| Papal Infallibility |
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The word "infallibility" itself means “incapability of error or deception”. One of catholic theology dogmas is that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when he solemnly declares or promulgates to the Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals as being contained in divine revelation, or at least being intimately connected to divine revelation (papal infallibility). Papal infallibility, as taught by the Catholic Church, is generally misunderstood by those outside the Church. Some imagine Catholics believe the pope cannot sin, while others think the pope relies on some sort of magic or amulet when an infallible definition is due.
Papal infallibility is also one of the great differences between Catholicism and Protestantism. Presbyterian and Reformed churches strongly reject papal infallibility. The dogma of Papal Infallibility is also rejected by Eastern Orthodoxy and the Church of England and its sister churches in the Anglican Communion.
Infallibility is not the absence of sin. How popes can be infallible since some of them lived scandalously? There is a common confusion between infallibility and impeccability. There is no guarantee that popes won’t sin or give bad example. Infallibility is not a charism that belongs only to the pope. Infallibility also belongs to the body of bishops as a whole, when, in doctrinal unity with the pope, they solemnly teach a doctrine as true. The infallibility of the pope was formally defined in 1870. The 1870 definition is not seen by Catholics as a creation of the Church, but as the dogmatic revelation of a Truth about the Papal Magisterium. The doctrine of infallibility was explained by Vatican II: "Although the individual bishops do not enjoy the prerogative of infallibility, they can nevertheless proclaim Christ’s doctrine infallibly. This is so, even when they are dispersed around the world, provided that while maintaining the bond of unity among themselves and with Peter’s successor, and while teaching authentically on a matter of faith or morals, they concur in a single viewpoint as the one which must be held conclusively. This authority is even more clearly verified when, gathered together in an ecumenical council, they are teachers and judges of faith and morals for the universal Church. Their definitions must then be adhered to with the submission of faith". The infallibility as a doctrine was implicit in the early Church and did not suddenly appear in Church teaching. It is only understanding of infallibility which has developed later and has been more clearly understood over time. The doctrine itself does not teach that the Pope is infallible in everything he says. Infallibility, however, is not the same thing as inspiration. It is a kind of protection, a safeguard from error, which is clearly something different than inspiration. Some wonder how infallibility could exist because some popes disagreed with others. This is 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. Only what pope solemnly defines is considered to be infallible teaching, pope’s private theological opinions are not considered to be infallible. Infallibility prevents pope from solemnly and formally teaching as "truth" something that is, in fact, error. Infallibility does not help him know what is true, nor does it "inspire" him to teach what is true. Pope has to learn the truth through study and work. On the other hand, the invocation of papal infallibility is extremely rare. Most doctrines have never been doubted by most of the Catholics. An infallible pronouncement is usually made only when some doctrine has been called into question. It is made by the pope alone or by an ecumenical council. Some instances of papal infallibility:
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