As far as as tradition and apostolic succession, the Catholic church does not have twelve modern day “apostles”. I would think that would be more traditional than one pope. Also I do not find the word “pope” in my Bible. This makes any suggestion that such a position is Biblical more than suspect.
Excellent comment :-)! And, a very valid one. Now we are treading on 'organization' and dabbling in the distinctions between the Catholic and Orrthodox Churches. Great question!
Christ conferred upon his apostles the original task of shepherding the earthly Church in his absence. As the Church grew, the apostles themselves appointed different kinds of ministers to assist them.
Among the apostles there were two groups. The first consisted of the Twelve, who witnessed the whole of Christ's earthly ministry from his baptism to his Ascension (Acts 1:21-26). The second group of apostles, including Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:14), was not bound by this condition. Thus Paul had seen and been commissioned as an apostle by the risen Christ (1 Cor. 9:1, Gal. 1:1), though he had not been a disciple of Jesus during his earthly ministry (Acts 9, 1 Cor. 15:8).
Christ could have continued to appear to individuals and appoint them as apostles throughout the Church age. However, he chose not to do so, and so the apostles passed from the scene.
As the apostles died, the task of shepherding the Church fell by default upon the highest-ranking ministers appointed by them. This group is known today as the bishops, who are the successors of the apostles as the highest shepherds of the earthly Church.
Due to bishops' role as the successors of the apostles, possession of a valid episcopacy is necessary for a church to claim apostolic succession. Apostolic succession thus involves in the bishops serving as successors to the apostles, not serving as apostles. The bishops are not simply a continuation of the office of apostle; they received the governance of the Church when that office ceased.
Though modern bishops succeed the apostles as the highest shepherds of the Church, and though they belong to unbroken lines of ordination going back to the hands of the apostles themselves, the office of bishop is not identical to the office of apostle. If it were, Christ would not have allowed the apostles to disappear from the scene but would have continued to appear to and commission new apostles for the Church.
I would think that would be more traditional than one pope.
One thousand years ago, the Orthodox and Catholic Churches split over this very argument. They viewed the successor of Peter as "first amongst equals". This has now been settled.
Vatican-Orthodox commission agrees on primacy of Pope; differ on significance
Also I do not find the word “pope” in my Bible. This makes any suggestion that such a position is Biblical more than suspect.
In Ecclesiastical Latin, the term papa derives from the Greek papas. The title pope, once used with far greater latitude is at present employed solely to denote the Bishop of Rome, who, in virtue of his position as successor of St. Peter, is the chief pastor of the whole Church, the Vicar of Christ upon earth.
I have addressed all of your questions while only posing one. I would appreciate your response to that before we proceed.
God bless you!