''Popes are infallible''! But I thought only Jesus was infallible! what changed?

Answer 1

Catholicism . . . now you're catching on.

Answer 2

you don't quite have it right.

Jesus was infallible about everything.

The Apostle Peter (The First Pope) was the one Jesus chose to found his Church

When a Serious religious problem or question arises
As the Leader of Jesus's Church and the Heir of Peter

The Pope is the one who must Pray for guidence from God and make a decision for the Church when a decision is called for. He may ask advice from other human people but In these sorts of decisions there is no higher authority until Jesus's return.
The Pope can and does change decisions if they turn out to be bad ideas later (yes he can make a mistake he is human)
If Jesus Didn't want people following the guidence of a Pope why did he give Peter (the Apostle who made bad decisions like Denying Jesus) the task of founding the Chuch?

Answer 3

First, the principle of infallibility does not mean that the Pope is perfect or that the Pope is always right.

The principle of infallibility comes into play ONLY when the Pope is speaking Ex Cathedra, literally, 'From the Chair' which is the Throne of St. Peter. It also only applies after a convocation of the College of Cardinals to look at all available historical and present data and understanding that is had regarding the topic.

This understanding of infallibility is in fact scriptural, Matthew has the relevant passage, though I forget it off hand. It is the passage where they arrive at Caesara Phillipi and Jesus asks who the people say he is. In this passage, Jesus says to Peter, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the Kingdom of Hades will not prevail against it. To you I give the keys to the kingdom of Heaven and of Earth, what you Loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven." Many protestants will say that Jesus shifts the conjugation of his pronouns, meaning 'on this rock' meaning Jesus himself, not Peter, but this makes the passage meaningless, why would he spend soe much time addressing to Peter in 2nd person familiar for one momentary passage of 1st person?

Note also that Jesus doesn't say Peter will always be *RIGHT*... just that God will basically work it all out. This doctrine is important because if different groups came to understand the doctrine differently, there would be massive splits (witness the protestant reformation and over 30,000 registered Christian denominations in the USA alone). It was vital for unity of the Christians to have one voice and one authority, supported by the many.


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Kinda funny to be an atheist and understand all this and then see a bunch of protestants whining that they don't like authority.

Answer 4

Jesus changed the rules.

The Catholic Church teaches that the Pope is infallible at closely defined times.

The Pope is only infallible when he, in union with the body of bishops, solemnly teaches that a doctrine as true.

This comes from the words of Jesus to Peter (the first Pope) and the Apostles (the first bishops), "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matthew 18:18) and "He who hears you hears me" (Luke 10:16).

At all other times the Pope can be just as sinful as you and me and be in need of forgiveness.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

Popes are as infallible as Jesus. It's a fact. They are also as infallible as you or me. Unless, of course, you believe that something is true because the person saying it says it is true. In that case your infallibility (not to mention your bank account) will suffer.

Answer 6

Don't worry - that statment about popes is overused and misunderstood.

The doctrine of "papal infallibility" is only a couple of centuries old. What it states is that the pope can make an "infallible" teaching on matters of faith, but it has to be consciously and explicitly put forth in that way. It has only been used *twice,* once to declare that Mary was born without the stain of sin (Immaculate Conception) and once to state that Mary was assumed into heaven.

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J.P. has his details spot on correct. Thanks for the good answer!

Answer 7

Popes are not infallable, they thought of that when they came up with papel infallability. Only what he says is infallable and then it really means nothing more than you accept it or you will get yourself boiled in oil.

Answer 8

Many Christians believe that Catholics are in sin because of this. Nothing changed, it's a different breed.

By the way, Jesus was a human. Kinda like the Pope.

Answer 9

Popes are fallible...they are mere men who were elected by their peers so to say and mean nothing at all...Jesus is and was infallible always will be....He is due all honor and respect...I do not give a man not even a pope my honor ....I don't follow a pope....only Jesus

Answer 10

What changed was the gradual development of the concept of papal infallibility over 1500 years of Catholicism. That is, until the Reformation.

Answer 11

Good question. The papacy developed over hundreds of years. The concept of Papal Infallibility was adopted by Pius IX in the 19th century, the one who was so infallible that he lost his whole physical dominion to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy and died in misery.