After discussing the authority of the Roman Pontiff in my previous post, I now turn to the idea of Papal Infallibility. Like the issue of authority, the history of the early Church supports the idea of the infallibility of the Vicar of Christ. It is clear that the early councils, in order to be seen as valid and ecumenical, were required to be "approved" by the Holy See. That is, no matter how many bishops got together, the Pope always had the authority to approve or disapprove the particular canons drawn up by the bishops. This exercise of authority includes with it an infallible element - why else turn the matter over to the Holy Father for approval if his approval included as much assurance of accuracy as the Patriarch of any other area?
Without going too deeply over the history of the infallibility of the Roman Pontiff, I want to turn to the types of infallible teachings which the Holy Father may promulgate. This is the particular area where many are confused - particularly Catholic priests, bishops, and laity. Many consider every action and statement of the Pope to be sealed with an infallible character. This is simply not true and the Church has never proposed such a thing for our belief. This is quite important also as it appears that some Popes have going astray from the true faith in some instances (but importantly, they did so personally and incredibly never taught the heresy which they are claimed to have embraced). So then, what is the mark of infallibility and how is it guaranteed?
The Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff
The particulars of this doctrine were only particularly and specifically defined at the First Vatican Council in the late 19th Century. However, as Vatican I states, the Church has always believed this doctrine, as evidenced by the early ecumenical councils, such as Constantinople, Florence, and Lyon (the last two of which were called in an attempt to end the schism between East and West by defining what the Church believed about the infallibility of the Pope).
The mark of infallibility for the Pope is always limited to faith, morals, and Church disciplinary issues (as defined in the First Vatican Council's canon on the authority of the Holy Father). Bear this fact in mind as we review the levels of papal teaching below.
The Church teaches that there are three levels of papal teaching. Each will be treated in turn below.
The First Level of Papal Teaching - Ex Cathedra
The First Vatican Council anathematizes anyone who does not believe the following:
"[W]hen 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. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the church, irreformable."
This is the most straightforward of the three levels to be discussed. When the Pope makes an ex cathedra statement, he does so formally. This is also the most rare and has only been exercised in very limited circumstances, such as the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As stated above, when the Pope exercises his authority to teach ex cathedra, all must submit to his teaching and believe what he proclaims else they are anathema. Because this infallible teaching is so rarely employed and so straightforward, it requires little discussion.
The Second Level of Papal Teaching - The Ordinary Magesterium
At the outset, please understand that we are speaking here only of the Magesterium of the papacy. However, please note that councils, synods, bishops, and priests also form part of the ordinary magesterium. This is the Deposit of Faith - that is, this is the Tradition of the Church. It is important for our purposes to understand that the teachings that have always been accepted and taught form the ordinary magesterium proper. As we will see, the pope's second level of infallibility is subject to the Deposit of Faith as it has always been accepted and taught.
The Ordinary Magesterium of the Roman Pontiff includes Papal writings, such as encyclicals and exhortations, and audiences. Infallibility does cover the ordinary magesterium of the Roman Pontiff. That is, the pope's writings and audiences are infallible (when he is teaching on faith or morals) when certain conditions are met and when those conditions are met, the people must submit to the teaching (with a true act of faith) as no one can deny what has been revealed by God. When the conditions for infallibility are not met, people must still respect the teaching, but are not bound to believe it under pain of anathema.
So, what constitutes an exercise of the ordinary magesterium of the Roman Pontiff wherein we must make an act of faith in that teaching? Basically, any time the Pope teaches something that has already been accepted and taught, this is an infallible teaching. He need not use any "magic words" to invoke his infallibility. For example, the famous encyclical Humane Vitae was not an ex cathedra statement of the Church's teaching regarding birth control. It was a restatement of the ordinary magesterium of the Church - the Pope did not teach this anew, but stated what has already been taught. View it this way: The infallibility does not flow from the fact that the Pope is writing it, but from the fact that it is part of the Deposit of Faith. In the same way, if Pope Paul VI had stated that birth control was allowable, despite being written by a Pope, this would not be an infallible statement because it incorrectly states the teaching of the Church!
Therefore, we can see that, when the Pope teaches that which has always been taught, we must assent to that teaching with a true act of faith. When the Pope teaches anything else, we must respect the teaching unless it is harmful or leads to sin.
The Third Level of Papal Teaching - The Non-Infallible Papal Teaching
The third level of teaching, the non-infallible teaching, is actually that which is set out above. When the pope engages in teaching that is not ex cathedra and not in accord with the existing ordinary magesterium, the teaching is not infallible. The Pope can simply express his views on this or that particular subject (as our current Holy Father has done in his books on the life of Christ).
Conclusion
We must understand the Ordinary Magesterium of the Church as being separate from the non-infallible teachings else we may fall into error. We must believe that which has always been taught and throw out innovation that does not comport with the Deposit of Faith.
We are subject to the office of the Papacy (Vatican I, Session 4, Chapter 3). We owe filial affection and support to our Holy Father, the Pope of Rome, and we are not in a place to judge him, including his actions or his teachings. He has the care of the Church to consider whereas we have only our own souls and the souls of those entrusted to our care.
In our devotion to the Holy Father and the Church, though, we must also have affection and devotion to previous Popes and the unchanging teaching of the Magesterium, which is infallible and must be believed.
Without going too deeply over the history of the infallibility of the Roman Pontiff, I want to turn to the types of infallible teachings which the Holy Father may promulgate. This is the particular area where many are confused - particularly Catholic priests, bishops, and laity. Many consider every action and statement of the Pope to be sealed with an infallible character. This is simply not true and the Church has never proposed such a thing for our belief. This is quite important also as it appears that some Popes have going astray from the true faith in some instances (but importantly, they did so personally and incredibly never taught the heresy which they are claimed to have embraced). So then, what is the mark of infallibility and how is it guaranteed?
The Infallibility of the Roman Pontiff
The particulars of this doctrine were only particularly and specifically defined at the First Vatican Council in the late 19th Century. However, as Vatican I states, the Church has always believed this doctrine, as evidenced by the early ecumenical councils, such as Constantinople, Florence, and Lyon (the last two of which were called in an attempt to end the schism between East and West by defining what the Church believed about the infallibility of the Pope).
The mark of infallibility for the Pope is always limited to faith, morals, and Church disciplinary issues (as defined in the First Vatican Council's canon on the authority of the Holy Father). Bear this fact in mind as we review the levels of papal teaching below.
The Church teaches that there are three levels of papal teaching. Each will be treated in turn below.
The First Level of Papal Teaching - Ex Cathedra
The First Vatican Council anathematizes anyone who does not believe the following:
"[W]hen 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. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the church, irreformable."
This is the most straightforward of the three levels to be discussed. When the Pope makes an ex cathedra statement, he does so formally. This is also the most rare and has only been exercised in very limited circumstances, such as the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As stated above, when the Pope exercises his authority to teach ex cathedra, all must submit to his teaching and believe what he proclaims else they are anathema. Because this infallible teaching is so rarely employed and so straightforward, it requires little discussion.
The Second Level of Papal Teaching - The Ordinary Magesterium
At the outset, please understand that we are speaking here only of the Magesterium of the papacy. However, please note that councils, synods, bishops, and priests also form part of the ordinary magesterium. This is the Deposit of Faith - that is, this is the Tradition of the Church. It is important for our purposes to understand that the teachings that have always been accepted and taught form the ordinary magesterium proper. As we will see, the pope's second level of infallibility is subject to the Deposit of Faith as it has always been accepted and taught.
The Ordinary Magesterium of the Roman Pontiff includes Papal writings, such as encyclicals and exhortations, and audiences. Infallibility does cover the ordinary magesterium of the Roman Pontiff. That is, the pope's writings and audiences are infallible (when he is teaching on faith or morals) when certain conditions are met and when those conditions are met, the people must submit to the teaching (with a true act of faith) as no one can deny what has been revealed by God. When the conditions for infallibility are not met, people must still respect the teaching, but are not bound to believe it under pain of anathema.
So, what constitutes an exercise of the ordinary magesterium of the Roman Pontiff wherein we must make an act of faith in that teaching? Basically, any time the Pope teaches something that has already been accepted and taught, this is an infallible teaching. He need not use any "magic words" to invoke his infallibility. For example, the famous encyclical Humane Vitae was not an ex cathedra statement of the Church's teaching regarding birth control. It was a restatement of the ordinary magesterium of the Church - the Pope did not teach this anew, but stated what has already been taught. View it this way: The infallibility does not flow from the fact that the Pope is writing it, but from the fact that it is part of the Deposit of Faith. In the same way, if Pope Paul VI had stated that birth control was allowable, despite being written by a Pope, this would not be an infallible statement because it incorrectly states the teaching of the Church!
Therefore, we can see that, when the Pope teaches that which has always been taught, we must assent to that teaching with a true act of faith. When the Pope teaches anything else, we must respect the teaching unless it is harmful or leads to sin.
The Third Level of Papal Teaching - The Non-Infallible Papal Teaching
The third level of teaching, the non-infallible teaching, is actually that which is set out above. When the pope engages in teaching that is not ex cathedra and not in accord with the existing ordinary magesterium, the teaching is not infallible. The Pope can simply express his views on this or that particular subject (as our current Holy Father has done in his books on the life of Christ).
Conclusion
We must understand the Ordinary Magesterium of the Church as being separate from the non-infallible teachings else we may fall into error. We must believe that which has always been taught and throw out innovation that does not comport with the Deposit of Faith.
We are subject to the office of the Papacy (Vatican I, Session 4, Chapter 3). We owe filial affection and support to our Holy Father, the Pope of Rome, and we are not in a place to judge him, including his actions or his teachings. He has the care of the Church to consider whereas we have only our own souls and the souls of those entrusted to our care.
In our devotion to the Holy Father and the Church, though, we must also have affection and devotion to previous Popes and the unchanging teaching of the Magesterium, which is infallible and must be believed.
3 comments:
Marc,
Is there still another level of authority, which should perhaps fit between the second and the third? By this I mean what might be called authoritative administrative decisions. These would be decisions that are taken by papal authority, but which have nothing to do with the teaching of faith and morals, and hence are non-infallible and even open to criticism (though, given the Petrine office, the criticism should be respectful). The example I have in mind is the promulgation of the NO Mass.
Ah! See there: you are committing the error that prompted me to write this post -- you are confusing authority with infallibility!
I have set out the levels of infallibility. According to Vatican I, the Pope always has the authority you are talking about. So, you then apply the principles o infallibility to the use o authority.
Here are two canons from Vatican I, followed by some of my analysis:
"Both clergy and faithful, of whatever rite and dignity, both singly and collectively, are bound to submit to this power by the duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience, and this not only in matters concerning faith and morals, but also in those which regard the discipline and government of the Church throughout the world."
"That apostolic primacy which the Roman Pontiff possesses as successor of Peter, the prince of the apostles, includes also the supreme power of teaching."
Note that the doctrine on infallible teaching is dealt with separately from the doctrine on authority. The threefold roles to teach, govern, and sanctify are related but separate. Teaching can be infallible. Governance involves authority. Where teaching informs governance, infallibility seems to come into play.
If you have some other thoughts or materials, I'm intrigued to keep studying this.
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