Difference between revisions of "Papal Infallibility"
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'''Papal Infallibility''' is the [[Roman Catholic]] dogma that the [[Pope]] is unable to err when he teaches on a certain question of faith or morals. | '''Papal Infallibility''' is the [[Roman Catholic]] dogma that the [[Pope]] is unable to err when he teaches on a certain question of faith or morals. | ||
| − | In order for a teaching by the Pope to be infallible, certain conditions must be fulfilled | + | == Background == |
| + | |||
| + | Papal infallibility was established during the [[First Vatican Council]] in 1871. At the time, [[Italy]] was being formed and the [[Catholic Church]] was losing its political status in the world. The Church wanted to clarify its authority with regard to these events. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Conditions for Infallibility == | ||
| + | |||
| + | In order for a teaching by the Pope to be infallible, certain conditions must be fulfilled: | ||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
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*...and it must be a teaching "to be held by the whole Church", such as expressed through a declaration of excommunication on those who refuse the teaching. ("''Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.''")<ref>Ibid., par. 45</ref> | *...and it must be a teaching "to be held by the whole Church", such as expressed through a declaration of excommunication on those who refuse the teaching. ("''Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.''")<ref>Ibid., par. 45</ref> | ||
| + | In the language of the Catholic Church, these conditions are very specific, and only a few papal teachings are actually considered infallible. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Current Infallible Teachings == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Since the First Vatican Council, only two infallible teachings have been made: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Immaculate Conception (the dogma that Mary was born without original sin) - Declared infallible in 1854 by [[Pius IX]]<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi09id.htm</ref> | ||
| + | * Assumption (the dogma that after Mary's death, her body was physically raised into heaven) - Declared infallible 1950 by [[Pius XII]]<ref>http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/alpha/data/aud19930324en.html</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 1994, there were concerns that a letter opposing [[female ordination]] may have been an infallible teaching according to this criteria. However, [[Benedict XVI]] (then known as Cardinal Ratzinger) has rejected these claims.<ref>http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=5189&CFID=25384426&CFTOKEN=35942382</ref> | ||
| − | + | Certain other historical teachings by past Popes are similarly considered infallible. | |
| − | + | == Public misunderstandings == | |
| + | In spite of these conditions, papal infallibility is often misunderstood by the general public, who think that it means the Pope is ''always'' free of error, or that he is even free of ''sin'', neither of which are actually the case. | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
Revision as of 02:43, January 28, 2009
Papal Infallibility is the Roman Catholic dogma that the Pope is unable to err when he teaches on a certain question of faith or morals.
Background
Papal infallibility was established during the First Vatican Council in 1871. At the time, Italy was being formed and the Catholic Church was losing its political status in the world. The Church wanted to clarify its authority with regard to these events.
Conditions for Infallibility
In order for a teaching by the Pope to be infallible, certain conditions must be fulfilled:
"...when the Roman Pontiff speaks ex cathedra, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals, and that therefore such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves and not from the consent of the Church irreformable."[1]
To break down the four different conditions set out here, the Pope must...:
- ...be teaching "ex cathedra" as the head and shepherd of the Church.
- ...explicitly make it clear that he "defines" the teaching, such as through a specific phrase or formula. ("...we pronounce, declare, and define...")[2]
- ...be teaching on a question of "faith and morals", as opposed to e.g. a question of canon law.
- ...and it must be a teaching "to be held by the whole Church", such as expressed through a declaration of excommunication on those who refuse the teaching. ("Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.")[3]
In the language of the Catholic Church, these conditions are very specific, and only a few papal teachings are actually considered infallible.
Current Infallible Teachings
Since the First Vatican Council, only two infallible teachings have been made:
- Immaculate Conception (the dogma that Mary was born without original sin) - Declared infallible in 1854 by Pius IX[4]
- Assumption (the dogma that after Mary's death, her body was physically raised into heaven) - Declared infallible 1950 by Pius XII[5]
In 1994, there were concerns that a letter opposing female ordination may have been an infallible teaching according to this criteria. However, Benedict XVI (then known as Cardinal Ratzinger) has rejected these claims.[6]
Certain other historical teachings by past Popes are similarly considered infallible.
Public misunderstandings
In spite of these conditions, papal infallibility is often misunderstood by the general public, who think that it means the Pope is always free of error, or that he is even free of sin, neither of which are actually the case.
References
- ↑ First Vatican Council, Session 4: First Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of Christ, chapter 4, paragraph 9
- ↑ Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus Defining the Dogma of the Assumption, paragraph 44
- ↑ Ibid., par. 45
- ↑ http://www.newadvent.org/library/docs_pi09id.htm
- ↑ http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/alpha/data/aud19930324en.html
- ↑ http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=5189&CFID=25384426&CFTOKEN=35942382