Catholic Disagree with pope?

[Iron Lion]

Hi, I have a question, Can one be a committed catholic and yet disagree with things the pope says? Whats does the church teach about this?

thanks

 

[geocajun]

Yes, the pope isn't always establishing doctrines or even speaking doctrinally when he talks. Often times he is expressing his opinion or prudential judgments. We aren't required to agree with any of these things, but we are required to give our religious assent to all catholic doctrines.

 

[Iron Lion]

How do you know when hes speaking for the church or himself?

 

[Tigg]

When he speaks ex cathedra, must obey, believe.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05677a.htm

On infallibility :

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07790a.htm

It is well to listen up when he does speak. He is a teacher to put it mildly.

-Peace-

 

[geocajun]

How do you know when hes speaking for the church or himself?

It's usually apparent in the language he uses, but when you have questions about a particular thing a pope said then you can take it to a catechist or a cleric.

 

[FullyMT]

Yes, sometimes, depending on what it is you're disagreeing with and why (there is always room for private dissent, but it has to be well informed and you shouldn't make it public).

Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his introduction to his recent book "Jesus of Nazareth" that people may be free to disagree with most his theological viewpoints because he was writing it as a theologian and not as the Bishop of Rome (although he was the Bishop of Rome when he wrote it)

 

[thereselittleflower]

Hi, I have a question, Can one be a committed catholic and yet disagree with things the pope says? Whats does the church teach about this?

thanks

It depends on what you are talking about.

If it is on a matter that is not about faith and morals, such as science, politics, etc, without touching on faith and morals, then yes, we are free to disagree.

If it is on a matter of faith and morals, which involves the teaching of the Church, then no. A Catholic cannot disagree with a pope for then one would be disagreeing with, and thus opposing, Church teaching itself, which is presented to us as part of the All Truth given the Apostles, the Deposit of faith.

Those Catholics who do oppose the Pope in such matters put themselves outside of full communion with the Holy See, though they can very well remain in some sort of communion with the Holy See and thus Catholic though not committed to the fullness of truth.

Whether or not they can be said to still be committed Catholics depends on a lot we cannot see = what is in their hearts, which only God can know absent His revealing one's heart to another. We don't know what is going on in their hearts.

All we can do is say that if one is opposing Church teaching, then one is not in full communion with the Holy See.

A simplistic illustration would be that the Church draws a circle for us, and within that circle is a place of spiritual safety. Outside that circle we leave the saftey the Church provides for us. Many try to have one foot in and one foot out, but the more we play in the area outside of this circle, the more likely we are to be drawn more and more outside of this circle and then eventually leave it altogether.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Yep..it all depends.
If the Pope says the sunset is orange but you say red... eh. [just a mild example of what an opinion is]

Mostly it is the doctrines and dogma's that we adhere to.
Otherwise outside of those...he has his opinions like everyone else.

 

[plainswolf]

Yes, the pope isn't always establishing doctrines or even speaking doctrinally when he talks. Often times he is expressing his opinion or prudential judgments. We aren't required to agree with any of these things, but we are required to give our religious assent to all catholic doctrines.

What Geo said..

 

[thereselittleflower]

Yes, the pope isn't always establishing doctrines or even speaking doctrinally when he talks. Often times he is expressing his opinion or prudential judgments. We aren't required to agree with any of these things, but we are required to give our religious assent to all catholic doctrines.

Which would mean Catholics can't go around opposing Catholic teaching saying the Church is wrong or that scripture which upholds Catholic teaching is wrong . . . .

 

[geocajun]

Which would mean Catholics can't go around opposing Catholic teaching saying the Church is wrong or that scripture which upholds Catholic teaching is wrong . . . .

Someone give this girl a cookie.

 

[WarriorAngel]

......well.....

Moving along.

I hope your question was answered.