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From the time of Luther on, Lutherans have rejected the RC's claim that the pope is the divinely appointed head of Christendom. Particularly offensive to Lutherans was the claim, first made by pope Boniface VIII, in the bull "Unam Sanctum" (1302 AD), that no one can be saved unless they submit to the Roman pope. Yet this has never been retracted, but actually has been strengthened in official documents since the time of the Reformation (1500s). .
As recently as the Vatican II Council held in the 1960s, the Roman Catholic Church reasserted this view of papal authority: "Religious submission of will and mind must be shown in a special way to the authentic teaching of the Roman Pontiff even when he is not speaking 'ex cathedra'" [that is, when he is not proclaiming a formal doctrinal decree]. Also, the recently published "Catechism of the Catholic Church," the official guide for Catholic teaching says:.
The Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ and as pastor of the entire church, has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered (Par. 882).
This Luther and all Lutherans rejected and still reject. Faith in Jesus alone is necessary for salvation. And holy Scripture, the Word of God, is the final court of appeals for all questions concerning Christian doctrine, not the pope, or any other human organization. .
There are other differences, of course. Though Lutherans thank God for Mary and view her as the mother of God, we utterly reject the RC teaching that she is co-Mediator (Savior) with Christ, that she was sinless, or that her intercessions today are crucial for our salvation. We also differ with Catholics on the sacraments, purgatory, and a number of other lesser items. .
With all my heart I desire true unity with Roman Catholics, but we are far, far away from that at this point. More prayer and serious ecumenical work is needed.