The Infallibility of the Church. Is the Pope Infallible? Is the Church Infallible? Are Catholic Bishops Infallible? What are the Limits of Infallibility?
Is it true that the Church is infallible when it comes to her teaching? How is this so, and what are the limits and circumstances of this infallibility?
Demonstration from Holy Scripture
Matthew 16:18-19 – “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (NABRE)
Luke 10:16 – “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” (NABRE)
John 14:26 – “The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” (NABRE)
John 16:12-15 – “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” (NABRE)
1 Timothy 3:15 – “But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” (NABRE)
Ephesians 1:22-23 – “And he put all things beneath [Christ’s] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.” (NABRE)
2 Thessalonians 2:15 – “Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.”
Acts 15:2-28 – “Because there arose no little dissension and debate by Paul and Barnabas with them, it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and presbyters about this question. They were sent on their journey by the church… When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, as well as by the apostles and the presbyters, and they reported what God had done with them… The apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter. After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them, “My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the holy Spirit just as he did us… It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God… Then the apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole church, decided to choose representatives and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas… “The apostles and the presbyters, your brothers, to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of Gentile origin: greetings…‘It is the decision of the holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities…’” (NABRE)
The Fathers and Doctors of the Church
Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas, ST II-II, q.5, a.3
“I answer that, Neither living nor lifeless faith remains in a heretic who disbelieves one article of faith. The reason of this is that the species of every habit depends on the formal aspect of the object, without which the species of the habit cannot remain. Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently whoever does not adhere, as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy Writ, has not the habit of faith, but holds that which is of faith otherwise than by faith. Even so, it is evident that a man whose mind holds a conclusion without knowing how it is proved, has not scientific knowledge, but merely an opinion about it. Now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, as to an infallible rule, assents to whatever the Church teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adheres to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will. Hence it is evident that a heretic who obstinately disbelieves one article of faith, is not prepared to follow the teaching of the Church in all things; but if he is not obstinate, he is no longer in heresy but only in error. Therefore it is clear that such a heretic with regard to one article has no faith in the other articles, but only a kind of opinion in accordance with his own will.”
Against Heresies, St. Irenaeus, 3, 4, 1 [inter A.D. 180/199]
“When, therefore, we have such proofs, it is not necessary to seek among others the truth which is easily obtained from the Church. For the Apostles, like a rich man in a bank, deposited with her most copiously everything which pertains to the truth; and everyone whosoever wishes draws from her the drink of life. For she is the entrance to life while all the rest are thieves and robbers. That is why it is surely necessary to avoid them, while cherishing with the utmost diligence the things pertaining to the Church, and to lay hold of the tradition of truth. What then? If there should be a dispute over some kind of question, ought we not have recourse to the most ancient Churches in which the Apostles were familiar, and draw from them what is clear and certain in regard to that question? What if the Apostles had not in fact left writings to us? Would it not be necessary to follow the order of tradition, which was handed down to those to whom they entrusted the Churches?” (WJ 213)
The Demurrer Against the Heretics, Tertullian, 28, 1 [ca. A. D. 200]
“Grant, then, that all have erred; that the Apostle was mistaken in bearing witness; that the Holy Spirit had no such consideration for any one Church as to lead it into truth, although He was sent for that purpose by Christ, who had asked the Father to make Him the Teacher of truth; that the Steward of God and Vicar of Christ neglected His office, and permitted the Churches for a time to understand otherwise and to believe otherwise than He Himself had preached through the Apostles: now, is it likely that so many and such great Churches should have gone astray into a unity of faith?” (WJ 295)
Letter of Cyprian to Cornelius of Rome, St. Cyprian of Carthage, 59 (55), 14 [A. D. 252]
“With a false bishop appointed for themselves by heretics, they dare even to set sail and carry letters from schismatics and blasphemers to the chair of Peter and to the principal Church, in which sacerdotal unity has its source; nor did they take thought that these are Romans, whose faith was praised by the preaching Apostle, and among whom it is not possible for perfidy to have entrance.” (WJ 580)
Against the Letter of Mani called “The Foundation”, St. Augustine of Hippo, 5, 6 [A. D. 397]
“If you should find someone who does not yet believe in the Gospel, what would you answer him when he says: ‘I do not believe’? Indeed, I would not believe in the Gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church did not influence me to do so.” (WJ 1581)
The Magisterium of the Church - the Creeds, Conciliar declarations, Popes, other organs of the Magisterium.
Letter Διά τάς αἰφνιδίους to the Corinthians, Clement I of Rome [A. D. 96]
“(Chap. 59, no. 1) But if some are disobedient to what has been said by him [Christ] through us, let them know that they will ensnare themselves in not a little error and danger. (2) But we shall be free from this sin.”
“(Chap. 63, no. 2) For you will give us joy and gladness if by obedience to what we have written through the Holy Spirit, you get rid of that uncontrolled anger of your envy in accord with the request we have made in this letter for the sake of peace and harmony.” (DZ 102)
Council of Ephesus, Session 6 of the Supporters of Cyril, preserving the Nicene Creed [July 22, 431]
“… The holy council decided that no one is allowed to profess or else to compose or devise a faith other than that defined by the holy Fathers gathered together at Nicaea with the Holy Spirit…” (DZ 265)
Syllabus of Pius IX: A Collection of Errors Proscribed in Diverse Documents of Pius IX, V.22 [December 8, 1864]
“The obligation by which Catholic teachers and writers are absolutely bound is restricted to those matters only that are proposed by the infallible judgment of the Church to be believed by all as dogmas of faith [cf. *2879].” (DZ 2922)
First Vatican Council, Session 3: Dogmatic Constitution Dei Filius on the Catholic Faith [April 24, 1870]
“For the doctrine of faith that God has revealed has not been proposed like a philosophical system to be perfected by human ingenuity; rather, it has been committed to the spouse of Christ as a divine trust to be faithfully kept and infallibly declared. Hence also that meaning of the sacred dogmas is perpetually to be retained which our Holy Mother Church has once declared, and there must never be a division from that meaning on the specious ground and title of a more profound understanding [can. 3]. ‘Therefore, let there be growth and abundant progress in understanding, knowledge, and wisdom, in each and all, in individuals and in the whole Church, at all times and in the progress of ages, but only within the proper limits, i.e., within the same dogma, the same meaning, the same judgment.’’ (DZ 3020)
Second Vatican Council: Public Session 5, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium ch.1, 12 [November 21, 1964]
“… The entire body of the faithful, anointed as they are by the Holy One [cf. 1 Jn 2:20, 27], cannot err in matters of belief. They manifest this special property by means of the whole peoples’ supernatural discernment in matters of faith when “from the bishops down to the last of the lay faithful” they show universal agreement in matters of faith and morals. That discernment in matters of faith is aroused and sustained by the Spirit of truth. It is exercised under the guidance of the sacred teaching authority, in faithful and respectful obedience to which the people of God accepts that which is not just the word of men but truly the word of God [cf. 1 Thess 2:13]. Through it, the people of God adheres unwaveringly to the faith given once and for all to the saints [cf. Jude 3] penetrates it more deeply with right thinking, and applies it more fully in its life.”
(DZ 4130)
Paul VI; Declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Mysterium ecclesiae [June 24, 1973]
“… God, who is absolutely infallible, thus deigned to bestow upon his new people, which is the Church, a certain shared infallibility, which is restricted to matters of faith and morals, which is present when the whole people of God unhesitatingly holds a point of doctrine pertaining to these matters, and finally which always depends upon the wise providence and anointing of the grace of the Holy Spirit, who leads the Church into all truth until the glorious coming of her Lord…” (DZ 4531)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
CCC 85 – “‘The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ.’ This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.”
CCC 86 – “Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith.”
CCC 88 – “The Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.”
CCC 92 – “The whole body of the faithful. . . cannot err in matters of belief. This characteristic is shown in the supernatural appreciation of faith (sensus fidei) on the part of the whole people, when, from the bishops to the last of the faithful, they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals.”
CCC 889 – “In order to preserve the Church in the purity of the faith handed on by the apostles, Christ who is the Truth willed to confer on her a share in his own infallibility. By a ‘supernatural sense of faith’ the People of God, under the guidance of the Church’s living Magisterium, ‘unfailingly adheres to this faith.’”
CCC 890 – “The mission of the Magisterium is linked to the definitive nature of the covenant established by God with his people in Christ. It is this Magisterium’s task to preserve God’s people from deviations and defections and to guarantee them the objective possibility of professing the true faith without error. Thus, the pastoral duty of the Magisterium is aimed at seeing to it that the People of God abides in the truth that liberates. To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the Church’s shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals. The exercise of this charism takes several forms:”
CCC 891 – “The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals… The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,” above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine “for belief as being divinely revealed,” and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions “must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.” This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.
CCC 892 – “Divine assistance is also given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a ‘definitive manner,’ they propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary teaching the faithful ‘are to adhere to it with religious assent’ which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it.”
Summary of the Teaching
The Church is infallible when teaching on faith and morals. This infallibility is expressed in four particular ways: The sensus fidei or the sense of the faithful where the entire church, in concert with the bishops and the Pope, agree on a matter of faith and morals; the Ordinary and Universal Magisterium which is the consistent teaching of the Church over time; When the bishops in union with the Pope express a teaching in matters of faith and morals often in an ecumenical council; and when the Pope speaks “Ex Cathedra” or pronounces a decree from the chair of Peter that must be adhered to by the faithful. As faithful Catholics, we owe our religious assent and belief to these pronouncements of the Church. If we disagree with even one, we no longer have faith in the Church, but merely agree with some of the things she proposes. Faith requires us to assent to everything the Church proposes for our belief. The belief in the infallibility of the Church comes from Jesus’s promise that the powers of Hell shall not overcome the Church in Matthew 16:18.
My Question
We are dangerously close at times to approaching a sensus fidei on matters that the Church has defined as heretical. Examples would be contraception, Arianism, etc.… is there a hierarchy of the four ways in which the Church can express her charism of infallibility? The Arian heresy was believed by most of the Church, including the majority of her bishops. If the Church were to express something heretical, would the Ordinary and Universal Magisterium prevent it? Is there anything in Cannon Law that would address how to handle these types of situations or perceived situations?