dannbetty's Blog

The myths of Papal Infallibility. Some people seem to think or are misled into believing that every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Holy Father, must be believed to be 'absolute' by the catholic faithful. The dogmatic teaching of papal infallibility is actually very restricted and at the same time restricting. For it to be an 'Infallible teaching of the Catholic Faith' there are conditions that must be met: 1.It must be concerning the faith or moral teaching of the faith. 2. It must be proclaimed to be a statement,  'ex cathedra', from the Chair of Peter. The last statement made 'ex cathedra' has even raised some debate, 'Was it?, as some say, or some say, "No. He didn't say so." When John Paul II, stated as the leader of the Church of Rome, that the the debate is over and closed, whether or not women would be admitted to the priesthood. I watched a broadcast of him making the statement, and I thought he made it 'ex cathedra'. Others say he didn't, exactly. Of course those who debate it, want women in the priesthood. So why do the 'rules ' or 'laws' of the church change? Because the world changes. The changes made are sometimes really trivial and other times seem dramatic.

The Doctrine of Papal Infallibility comes from the same place as the Doctrine of Authority. Jesus Christ. He authorized Peter to carry the keys (of authority, like that of the Prime Minister of a Kingdom), and he was told that what he ' bind on earth will be bound in heaven  and what he loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven.' 

Christ also told the Apostles he would send them 'the Paraclete' who would guide them in all things, and that he would be with His church even until the end of time. This protects the Pope from teaching heresy. It does not prevent him from making human mistakes, he is a sinner and is first to admit it, for we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. It does not make him a scientist, to decide if the earth revolves around the sun, or vice versa, the arguements against Galileo were not his findings in science but his extrapilation of science contradicting the Scriptures about the Creation.

A Dogmatic statement is usually not issued unless a long held doctrine comes under attack and it becomes necessary for the good of the flock that the Authority of the Church be brought to bear on a particular subject.