hello Ernie, If you want to know the truth, the standart is the bible. So If the church play politic, you know It. In the history of church, make mistake, for Example, sale indulgence, inquisition, killing unbeliever.
So I am not agree to use church AS standart. I have bible AS a standart.
And I believe the foundation of Christianity is the faith that believe that Jesus is Messiah, not Peter
one day Jesus rebuke peter, another dayPeter Deny Jesus,
base oN those 2 fact I believe the foundation of Christianity is the faith that Jesus is Messiah,
and the key to heaven is the faith that believe that Jesus is Messiah, It is in John 3:16 Said that whosoever believe in Him Will be save. That is the key
also I give you a link that may help you to consider, this link say a catholic monk, well know archeolog, found Peter tomb in Jerusalem, and If you read bible, you may believe that Paul established a Rome church not Peter, there isn't evident from the bible that Peter ever in Rome.
The Discovery of Peter's Tomb in Jerusalem, 1953