What is the Protestant understanding of papal infallibility?

Question

Have you ever researched to find out if your understanding is true? Do you think that Catholic Christians believe the pope is incapable of sin? Do you believe that Catholic Christians believe that the pope is incapable of error?

C. L. Richardson,

The questions remain. Would you like to take a stab at answering them? To begin with, Catholics do not believe that the pope is incapable of sin and contrary to what you say Catholic Christians are well aware of this fact. The Bible clearly states that the authority of God rests in His Church and this Biblical fact is what Christ’s Church teaches

The offer to debate any Catholic dogma, doctrine or practice in a private forum open to the public stands if you feel you can support any of your prejudices and straw men.

beekay,

Jesus said this before apostolic authority was given.

tebone,

I am truly amazed that no one even knows what I am speaking of but yet are quick to attack it. One would think they would at least Google it before appearing a fool.

Silver, Sorry but the Bible does not say what you believe at all but , in fact, says the exact opposite.

Dapper Napper,

First of all as a Catholic Christian I do not believe that the Bible is the sole authority but it is the Church that produced the Bible to which Christ gave all authority. He gave the authority to St. Peter to bind and to loose. What is your understanding of infallibility according to Church doctrine?

If you are truly a student of theology you should know that God taught in Scriptures both explicitly and implicitly. Therefore you should know the dangers of proof texting, which almost always results in eisegesis.

The blessed mother is an intercessor in that she can pray for us just as you can be an intercessor by praying for another. The Bible encourages you to ask anyone to pray for you or to pray for them as an example of love for each other.

Kait,

Christ's Church is in continuity with the first century Church because it is that same Church with Christ's promises and that it is the "bulwark and ground of the truth".

Dapper Napper,

I was a professor of OT studies and prophecy. I am also proficient at biblical languages and hermeneutics. Obviously you are not far enough in your studies to have these abilities. I was trained at two Protestant seminaries. One Baptist and my PhD from a Methodist one. Eisegesis is a very dangerous error and I would advise caution. The Bible does support intercessory prayer and this does not conflict with any other biblical teaching and asking a saint to pray for you is not the Pagan practice of necromancy. Please do some study.

C. L Richardson,


Are you ready to defend your hatred for Christ's Church. Pick the topic and I will debate you in a private debate viewed by the public. You pick the topic.

Answer 1

My understanding of it is that Catholics believe that when the pope speaks "From the Chair of Peter" (Sorry, I can't remember the Latin term, but that is what it means in English). He is infallible.

I don't believe it myself.

But I am well aware that they are not claiming the pope to be infallible all the time. Nor do they believe that every thing he ever says is right, just when it is spoken, "From the Chair of Peter".

Answer 2

My understanding is that the pope speaks infallibly when teaching "ex-cathedra", that is, when speaking in his official position as the teacher and Shepard of the whole Church. I also believe that this teaching is very new, since the bishop of Rome wasn't even understood as being preeminent let alone infallible in the early church. The modern papacy was a political development that took centuries, and any attempt to read papal infallibility into Matthew 16, or Isaiah 22, or any other passage is pure anachronism. Sorry but it's true.

Answer 3

The Roman Catholic Church sees the Papacy and the infallible teaching authority of “mother Church” as being necessary to guide the Church, and use that as logical reasoning for God’s provision of it.
the Bible teaches that it is Scripture that is to be used as measuring stick to determine truth from error. In Galatians 1:8-9, Paul states that it is not WHO teaches but WHAT is being taught that is to be used to determine truth from error. While the Roman Catholic Church continues to pronounce a curse to hell “anathema” upon those who would reject the authority of the Pope, Scripture reserves that curse for those who would teach a different gospel (Galatians 1:8-9).
While there have been good (humanly speaking) and moral men who have served as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, including Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, the Roman Catholic Church teaching about the office of the Pope should be rejected because it is not “in continuity” with the teachings of the original church, that related to us in the New Testament.

Answer 4

My understanding is that the doctrine states that when it comes to making a declaration for the Church, the Holy Spirit prevents the Pope from making an error. If I am wrong, please tell me.

However, I just don't buy that. Its not that I'm doubting the power of the Holy Spirit, but God doesn't like to interfere in our free will. It doesn't make "good sense" to me (excuse me, that's the South Carolinian coming out) that God would interfere in the free will of the Pope, but wouldn't have interfered in our free will to prevent us from learning that we could disobey him. He could use the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal ALL of these things to us personally, and prevent ALL of us from going to hell, yet he doesn't and decides to reveal it to someone who holds a particular office.

Just doesn't make sense to me.

Answer 5

We all fall short of the Glory of God including the Pope

Answer 6

That it is false. Either all men are fallible, or they aren't. The Bible says they are fallible, so it's time to move on, right after I drink on this repeat question.

*drink*

EDIT - Do you have a BIBLE VERSE that says that the pope is infallible? Or do you only have inferences? Everything I've seen in the Catechism is either directly verifiable in a Bible verse, or is inferred. I don't go for the inferred stuff unless it is (as the Bible says) "by the testimony of two or three witnesses". That means in the Gospels, or Paul and John, James, etc.

If you can't produce verses that back it up, that is why I dismiss it. Btw, I'm a student of theology. I know it doesn't exist. You infer all sorts of things, like Mary having found favor with God makes her an intercessor (FALSE!!!!!!) If that were the case, I can pray to Noah, Abraham, and Job too then, huh?

EDIT 2 - In Isaiah it says there is ONE intercessor, by the way. Is that Mary OR Jesus?

I can't hear you over the sound of the crickets chirping.

Make sure you keep it simple. Not everyone has a Masters in Theology like catholics who don't read the Bible.

EDIT 3 - Isaiah says ONE intercessor. You dodge the question. And yes, I know that there are other texts, and yes, I do infer things from the Bible. Psalm 22 for example. BUT there are other witnesses to these things so they can NOT be dismissed. I cite correctly from Isaiah and you dismiss it.

So ... who is the one with prejudice?

Oh, and Dueteronomy says do not pray to dead people. Jesus wasn't people, He is God. Sin is passed from the human father. Did Mary have a human father? If so, she was not sinless. It would help if you'd pick up a Bible and stop reading that Vatican I,II,III garbage.

This isn't about your two dollar words, this is about what you can backup and prove using the Bible.

REMEMBER, YOU ASKED PROTESTANTS THEREFORE THEY DON'T READ VATICAN I, II, and III NOR ANY OF THE OTHER STUFF YOUR CULT PROMOTES.

They aren't my ideas. That point seems to be lost on you. If they were my ideas, then it wouldn't be called Luthers Reformation and Calvinism, would it?

Answer 7

The Bible says "All have fallen short of the glory of God." Meaning everybody sins @ times and is in need of repentance.

Answer 8

Pray wholeheartedly for the Lord Jesus to show you "His truth". He will show each & every one of us if we are truly seeking Him. Jesus loves a hungry & thirsty heart that is after Him. Jesus is Lord over all the earth! Jesus saves! Ask Him into your heart!
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

**JESUS SAVES**

Answer 9

Well, I guess you got your answer. Most of them do not understand. Even those that do know the definition of papal infallibility inject their own OPINIONS of what it means and then wrongly reject it, like the one that said "God would not interfere with the pope's free will" (paraphrasing).

HUH?! Free will is the ability to make a choice. How is the pope's free will being interfered with? Is he somehow being choked by the Holy Spirit to do something he doesn't want to do?

Errrr! She makes no sense, lol!

Answer 10

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, 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.

the believers were to turn to God and the "word of his grace" for their guidance, 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