The Pope teaches that he is infallible. He was wrong about Galileo. Is the Pope still infallible?

Question

Galileo was ultimately punished for teaching that the earth revolves around the sun. His punishment was house arrest for the remainder of his life. We know that galileo was right and therefor the pope was wrong and not infallible.(incapable of being wrong) This is only one example in the case for or against the question of Papal infallibility.

Answer 1

Great question. Sadly, you will never get a straight answer from the Catholic apologists, pr agents and spin doctors on this subject.

Some will claim that procedural matters such as being seated in a chair are required in order for a statement of the Pope to be infallible- a laughable, simplistic and ultimately incorrect response.

Others, will claim that infallibility only operates when the Pope is in some magical "union" with his bishops and the church and states what he says is true- again a misinformed and deliberately spun incorrect response.

To get the truth, let us look at the specific effects of the actual document Pope Pius IX published- the Papal Bull Pastor aeternus in 1871:

(Par #11) "...that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra, i.e., when exercising his office as pastor and teacher of all Christians he defines, by his supreme apostolic authority, a doctrine of faith or morals which must be held by the universal Church, enjoys, through the divine assistance, that infallibility promised to him in blessed Peter and with which the divine Redeemer wanted his Church to be endowed in defining doctrine of faith and morals; and therefore that the definitions of the same Roman Pontiff are irreformable of themselves and not from the consent of the Church.

(Par 12) If anyone should presume to contradict this definition of ours - may God prevent this happening -, let him be anathema.

(See: Full Papal Bull
http://www.womenpriests.org/church/pastor.asp

So it is pretty clear by the Papal Bull that was used to create the concept of Papal Infallibility that the Pope is generally infallible on virtually all matters- unless he expressely states it as his own personal opinion- an extremely rare event.

So you are correct in that the Galileo example shows the popes are far from infallible. But unfortunately, this does not stop the Vatican from claiming the Pope above all human laws and above all humans.

Jesus was human and never claimed to be infallible...

Answer 2

You are misinformed about the Church's error in the Galileo case. First all, you should know that the Pope is only infallible in matters of faith and morals.

The decisions in the Galileo case were disciplinary or procedural, not doctrinal matters at all, even though some individuals in the Church at the time thought they were. The infallibility of the Church attaches to its officially proclaimed dogmas, such as Christ’s two natures or Mary’s Immaculate Conception. These are matters of the highest authority. The Church cannot be wrong in these matters. But in matters of empirical science or anything that is not what is called de fide, the Church can and has made many reversals. If these had been matters of dogma, the Church could not have reversed itself.

The pursuit of knowledge is always a humbling process. And that is good, because humility is one of the greatest virtues.

Peace and every blessing!

Answer 3

Galileo expounded on the heliocentric theory of Copernicus and Copernicus' chief patron was the Catholic Church. Galileo got in trouble for being very insulting towards the Pope and the Catholic faith. Galileo also went one step further and said that the fact that the Earth went around the Sun proved the Bible was not accurate and not the Word of God. Look at all the controversy over creationism and evolution and you will ge the idea.

Papal infallibility states that when the Pope is teaching on matters of faith and morals as the head of the catholic Church, and in conjunction with all of the bishops, the Holy Spirit keeps him from teaching error.

Papal infallibility does not mean that the Pope is never wrong.

Answer 4

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 wrong or sinful as you and me and be in need of forgiveness.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

i think of there is something that asserts the pope is infallible and however the Catholic church have many human beings seek for advice from and do analyze into new doctrines and suggestions that the pope endorses. My factor it that it is not constantly the pope who comes up with the assumption of a clean ingredient interior the Catholic church, purely while this is been studied and authorized by using many. i'm no longer a Catholic by using any potential yet I even have enjoyed those I even have met in my time in the international. i desire this answer facilitates you.

Answer 6

Below is the definition of papal infallibility. Your assignment is to demonstrate that:

1) the earth revolving around the sun is a matter of faith or morals, and not of science;

and that

2) a pope has defined as doctrine that the earth does not revolve around the sun.

Good luck!

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"...we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable."

Answer 7

Another person who knows very little about the concept of papal infallibility the Pope is only infallible when he speaks from the chair of St.Peter (Ex Cathedra), only twice has the pope done this, and Galileo's incident was not one of them. Also infallibility only applies on matters of faith and morals.

Please read something on infallibility before you go on your anti-catholic tirade.

Answer 8

The pope was then and is now an idiot. That's what happens when people deify a mere human and elevate him to god-status without questioning anything.
People today (catholics) still believe the pope is God's "vicar" or direct representative on earth. Whoever heard of confessing your sins to some man hidden in a box who claims to have authority to forgive and absolve a person of their sins? Christ and Christ alone has that authority.
Galileo should've pissed in the pope's face.

Answer 9

That is a "straw dummy statement". Roman Catholism is not
American Protestantism. They are far apart. Galileo was a strong Bible Christian thats why he was persecuted by the Roman Catholics who are idolatrous and superstitious. Roman Catholism is classified "False Cults" invaders in America along with the evolutionist religion of "no god" and
all the eastern religions comprising between 3o to 40% population.

Answer 10

Unlike Zeus, Amon Ra, and Thor, this "Pope" figure IS NOT infallible!