Roman Catholics, nothing snarky, just a question?

Question

If a person within the RCC doesn't believe a defined "dogma" of the Church (like papal infallibility for example), but keeps their opinion to themself, are they excommunicated; or do they have to publicly disagree with or defy the Church? Thanks for your answers.

Answer 1

I believe that questions of the circumstances under which excommunications take place are a matter of canon law, which I can't claim to know much about. However I'll give my personal thoughts on the matter.

As I understand it, a dogma is an essential part of the Faith. Once a dogma is defined, it becomes indispensable, in no way optional. So logically, it seems to me that for someone to reject a defined dogma is to reject the Faith.

That being said, it's certainly possible for someone to adhere to the Faith, while at the same time experiencing difficulties with particular aspects of it. Someone said (maybe Newman?) that a thousand difficulties do not add up to a single doubt. Doubt may be defined as "uncertainty or mistrust". So someone can have difficulty with the doctrine of infallibility, while at the same time accepting it as certainly true, based on his trust in the Church, which in turn is based on his trust in Christ. The difficulty might consist of a failure to understand the doctrine, or a failure to comprehend how it can be true, or how it can work in practice. It may be a simple fear that one day he may be burned by it, if a pope ends up teaching error.

What I don't think a serious, devout Catholic can do, in good conscience, is harbor an outright rejection of the doctrine, even if he keeps it to himself. He can find it difficult to swallow, but he can't reject it outright, because that would constitute a lack of assent to the Faith. If you're going to choose which essential components you accept and which you reject, based on your own wisdom and judgment, then your faith is really not The Faith. Rather, it's something you are putting together on your own.

Answer 2

Hi,

You can have differences on many subject matters and even paple infallibility is still debated to this day since it only came about in the 1870's with a third of the college voting against it.

"Following the first Vatican Council, 1870, dissent, mostly among German, Austrian, and Swiss Catholics, arose over the definition of Papal Infallibility. The dissenters, holding the General Councils of the Church infallible, were unwilling to accept the dogma of Papal Infallibility, and thus a schism arose between them and the Church. Many of these Catholics formed independent communities in schism with Rome, which became known as the Old Catholic Churches.

A few present-day Catholics, including priests and bishops, refuse to accept papal infallibility as a matter of faith, such as the theologian Hans Küng, author of Infallible? An Inquiry, and historian Garry Wills, author of Papal Sin. Other Roman Catholics are apparently unfamiliar with the significance or meaning of the dogma. A recent (1989–1992) survey of Catholics from multiple countries (the USA, Austria, Canada, Ecuador, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Peru, Spain and Switzerland), aged 15 to 25 who may not yet fully understand the theology of infallibility, showed that 36.9% accepted the teaching on papal infallibility, 36.9% denied it, and 26.2% said they didn't know of it. (Source: Report on surveys of the International Marian Research Institute, by Johann G. Roten, S.M.)"

Here is the list for auto excommunication:

Automatic excommunication ("latae sententiae excommunication")
There are a few offenses for which Latin Rite Roman Catholics are automatically excommunicated:

1)Apostasy (canon 1364),

2)Heresy (canon 1364),

3)Schism (canon 1364),

4)Desecration of the Eucharist (canon 1367),

5)Physical violence against the Pope (canon 1370),

6)Attempted sacramental absolution of a partner in a sin against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue ("Thou shalt not commit adultery.") (canon 1378 §1),

7)Ordination of a bishop without papal mandate (canon 1382),
8)Direct violation of the sacramental seal of confession by a confessor (canon 1388),

9)Procurement of a completed abortion (canon 1398), or

10)Being a conspiring or necessary accomplice in any of the above (canon 1329).

Mike K

Answer 3

As Catholics, we are to strive to conform our consciences to the Church's teaching. You may not agree with a doctrine 100%, but it is best that we try to understand the Church's position and not openly position ourself against the Church. For myself, I have a problem with the Church's position on euthanasia. However, I know that my 2000 year old Church will not change, and that it is good and right that I change.

It's hard, but I work towards understanding and believing.

FWIW, papal infallability is NOT still open to discussion.

Answer 4

No. You would be a good Catholic (or Lutheran, or Anglican etc.) by maintaining the appearance of unity, and not stirring up crap. If the disagreement was contrary to faith and Scripture, such as denying the divinity of Christ; you would not be excommunicated by the Church if you did not make your apostasy known, but you sure-as-hell would not get into Heaven.

Mark

Answer 5

Must be a publicly professed heresy known as contrary to the RC dogma and persisted in after correction by the church

Answer 6

the two faiths ultimately have faith interior the comparable issues. they're the two Christian. the two faiths nicely known salvation with the aid of Christ's crucifixion, the two faiths have faith in an all-powerful god. Now the two disagree on the greater superficial factors of religion. maximum severely, baptists take the Bible because of the fact the literal and unquestionable be conscious of God. They study it therefor, that's real. Catholics study the Bible as regularly a metaphor, something that desires to be interpreted. to no longer diverse from fixing a riddle. This distinction in interpretation finally ends up in many diffused adjustments. Transubstantiation, by potential of St. Thomas Aquinas' reason, is a mix of theological interpretation and Aristotelian good judgment. Baptists reject transubstantiation, because of the fact that isn't any longer, be conscious for be conscious, interior the Bible. this theory is a fashion between the two faiths and on their disagreements. additionally worth of no longer, to boot he limitless somewhat diffused adjustments, their is a huge distinction between non secular tone amoung the two faiths. As i'm effective you could tell basically from the responces, Catholics look much less confrontational, together as the Baptists look greater agressive. This stands to reason that a faith that's based of absolutes would be slightly greater fanatical and much less accepting of adjustments. together as maximum of Catholicism slightly recognizes the smaller Protesant denominations. in certainty, maximum Europeans have never heard of a trendy Baptist. So thats relatively the conflict in a simplistic nut shell. i might additionally prefer to be conscious that the Catholic Church has an extremely effective relationship with Anglicans, Lutherans, and the jap Orthodox faiths. exciting to be conscious, none of those faiths take the Bible actually eather. a majority of those faiths have their disagreements, although that's often greater theological and much less fanatical, interior the trendy era besides. As a Catholic, I ought to declare that no faith is thoroughly good or thoroughly incorrect. and that i think of that's immportant and morally good to admire the Baptist faith, inspect their ideals and honor its finer factors together as rejecting is worse characteristics. i relatively desire all faiths ought to respectfully disagree, yet they cant.

Answer 7

We can definetly openly defy the church...only very few things will get excommunicated. Like priest in the molestion cases...excommunicated.

Answer 8

You really need to ask a Priest. I would guess that a large percentage of Catholics, including myself, would be on the outs if that was the literal interpretation.

Answer 9

I went to catholic school and they said you wouldn't be excommunicated, but recommended you search for the answer. They also said its OKAY to be curious

Answer 10

now excommunication is automatic no ceremony.

ex-catholic
atheist