How can the Pope be infallible, if different Popes contradict each other?

Answer 1

LOL!!! Funny dude!!!

Answer 2

"Infallibility" is misunderstood by many folks. Believe me, the Pope would probably be the first one to admit that he's fallible...or imperfect. The doctrine deals exclusively with official teachings of the Church...not any particular person.

The Church teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, for example. That would be an infallible dogma.

Priests not being allowed to marry is not infallible...it is a tradition (and some other things) and any Pope can change this if he wants to.

This doctrine was defined dogmatically in the First Vatican Council of 1870. In Catholic theology, papal infallibility is one of the channels of the Infallibility of the Church. Papal infallibility does not signify that the Pope is impeccable, i.e., that he is specially exempt from liability to sin.

In reality, the pope seldom uses his power of infallibility. The last time an infallible doctrine was declared was in 1950 when Mary's assumption into heaven was proclaimed an article of faith. In other words, rather than being some mystical power of the pope, infallibility means the Church allows the office of the pope to be the ruling agent in deciding what will be accepted as formal beliefs in the Church.

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

Fundamentalist Christian denominations use their leaders' version of "infallibility" when they declare something like "The Bible is sole authority on and literally the Word of God." If they didn't, they would have to concede that their beliefs and teachings are prone to error.

Finally, no Popes have ever disagreed on any of the few matters that qualify as "infallible." We leave that up to the Protestants.

Answer 3

in case you seem intently on the matters, you will see that certainly all popes are in contract with one yet another in concerns that fall under infallibility. In what way do you think of the popes do no longer agree on limbo and purgatory? There could be statements made in inner maximum conversations or correspondence, yet those are no longer teachings speaking "ex cathedra." The doctrine of infallibility replace into proclaimed in 1870, yet like a number of dogma, the certainty contained therein has been element of the Catholic faith ever via fact the time of the apostles. you may already see the primacy of Peter between the apostles in concerns of doctrine interior the hot testomony, and all in the time of Church history. The proclamation of a dogma would not replace nor upload to the religion, yet states something that replace into already contained interior the religion as Christ surpassed it over to the Apostles.

Answer 4

First of all - get real.

SEcond of all, the church doesn't claim the Pope is infallible on all matters. There are only certain pronouncements a Pope makes that are considered infallible. No Pope had made on infallible statement since 1950.

Third, if they've had to contradict each other on infallible matters, then surely the first pope just got the dictation from god wrong.

Answer 5

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.

Most of what Popes say is not infallible.

With love in Christ.

Answer 6

In reality they are not infallible. Their infallibility is self-proclaimed. If I claim I am infallible, that does not make it so. And the contradiction between popes is, as you imply, one proof that they are not infallible.

If God proclaimed them infallible, that WOULD be proof. Although the apostles were infallible, and the popes claim a chain of succession from the apostle Peter, nothing in the Word of God (the bible) indicates that Peter's successors would also be infallible.

Answer 7

The Pope isn't infallible.

Answer 8

One of the beauty of the Pope's infallibility is that who ever questions it gets a direct ticket to hell.
You might want to think about that.

Answer 9

Part of being infallible is the right to contradict. Each Pope has the right to contradict a previous Pope, just as God has the right to contradict himself, something he said before.
Infallibility means right of contradiction.

Answer 10

He can't. And they do -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Just compare the bull Unam Sanctam to the Vatican II document Unitatis Redintegratio.

You want a full study by a Catholic dissenter, read the book that got Hans Kung expelled from his chair at Tubingen -- "Infallible? An Inquiry."

Answer 11

I wonder if you really want to know.

Infallibility only applies in matters of Faith and Morals, and then, only when spoken 'ex cathedra'. Popes don't contradict each other when they do that. This is a special protection provided by God for His Church. It's no more strange than the protection He provides for His WORD in the Scriptures.