In the third place, infallibility is not attributed to every doctrinal act of the pope, but only to his ex cathedra teaching; and the conditions required for ex cathedra teaching are mentioned in the Vatican decree: (a) The pontiff must teach in his public and official capacity as pastor and doctor of all Christians, not merely in his private capacity as a theologian, preacher or allocutionist, nor in his capacity as a temporal prince or as a mere ordinary of the Diocese of Rome. the common or everyday teaching authority of the Church; through the second and third the magisterium solemne, or undeniably definitive authority. 141). And what is still more important, is the explicit recognition in formal terms, by councils which are admitted to be ecumenical, of the finality, and by implication the infallibility, of papal teaching. This incident, whether it be true or not, is at any rate. [This would mean that] the Holy Spirit has not watched over any of them so as to guide it into the truth, although He was sent by Christ, and asked from the Father for this very purpose—that He might be the teacher of truth” (doctor veritatis—” De Praescript”, xxxvi, in P.L., II, 49). of God, and where the Spirit of God is there is the Church, and every race: for the Spirit is truth”‘ (Adv. This was what might be described as an extra-constitutional crisis; and, as the Church has a right in such circumstances to remove reasonable doubt and provide a pope whose claims would be indisputable, even an acephalous council, supported by the body of bishops throughout the world, was competent to meet this altogether exceptional emergency without thereby setting up a precedent that could be erected into a regular constitutional rule, as the Gallicans wrongly imagined. ”), Luke 22:32 (“I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail”), and Matthew 16:18 (“You are Peter . This, too, shows an inaccurate understanding of infallibility, which applies only to solemn, official teachings on faith and morals, not to disciplinary decisions or even to unofficial comments on faith and morals. “But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you” (ibid., 26). These are well-recognized formulae by means of which the defining intention may be manifested. iv (Denzinger-Bannwart, “Enchiridion”, 1800), where it is declared that “the doct… This development of the faithful’s understanding has its clear beginnings in the early Church. Instances of this will be given below and from these it will appear that, though the word infallibility as a technical term hardly occurs at all in the early councils or in the Fathers, the thing signified by it was understood and believed in and acted upon from the beginning. It would be nice if he were omniscient or impeccable, but his not being so will fail to bring about the destruction of the Church. 28:19–20) and promised the protection of the Holy Spirit to “guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). They must have a perfectly steady rock to build upon and to trust as the source of solemn Christian teaching. Serm. He said to him: Feed my sheep.” Here the complete and supreme pastoral charge of the whole of Christ’s flock—sheep as well as lambs—is given to St. Peter and his successors, and in this is undoubtedly comprised supreme doctrinal authority. The councils insisted on their definitions being accepted under pain of anathema, while St. Athanasius, for example, says that “the word of the Lord pronounced by the ecumenical synod of Nicaea stands for ever” (Ep. Even Fundamentalists and Evangelicals who do not have these common misunderstandings often think infallibility means that popes are given some special grace that allows them to teach positively whatever truths need to be known, but that is not quite correct, either. (1) In the Vatican definition infallibility (whether of the Church at large or of the pope) is affirmed only in regard to doctrines of faith or morals; but within the province of faith and morals its scope is not limited to doctrines that have been formally revealed. Indeed, so fixed and irreformable is the doctrine that has been taught that the Galatians (i, 8) are warned to anathematize any one; even an angel from heaven, who should preach to them a Gospel other than that which St. Paul had preached. This authority, therefore, by its decisions merely curtails personal freedom of inquiry in religious matters in the same way, and by an equally valid title, as the supreme authority in the State, restricts the liberty of private citizens. Infallibility must be carefully distinguished both from Inspiration (q.v.) He said to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? This conclusion is confirmed by considering the awful sanction by which the Church‘s authority is supported: all who refuse to assent to her teaching are threatened with eternal damnation. Others, who avoid this elementary blunder, think the … It need only be added here that not everything in a conciliar or papal pronouncement, in which some doctrine is defined, is to be treated as definitive and infallible. No workable rule can be given for deciding when such subsequent ratification as this theory requires becomes effective; and even if this could be done in the case of some of the earlier councils whose definitions are received by the Anglicans, it would still be true that since the Photian schism it has been practically impossible to secure any such consensus as is required—in other words that the working of infallible authority, the purpose of which is to teach every generation, has been suspended since the ninth century, and that Christ’s promises to His Church have been falsified. + Papal Infallibility + The Catholic Church teaches that the Pope is infallible at closely defined times. Catholic Answers gives a more thorough explanation on infallibility in their website: Papal Infallibility There are only two doctrines that the Pope has spoken in ex cathedra (from the chair of Peter); therefore, these two are declared "infallible." Again, it is urged that the kind of submission demanded by infallible authority is incompatible with the rights of reason and of legitimate inquiry and speculation, and tends to give to one’s faith in his Creed a dry, formal, proud, and intolerant character which contrasts unfavorably with the warm-hearted, humble, and tolerant faith of the man who believes on conviction after free personal inquiry. It is only in connection with doctrinal authority as such that, practically speaking, this question of infallibility arises; that is to say, when we speak of the Church‘s infallibility we mean, at least primarily and principally, what is sometimes called active as distinguished from passive infallibility. Did this demonstrate papal infallibility was non-existent? The spirit of truth … he shall abide with you, and shall be in you” (John, xiv, 16, 17). cit., IV, xxvi, 5). But many points have been defined, and not just by the pope alone. It is well further to explain (a) that infallibility means more than exemption from actual error; it means exemption from the possibility of error; (b) that it does not require holiness of life, much less imply impeccability in its organs; sinful and wicked men may be God‘s agents in defining infallibly; (c) and finally that the validity of the Divine guarantee is independent of the fallible arguments upon which a definitive decision may be based, and of the possibly unworthy human motives that in cases of strife may appear to have influenced the result. Finally, it should be observed that fallible provisional teaching, as such, derives its binding force principally from the fact that it emanates from an authority which is competent, if need be, to convert it into infallible definitive teaching. Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004, IMPRIMATUR: In accord with 1983 CIC 827 Recently there have been quite a few threads about Papal Infallibility. If the Church is the foundation of religious truth in this world, then it is God’s own spokesman. Hence the promise that follows cannot reasonably be understood of ordinary natural providential guidance, but must refer to a very special supernatural assistance. They say he specifically taught Monothelitism, a heresy that held that Christ had only one will (a divine one), not two wills (a divine one and a human one) as all orthodox Christians hold. This is obvious in the case of individuals, any one of whom may err in his understanding of the Church‘s teaching; nor is the general or even unanimous consent of the faithful in believing a distinct and independent organ of infallibility. Catholic Answers For You Sunday, March 11, 2012. Most doctrines have never been doubted by the large majority of Catholics. True Meaning of Infallibility; II. This, however, is clearly understood to be what theologians call the direct and primary object of infallible authority: it was for the maintenance and interpretation and legitimate development of Christ’s teaching that the Church was endowed with this charisma. In fact, the doctrine of infallibility is implicit in these Petrine texts: John 21:15–17 (“Feed my sheep . Nor is this conclusion contradicted by the fact that, for the purpose of putting an end to the Great Western Schism and securing a certainly legitimate pope, the Council of Constance deposed John XXIII, whose election was considered doubtful, the other probably legitimate claimant, Gregory XII, having resigned. presented in this work are free of doctrinal or moral errors. I understand that doctrine develops, but one can see the basics of Trinitarian theology in the … Papal Infallibility is an article of faith. Further, since this is the case, we may see the curious way in which the current crisis has been orchestrated. Finally, in reference to the condemnation of Honorius as a heretic, it is to be remembered that there is no ecumenical sentence affirming the fact either that Honorius’s letters to Sergius contain heresy, or that they were intended to define the question with which they deal. Now what does the promise of this perennial and efficacious presence and assistance of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth, mean in connection with doctrinal authority, except that the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity is made responsible for what the Apostles and their successors may define to be part of Christ’s teaching? The pope cannot delegate the exercise of his infallible authority to the Roman Congregations, and whatever issues formally in the name of any of these, even when approved and confirmed in the ordinary official way by the pope, does not pretend to be ex cathedra and infallible. NOW I am to speak of the Vatican definition, by which the doctrine of the Pope's infallibility has become de fide, that is, a truth necessary to be believed, as being included in the original divine revelation, for those terms, revelation, depositum, dogma, and de fide, are correlatives; and I begin with a remark which … Vatican II explained the doctrine of infallibility as follows: “Although the individual bishops do not enjoy the prerogative of infallibility, they can nevertheless proclaim Christ’s doctrine infallibly. (b) Then it is only when in this capacity, he teaches some doctrine of faith or morals that he is infallible (see below, IV). If Christ promised to be present with even two or three of His disciples gathered together in His name (Matt., xviii, 20), a fortiori will He be present efficaciously in a representative assembly of His authorized teachers; and the Paraclete whom He promised will be present, so that whatever the council defines may be prefaced with the Apostolic formula, “it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us”. Does Pronouncement of Excommunication an infallible act? Having established the general doctrine of the Church‘s infallibility, we naturally proceed to ask what are the organs through which the voice of infallible authority makes itself heard. In this article the subject will be treated under the following heads: I. And as the pope’s supremacy is also an essential factor in the constitution of an ecumenical council—and has in fact been the formal and determining factor in deciding the ecumenicity of those very councils whose authority is recognized by Eastern schismatics and Anglicans—it naturally occurs to enquire how conciliar infallibility is related to papal. Turning to history, critics of the Church cite certain “errors of the popes.” Their argument is really reduced to three cases, those of Popes Liberius, Vigilius, and Honorius, the three cases to which all opponents of papal infallibility turn, because they are the only cases that do not collapse as soon as they are mentioned. An infallible pronouncement—whether made by the pope alone or by an ecumenical council—usually is made only when some doctrine has been called into question. There is no point in giving the details here, but it is enough to note that none of the cases meet the requirements outlined by the description of papal infallibility given at Vatican I (see Pastor Aeternus 4). Thus the Fathers of Ephesus (431) declare that they “are compelled” to condemn the heresy of Nestorius “by the sacred canons and by the letter of our holy father and co-minister, Celestine the Bishop of Rome” (Hardouin, I, 1471). Apologetics. Peter’s headship was as much emphasized by Christ Himself, and was as clearly recognized in the infant Church, as was the enduring authority of the episcopal body; and it is a puzzle which the Catholic finds it hard to solve, how those who deny that the supreme authority of Peter’s successor is an essential factor in the constitution of the Church can consistently maintain the Divine authority of the episcopate. The Pope, in telling us which football team he supports, his favourite breakfast, or what a … This proves the value Christ Himself set upon His own teaching and upon the teaching of the Church commissioned to teach in His name; religious indifferentism is here reprobated in unmistakable terms. The necessity for noticing these latter has been done away with by the growth of Rationalism, the logical successor of old-time Protestantism. When they teach scattered throughout the world, when they teach concerning faith and morals that something is to be definitively held by all the … To be infallible they must be issued by the pope himself in his own name according to the conditions already mentioned as requisite for ex cathedra teaching. Assent is given not to the logical force of the syllogism, but directly to the authority which the inference serves to introduce; and this holds good in a measure even when there is question of mere fallible authority. It does not help him know what is true, nor does it “inspire” him to teach what is true. It should be enough to point out that the New Testament shows the apostles setting up, after the Master’s instruction, a visible organization. This is no place to give an elaborate demonstration of the establishment of a visible Church. 1680). There is no guarantee that popes won’t sin or give bad example. It is they who are the guardians of our faith … and securely [sine periculo] expound the Scriptures to us” (op. The other two, however, are adequately efficient organs, and when they definitively decide any question of faith or morals that may arise, no believer who pays due attention to Christ’s promises can consistently refuse to assent with absolute and irrevocable certainty to their teaching. Nor, abstracting from the question of inspiration, can it be fairly maintained, in face of the facts of history, that the work of interpreting scriptural teaching regarding these mysteries and several other points of doctrine that have been identified with the substance of historical Christianity is so easy as to do away with the need of a living voice to which, as to the voice of Christ Himself, all are bound to submit. +Robert H. Brom, Bishop of San Diego, August 10, 2004. For this Paul rebuked him. The teaching of the Vatican Council is to be found in Sess. There are, in fact, many major topics on which it … It is clear from the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch how intolerant he was of error, and how firmly convinced that the episcopal body was the Divinely ordained and Divinely guided organ of truth; nor can any student of early Christian literature deny that, where Divine guidance is claimed in doctrinal matters, infallibility is implied. One question has me stumped and I came here hoping someone could help me. How, if not through such an organ, could infallible authority effectively express itself—unless indeed through the pope? This is quite true in reference to natural knowledge and would be also true as applied to Church authority if Christianity were assumed to be a mere product of natural reason. IV, cap. One answer to that question is: all the bishops of the Church. (1) An ecumenical or general, as distinguished from a particular or provincial council, is an assembly of bishops which juridically represents the universal Church as hierarchically constituted by Christ; and, since the primacy of Peter and of his successor, the pope, is an essential feature in the hierarchical constitution of the Church, it follows that there can be no such thing as an ecumenical council independent of, or in opposition to, the pope. We, wise after the event, say that he was wrong. (i) Liberius, it is alleged, subscribed an Arian or Semi-Arian creed drawn up by the Council of Sirmium and anathematized St. Athanasius, the great champion of Nicaea, as a heretic. But these and similar interpretations simply destroy the logical coherency of Christ’s statement and are excluded by the Greek and Latin texts, in which a kind of play upon the words Petpos (Petrus) and petra is clearly intended, and still more forcibly by the original Aramaic which Christ spoke, and in which the same word Kepha must have been used in both clauses. The charge against Pope Honorius is a double one: that, when appealed to in the Monothelite controversy, he actually taught the Monothelite heresy in his two letters to Sergius; and that he was condemned as a heretic by the Sixth Ecumenical Council, the decrees of which were approved by Leo II. The Catholic Church’s teaching on papal infallibility is one that is generally misunderstood by those outside the Church. Until the Photian Schism in the East and the Gallican movement in the West (see Gallicanism) there was no formal denial of papal supremacy, or of papal infallibility as an adjunct of supreme doctrinal authority, while the instances of their formal acknowledgment that have been referred to in the early centuries are but a few out of the multitude that might be quoted. It is equally futile to contend that these promises were made, and this power given, to Peter merely as the representative of the Apostolic college: in the texts of the Gospel, Peter is individually singled out and addressed with particular emphasis, so that, unless by denying with the rationalist the genuineness of Christ’s words, there is no logical escape from the Catholic position. Thanks and God bless, ZP. A pope’s private theological opinions are not infallible; only what he solemnly defines is considered to be infallible teaching.

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