Question about the Pope?

Question

Why is it that the Pope is supposed to be considered infallible? After all, the Pope is just a man like any other. If he truly makes a mistake, what happens? Is the Pope considered a sinner or does he have special priviledges on that too?

I'm well aware of what infallibility means. I know it doesn't have anything to do with sinning. That was a seperate question. Thanks though.

Answer 1

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 is called "ex cathedra", literally meaning in Latin "from the chair".

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.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 891: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p4.htm#891

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The pope is supposed to be God's chosen leader for those of the faith. Don't forget that the entire church has been controlled by the Italians for centuries. No man is perfect or without sin and likewise no man is beyond redemption if they really seek it with a pure heart. The last century has seen all faiths turn from duty to self serving goals. Most religions now look at the collection of wealth than the collection of souls. Find Your own beliefs and do not be afraid of the future or so naive as to believe anyone infallible.

Answer 3

The Pope can exercise the "power of the keys" in making what is called an infallible pronouncement which is binding on the universal (catholic) Church. Infallibility means that the Pope is preserved from error when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful, he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith and morals.

Infallibility does not mean that the Pope cannot sin. The Holy Father goes to the Sacrament of Confession frequently and acknowledges his sinfulness at Mass when he says "I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters . . . " and again when he washes his hands prior to the Eucharistic prayer while asking God to "wash away my iniquity, cleanse me from my sins." Likewise, infallibility does not mean that the Pope cannot make a mistake when he talks about mathematics, science, or some other nonreligious matter.

To teach infallibly, the Pope must be teaching on faith or morals; he must speak with his full authority as the Successor of Peter and head of the universal Church on earth; he must make a final pronouncement on a doctrine at issue, and he must bind all the faithful to accept his teaching or fall away entirely from the divine and Catholic faith. Personal correspondence, even that in which a sensitive issue is addressed, is not infallible because it is not meant to bind all the faithful.

That Jesus intended to preserve Peter and his successors from error can be found in our Lord's statement to Peter "whatever you bind on earth will be (have been) bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be (have been) loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19, NIV [parenthesis contain footnoted interpretations from NIV text])

Jesus would hardly give approval in heaven to bad decisions by Popes on earth, so He provided protection against this happening. And what was this protection? It can be found in Matthew 28:20 where Jesus promised that "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (KJV) and again in John 14:16-17 where Our Lord says "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth" (NIV). This Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, has been with the Catholic Church since Pentecost. History shows that during the past almost 2,000 years, no Pope has ever made a false pronouncement on faith or morals. No dogma has ever been changed. Some have been refined to provide better definition, but the core thrust and effect of the dogmatic statement has never changed.

Answer 4

I see that you have no grasp of the concept. Let me help you.

Infallibility is not the absence of sin. Nor is it a charism that belongs only to the pope. Indeed, infallibility also belongs to the body of bishops as a whole, when, in doctrinal unity with the pope, they solemnly teach a doctrine as true. We have this from Jesus himself, who promised the apostles and their successors the bishops, the magisterium of the Church: "He who hears you hears me" (Luke 10:16), and "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven" (Matt. 18:18).

"Although the individual bishops do not enjoy the prerogative of infallibility, they can nevertheless proclaim Christ’s doctrine infallibly. This is so, even when they are dispersed around the world, provided that while maintaining the bond of unity among themselves and with Peter’s successor, and while teaching authentically on a matter of faith or morals, they concur in a single viewpoint as the one which must be held conclusively. This authority is even more clearly verified when, gathered together in an ecumenical council, they are teachers and judges of faith and morals for the universal Church. Their definitions must then be adhered to with the submission of faith" (Lumen Gentium 25).



Guess how many infallible statements have ever been made?

Answer 5

According to "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Catholicism": "In reality, the pope seldom uses his power of infallibility......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. Since the 1870 solemn declaration of Papal Infallibility by Vatican I, this power has been used only once: in 1950 when Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary as being an article of faith for Roman Catholics.

Answer 6

He isn't considered infallible in general. Obviously if he walks out on his balcony and announces to the masses that the moon is made out of green cheese, that is incorrect.

He is only infallible when he speaks "Ex cathedra" which is Latin for "from the chair." I think that refers to his official chair that he sits in when he makes official Church policy.

And the pope doesn't just decide by himself to announce some Church teaching ex cathedra. He usually has lots of input from the men around him in the Vatican, and contrary to popular belief, maybe, there are some wise and caring men in the Vatican.

So his "infallible" statements are rare. Not many Church members realize that much Church doctrine -- birth control and homosexuality, for examples -- are not ex cathedra. And in matters that are not ex cathedra, a member of the Catholic Church is always, ALWAYS more bound to follow his conscience than Church doctrine.

The reason ex cathedra pronouncements are so rare is because that is the only time that the pope says the information he is presenting is from God Himself, and therefore infallible.

Answer 7

The Bible speaks of only one abiding, "tangible," infallible guide left by God for His church. It is the written word of God, not an infallible leader (2 Timothy 3:15-17). And as He gave the Holy Spirit to bear holy men along in the writing of those Scriptures (2 Peter 1:19-21), so He has given His Holy Spirit to indwell, fill, guide, and gift members of His church today for the purpose of directing His church through the proper interpretation of that written word (1 Corinthians 12; 14; Ephesians 4:11-16). That there are schisms and false teachings today should be no surprise, for the Bible also warns us that there would be false teachers who would twist the written word (2 Peter 3:16) and that these false teachers would arise from within the churches (Acts 20:30). Therefore, the believers were to turn to God and the "word of His grace" for their guidance (Acts 20:32), determining the truth not by WHO said it, but by comparing it with the gospel already received by the early church, the gospel recorded for us in Scripture (Galatians 1:8-9; see also Acts 17:11).

Recommended Resource: The Gospel According to Rome: Comparing Catholic Tradition and The Word of God by James McCarthy.

Answer 8

There is no Bible reason for that belief.

In fact the first Pope to claim infallibility did not claim it until about 1870.

So a fallible Pope claimed to be infallible in 1870 and some very gullible people believed him.

Very sad.

Many Popes have been murderers.

So I suspect that there won't be very many Pope in heaven.

Pastor Art

Answer 9

You'll get a better answer than this one, but I think he's looked upon as being inspired by God and is able to speak for God as a sort of prophet...

I really only answered so i could toss in my favorite pope link:
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb62/Randall_Fleck/PopeJohnPaul_GIF.gif

[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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Answer 10

Well because he is the highest point you can get to God before you die,But remember even the pope can make mistakes sometimes.