Monday 15 April 2013

A Clarification on Papal Infallibility



Claim: Papal infallibility suggests that the Pope himself and his every decree is infallible.



This is wrong. As per Vatican Council 1 (1869-70), papal infallibility occurs only if the Pope speaks ex cathedra, along with other requirements. His personal opinions, decrees, behaviors or whatever else, have no intrinsic claim to infallibility. In fact, only two instances of papal decrees are universally recognized as infallible: the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption. Thence, even doctrinal decisions by Roman congregations, approved by the Pope himself, do not constitute infallible decisions.

Remember: Every Pope is a human being. Thus, every Pope is both just and a sinner (simul justus et peccator).


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