be capable and gifted to step into the role. Much more could be said about how to accomplish that end and what a biblical role of bishop may or may not look like, but it's precisely what we see in papal succession — there seems to be less concern as to whether the Cardinals in consideration will be capable of assuming the position. Their question is, rather, Which Cardinal does God choose?
C. Are we stewarding transitions in leadership with seriousness and prayer?
The papal conclave is expected to begin between 15 and 20 days after Pope Francis’s recent death. The College of Cardinals will cast secret ballots inside the Sistine Chapel, requiring a two-thirds majority to elect the next pope. If no candidate receives enough support, additional rounds of voting will continue indefinitely until someone does. After each inconclusive round, the ballots are burned, and black smoke rises from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, signaling to those watching on television and in St. Peter’s Square that the conclave remains underway. We will know a pope has been chosen when white smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel (achieved by adding chemicals to the ballots before they are burned).
For all the heated disagreements between Protestant and Catholic communities surrounding all topics of ecclesiology, one thing I think we can all agree on is that the Catholic Church takes papal succession VERY seriously. They plan for it. They prepare for it. It’s an open dialogue, and when the time comes for conclave, few preparations need to be made. They’re ready. But, they aren’t ready to simply drop someone into the role. As stated previously, they are not looking to make a good business decision. That’s far from their minds (though, as humans, I’m sure not absent). The central issue of the conclave is to hear God speak through the plurality of the cardinals gathered. Therefore, before any decisions are made or even a discussion held, prayer is made central.
During the conclave, cardinals pray together in various ways, such as the Veni Creator Spiritus hymn and the special Mass Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice, and are encouraged to continue in personal prayer, silence, and reflection throughout the entire process. While prayer is not strictly monitored, the conclave is designed to foster a monastic atmosphere where every elector seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit in choosing the next pope. In my experience, this stands in contrast to how Protestant pastors are often appointed. Prayer is necessarily part of the process, but more often it is a precursor to more serious discussions about experience, character, and gifting — all things that would be less critical when considering an elder/pastor raised internally, as I believe is biblically preferable.
CONCLUSION
If we can take a step back from disagreements about the use of Scripture in various traditions, there are things we can learn from the upcoming conclave. There isn’t nothing to the idea of apostolic succession–though, as a Protestant, I believe its practical use is for the appointment of elders in local churches, not to the papacy. What Protestants criticize Catholicism for, we often exercise in other ways, most notably in the refusal to appoint a plurality of elders or in creating alternative leadership structures to that which is prescribed and described in Scripture. We see this particularly in Big Eva types of churches, where hierarchical-episcopal structures are used to manage large populations and big budgets (perhaps necessarily), but also enable various abuses of power. Therefore, care must be given to the spiritual appointment of elders, namely a focus on Gospel witness, over the particular skills or gifts that an elder may bring to the table.
