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Almost everything that a pope says is not. Pope Francis has never—not so far—taught anything infallibly. It’s possible he could, but I doubt he will. Pius X didn’t, Benedict XV didn’t, nor did Pius XI, John XXIII, John Paul I, or Benedict XVI. Pius IX taught the Immaculate Conception infallibly (Ineffabilis Deus, 1854); he also promulgated Vatican I infallibly. Pius XII taught the Assumption infallibly (Munificentissimus Deus, 1950).
Paul VI promulgated Vatican II infallibly. John Paul II taught the restriction of the priesthood to men infallibly (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, 1994). That’s it, if you enumerate from Pius IX forward.
I know that some will dispute the presence of Vatican II and Ordinatio Sacerdotalis on this list. This is not the place to defend my inclusion of them—that will be later in the series. My point for now is that the list of infallible teachings since Vatican I is small. Contrary to what some of my critics want to believe, I am not a “papal positivist.” It was false witness then, it is false witness now, it will remain false witness no matter how long Mr. Sammons’ post remains uncorrected.
NARROW CRITERIA.
Be that as it may, it is worth reviewing the narrow criteria of infallibility, as that dogma was defined in 1870:
The pope must speak ex cathedra—invoking his authority a supreme teacher of the faith.
The pope must define a doctrine, or a dogma, concerning faith or morals.
The pope must bind the entire Church to this teaching.
Almost nothing qualifies. Popes say a lot; you can count on one hand the number of times infallibility has been exercised in 175 years. When Pope Francis said “Who am I to judge?” he was not infallible. Even when you interpret that statement correctly—and most people don’t—he was not infallible. None of Benedict XVI’s social justice encyclicals are infallible. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body is not infallible. Humanae Vitae is not infallible. Nothing that John XXIII taught is infallible. When a pope gives a homily, or teaches at a Wednesday audience, or speaks to a reporter, or engages in small talk during breakfast, or screams obscenities after stubbing his toe, he does not speak infallibly.
It’s possible, of course, that Pope Francis could utter an infallible sentence during breakfast. If he turns to his secretary of state and says, “Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity,” that’s infallible. But it is infallible only insofar as the original source of that teaching is infallible—not because the pope said it while eating an English muffin.
THE POPE IS NOT INFALLIBLE.
Continued below.
henryscottalt.com
Paul VI promulgated Vatican II infallibly. John Paul II taught the restriction of the priesthood to men infallibly (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, 1994). That’s it, if you enumerate from Pius IX forward.
I know that some will dispute the presence of Vatican II and Ordinatio Sacerdotalis on this list. This is not the place to defend my inclusion of them—that will be later in the series. My point for now is that the list of infallible teachings since Vatican I is small. Contrary to what some of my critics want to believe, I am not a “papal positivist.” It was false witness then, it is false witness now, it will remain false witness no matter how long Mr. Sammons’ post remains uncorrected.
NARROW CRITERIA.
Be that as it may, it is worth reviewing the narrow criteria of infallibility, as that dogma was defined in 1870:
The pope must speak ex cathedra—invoking his authority a supreme teacher of the faith.
The pope must define a doctrine, or a dogma, concerning faith or morals.
The pope must bind the entire Church to this teaching.
Almost nothing qualifies. Popes say a lot; you can count on one hand the number of times infallibility has been exercised in 175 years. When Pope Francis said “Who am I to judge?” he was not infallible. Even when you interpret that statement correctly—and most people don’t—he was not infallible. None of Benedict XVI’s social justice encyclicals are infallible. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body is not infallible. Humanae Vitae is not infallible. Nothing that John XXIII taught is infallible. When a pope gives a homily, or teaches at a Wednesday audience, or speaks to a reporter, or engages in small talk during breakfast, or screams obscenities after stubbing his toe, he does not speak infallibly.
It’s possible, of course, that Pope Francis could utter an infallible sentence during breakfast. If he turns to his secretary of state and says, “Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity,” that’s infallible. But it is infallible only insofar as the original source of that teaching is infallible—not because the pope said it while eating an English muffin.
THE POPE IS NOT INFALLIBLE.
Continued below.
Not everything a pope says is infallible. [Part 3.2 of a series.]
Almost everything a pope says is not infallible, but some people treat infallibility as though it's inscribed in a pope's DNA.
henryscottalt.com
