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The infallibility of the Church is the belief that the Holy Spirit preserves the Christian Church from errors that would contradict its essential doctrines. It is related to, but not the same as, indefectibility, that is, "she remains and will remain the Institution of Salvation, founded by Christ, until the end of the world."^[1] The doctrine of infallibility is premised on the authority Jesus granted to the apostles to "bind and loose" (Matthew 18:18; John 20:23) and in particular the promises to Peter (Matthew 16:16–20; Luke 22:32) in regard to papal infallibility.

Infallibility of the ecumenical councils

The Roman Catholic Church^[2]^[3]^[4] and the Eastern Orthodox Church^[5] hold this doctrine.

However, the Eastern Orthodox churches accept only the Seven Ecumenical Councils from Nicaea I to Nicaea II as genuinely ecumenical, while Roman Catholics accept twenty-one. Only a very few Protestants believe in the infallibility of ecumenical councils,^{[citation needed]} and these usually restrict infallibility to the Christological statements of the first seven councils.^{[citation needed]} Lutheran Christians recognize the first four councils,^[6] whereas most High Church Anglicans accept all seven as persuasive but not infallible.^[7]

Catholic Church

Catholicism teaches that Jesus Christ, "the Word made Flesh" (John 1:14), is the source of divine revelation and, as the Truth, he is infallible.^[8] The Second Vatican Council states, "For this reason Jesus perfected revelation by fulfilling it through His whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself: through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially through His death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth." (Dei verbum, 4). The content of Christ's divine revelation is called the deposit of faith, and is contained in both Sacred Scripture and sacred tradition, not as two sources but as a single source.^[9]

A document signed by then-Cardinal Ratzinger and Cardinal Bertone speaks of

... the more recent teaching regarding the doctrine that priestly ordination is reserved only to men. The Supreme Pontiff, while not wishing to proceed to a dogmatic definition, intended to reaffirm that this doctrine is to be held definitively, since, founded on the written Word of God, constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. As the prior example illustrates, this does not foreclose the possibility that, in the future, the consciousness of the Church might progress to the point where this teaching could be defined as a doctrine to be believed as divinely revealed.^[10]

Of the ordinary magisterium, the Second Vatican Council said: "Bishops, teaching in communion with the Roman Pontiff, are to be respected by all as witnesses to divine and Catholic truth. In matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent."^[11]

Pope

The doctrine of papal infallibility states that when the pope teaches ex cathedra his teachings are infallible and irreformable. Such infallible papal decrees must be made by the pope, in his role as leader of the whole Church, and they must be definitive decisions on matters of faith and morals which are binding on the whole Church. An infallible decree by a pope is often referred to as an ex cathedra statement. This type of infallibility falls under the authority of the sacred magisterium.

The doctrine of papal infallibility was formally defined at the First Vatican Council^[12] in 1870, although belief in this doctrine long predated this council and was premised on the promises of Jesus to Peter (Mat 16:16-20; Luke 22:32).^[13]

Ordinary and universal magisterium

The ordinary and universal magisterium is considered infallible when it proposes a doctrine that the Pope and the bishops dispersed throughout the world who are in communion with the Successor of St. Peter universally hold as definitive.^[14]

Eastern Orthodox Church

Lutheranism

...one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered. –Augsburg Confession^[15]

Lutheran theology teaches that the Church is indefectible, as with Catholic doctrine.^[16] The Lutheran Churches hold that the "maintenance of this indefectibility as the sovereign work of God."^[16]

Anglicanism

The Church of England claimed this type of authority over the people of England, but the idea is no longer popular within the church, owing to a lack of commonly-accepted traditions and to disputes as to some peripheral doctrines. However, Anglicanism holds to a unique ecclesiology: in the Anglican view, churches in the historic episcopate (such as the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Scandinavian Lutheran, Moravian, Old Catholic, Persian, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental churches) that maintained apostolic succession, belief, and practice are all branches of the Universal Church.^[17] Anglicans believe there will always be a section of the Christian Church, although possibly not the Anglican Church itself, which will not fall into major heresy.^[18]

Tradition and scripture

Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe that divine revelation (the one "Word of God") is contained both in the words of God in sacred scripture and in the deeds of God in sacred tradition. Everything asserted as true by either scripture or tradition is true and infallible.

This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity: the deeds wrought by God in the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and realities signified by the words, while the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them. By this revelation then, the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation.
— Second Vatican Council, Dei verbum, n. 2

Methodists and Anglicans teach the doctrine of prima scriptura, which suggests that Scripture is the primary source for Christian doctrine, but that "tradition, experience, and reason" can nurture the Christian religion as long as they are in harmony with the Bible.^[19]^[20]

Yves Congar, who thought Catholics could acknowledge a substantial element of truth in the Lutheran and Reformed doctrine sola scriptura, wrote that "we can admit sola scriptura in the sense of a material sufficiency of canonical Scripture. This means that Scripture contains, in one way or another, all truths necessary for salvation." This has led to the tenable position of the "two modes" theory.^[21]

In his book, James F. Keenan reports studies by some academics. A study by Bernard Hoose states that claims to a continuous teaching by the Church on matters of sexuality, life and death, and crime and punishment are "simply not true." After examining seven medieval texts about homosexuality, Mark Jordan argues that, "far from being consistent, any attempt to make a connection among the texts proved impossible." He calls the tradition's teaching of the Church "incoherent". Karl-Wilhelm Merks considers that tradition itself is "not the truth guarantor of any particular teaching." Keenan, however, says that studies of "manualists" such as John T. Noonan Jr. has demonstrated that, "despite claims to the contrary, manualists were co-operators in the necessary historical development of the moral tradition." Noonan, according to Keenan, has provided a new way of viewing at "areas where the Church not only changed, but shamefully did not."^[22]

Christian fundamentalism

Evangelical Fundamentalist churches believe that the primary method of Bible study is literal interpretation, and that the interpretation of these verses is infallible and therefore cannot be discussed.^[23]^[24]

Consequences for ecumenism

The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the various Protestant denominations are divided by their different views on infallibility. The ecumenical movement, which hopes to reunify all of Christianity, has found that the Catholic Church's Papacy is one of the most divisive of issues for Protestants and Eastern Orthodox, while Catholics view the Papacy as necessary source of the Church's unity and an indispensable ministry bestowed by Christ on the Church. Papal infallibility has often been misunderstood by many Protestant denominations and among some within Eastern Orthodoxy as well.^[25]

References

^ "Dogmas of the Catholic Faith". Archived from the original on 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2014-11-23.
^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: General Councils". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
^ Washburn, Christian D. (2010). "St. Robert Bellarmine on the Infallibility of General Councils of the Church". Annuarium Historiae Conciliorum. 42 (1): 171–192. doi:10.30965/25890433-04201011. ISSN 0003-5157.
^ "Philip Schaff: NPNF2-14. The Seven Ecumenical Councils - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
^ "Confession of Dositheus, Synod of Jerusalem (1672)". Christian Resource Institute. Retrieved 2024-06-14. "Moreover, when any man speaks from himself he is liable to err, and to deceive, and be deceived; but the Catholic Church, as never having spoken, or speaking from herself, but from the Spirit of God — who being her teacher, she is ever unfailingly rich — it is impossible for her to in any wise err, or to at all deceive, or be deceived; but like the Divine Scriptures, is infallible, and has perpetual authority." (Decree 2)
^ See, e.g. Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission, Seventh Meeting, The Ecumenical Councils, Common Statement, 1993, available at http://www.helsinki.fi/~risaarin/lutortjointtext.html#ecum ("We agree on the doctrine of God, the Holy Trinity, as formulated by the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople and on the doctrine of the person of Christ as formulated by the first four Ecumenical Councils.").
^ See The Conciliar Anglican, Ask An Anglican: The Ecumenical Councils, Aug. 3, 2011, available at http://conciliaranglican.com/2011/08/03/ask-an-anglican-the-ecumenical-councils/ Archived 2013-04-14 at the Wayback Machine ("While it is possible for a Council to err, it is so manifestly unlikely in the event of a truly Ecumenical Council that the conclusions of such a Council should be treated as final.").
^ CCC 889
^ "Dei Verbum – Forty Years Later – His Eminence Card. William Joseph Levada, 10 October 2005". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
^ DOCTRINAL COMMENTARY ON THE CONCLUDING FORMULA OF THE PROFESSIO FIDEI. EWTN. Retrieved: 23 March 2013
^ Lumen Gentium, 25
^ Belmonte, Charles (2006). Belmonte, Charles (ed.). Faith Seeking Understanding (PDF). Vol. I (2nd ed.). Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines: Studium Theologiae Foundation, Inc. p. 428. ISBN 971-91060-4-2. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
^ Vatican I, Dei Filius ch. 3 ¶ 1 and Pastor Aeternus ch. 4 ¶ 5. Vatican II, Lumen gentium § 25 ¶ 3. 1983 Code of Canon Law 749 § 1.
^ Moline, Enrique (2006). Belmonte, Charles (ed.). Faith Seeking Understanding (PDF). Vol. I (2nd ed.). Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines: Studium Theologiae Foundation, Inc. p. 99. ISBN 971-91060-4-2. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
^ Augsburg Confession, Article 7, Of the Church
^ ^a ^b "Teaching Authority and Infallibility in the Church Common Statement". Theological Studies. 40 (1): 113–166. 1 March 1979. doi:10.1177/004056397904000105. S2CID 220519207. For while Lutherans share with Catholics the conviction that the Church of Christ is indefectible, they regard the maintenance of this indefectibility as the sovereign work of God.
^ Kinsman, Frederick Joseph (1924). Americanism and Catholicism. Longman. p. 203. The one most talked about is the "Branch Theory," which assumes that the basis of unity is a valid priesthood. Given the priesthood, it is held that valid Sacraments unite in spite of schisms. Those who hold it assume that the Church is composed of Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, eastern heretics possessing undisputed Orders, and Old Catholics, Anglicans, Swedish Lutherans, Moravians, and any others who might be able to demonstrate that they had perpetuated a valid hierarchy. This is chiefly identified with High Church Anglicans and represents the survival of a seventeenth century contention against Puritans, that Anglicans were not to be classed with Continental Protestants.
^ Mt 16:18
^ "Methodist Beliefs: In what ways are Lutherans different from United Methodists?". Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. 2014. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014. The United Methodists see Scripture as the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine. They emphasize the importance of tradition, experience, and reason for Christian doctrine. Lutherans teach that the Bible is the sole source for Christian doctrine. The truths of Scripture do not need to be authenticated by tradition, human experience, or reason. Scripture is self authenticating and is true in and of itself.
^ Humphrey, Edith M. (15 April 2013). Scripture and Tradition. Baker Books. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-4412-4048-4. historically Anglicans have adopted what could be called a prima Scriptura position.
^ "Library : The Complex Relationship between Scripture and Tradition". catholicculture.org. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
^ James F. Keenan (17 January 2010). A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century: From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences. A&C Black. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-0-8264-2929-2.
^ James Barr, Bible and Interpretation: Volume I: Interpretation and Theology, OUP Oxford, UK, 2013, p. 454, 458
^ W. Glenn Jonas Jr., The Baptist River: Essays on Many Tributaries of a Diverse Tradition, Mercer University Press, USA, 2008, p. 125: "Independents assert that the Bible is a unified document containing consistent propositional truths. They accept the supernatural elements of the Bible, affirm that it is infallible in every area of reality, and contend that it is to be interpreted literally in the vast majority of cases. Ultimately, they hold not merely to the inerrancy of Scripture, but to the infallibility of their interpretation of Scripture. The doctrine of premillennialism serves as a case in point. Early on in the movement, Independents embraced premillennialism as the only acceptable eschatological view. The BBU made the doctrine a test of fellowship. When Norris formed his Premillennial Missionary Baptist Fellowship (1933), he made premillennialism a requirement for membership. He held this doctrine to be the only acceptable biblical position, charging conventionism with being postmillennial in orientation."
^ "What is the Church?". Archived from the original on 1998-12-06. Retrieved 2010-12-03.

External links

[1] "Dogmas of the Catholic Faith". Archived from the original on 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2014-11-23.

[2] "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: General Councils". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2023-01-01.

[3] Washburn, Christian D. (2010). "St. Robert Bellarmine on the Infallibility of General Councils of the Church". Annuarium Historiae Conciliorum. 42 (1): 171–192. doi:10.30965/25890433-04201011. ISSN 0003-5157.

[4] "Philip Schaff: NPNF2-14. The Seven Ecumenical Councils - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org. Retrieved 2023-01-01.

[5] "Confession of Dositheus, Synod of Jerusalem (1672)". Christian Resource Institute. Retrieved 2024-06-14. "Moreover, when any man speaks from himself he is liable to err, and to deceive, and be deceived; but the Catholic Church, as never having spoken, or speaking from herself, but from the Spirit of God — who being her teacher, she is ever unfailingly rich — it is impossible for her to in any wise err, or to at all deceive, or be deceived; but like the Divine Scriptures, is infallible, and has perpetual authority." (Decree 2)

[6] See, e.g. Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission, Seventh Meeting, The Ecumenical Councils, Common Statement, 1993, available at http://www.helsinki.fi/~risaarin/lutortjointtext.html#ecum ("We agree on the doctrine of God, the Holy Trinity, as formulated by the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople and on the doctrine of the person of Christ as formulated by the first four Ecumenical Councils.").

[7] See The Conciliar Anglican, Ask An Anglican: The Ecumenical Councils, Aug. 3, 2011, available at http://conciliaranglican.com/2011/08/03/ask-an-anglican-the-ecumenical-councils/ Archived 2013-04-14 at the Wayback Machine ("While it is possible for a Council to err, it is so manifestly unlikely in the event of a truly Ecumenical Council that the conclusions of such a Council should be treated as final.").

[8] CCC 889

[9] "Dei Verbum – Forty Years Later – His Eminence Card. William Joseph Levada, 10 October 2005". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2017-04-30.

[10] DOCTRINAL COMMENTARY ON THE CONCLUDING FORMULA OF THE PROFESSIO FIDEI. EWTN. Retrieved: 23 March 2013

[11] Lumen Gentium, 25

[12] Belmonte, Charles (2006). Belmonte, Charles (ed.). Faith Seeking Understanding (PDF). Vol. I (2nd ed.). Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines: Studium Theologiae Foundation, Inc. p. 428. ISBN 971-91060-4-2. Retrieved April 13, 2023.

[13] Vatican I, Dei Filius ch. 3 ¶ 1 and Pastor Aeternus ch. 4 ¶ 5. Vatican II, Lumen gentium § 25 ¶ 3. 1983 Code of Canon Law 749 § 1.

[14] Moline, Enrique (2006). Belmonte, Charles (ed.). Faith Seeking Understanding (PDF). Vol. I (2nd ed.). Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines: Studium Theologiae Foundation, Inc. p. 99. ISBN 971-91060-4-2. Retrieved April 13, 2023.

[15] Augsburg Confession, Article 7, Of the Church

[TS1979-16] "Teaching Authority and Infallibility in the Church Common Statement". Theological Studies. 40 (1): 113–166. 1 March 1979. doi:10.1177/004056397904000105. S2CID 220519207. For while Lutherans share with Catholics the conviction that the Church of Christ is indefectible, they regard the maintenance of this indefectibility as the sovereign work of God.

[Kinsman1924-17] Kinsman, Frederick Joseph (1924). Americanism and Catholicism. Longman. p. 203. The one most talked about is the "Branch Theory," which assumes that the basis of unity is a valid priesthood. Given the priesthood, it is held that valid Sacraments unite in spite of schisms. Those who hold it assume that the Church is composed of Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, eastern heretics possessing undisputed Orders, and Old Catholics, Anglicans, Swedish Lutherans, Moravians, and any others who might be able to demonstrate that they had perpetuated a valid hierarchy. This is chiefly identified with High Church Anglicans and represents the survival of a seventeenth century contention against Puritans, that Anglicans were not to be classed with Continental Protestants.

[18] Mt 16:18

[WELS2014-19] "Methodist Beliefs: In what ways are Lutherans different from United Methodists?". Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. 2014. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014. The United Methodists see Scripture as the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine. They emphasize the importance of tradition, experience, and reason for Christian doctrine. Lutherans teach that the Bible is the sole source for Christian doctrine. The truths of Scripture do not need to be authenticated by tradition, human experience, or reason. Scripture is self authenticating and is true in and of itself.

[Humphrey2013-20] Humphrey, Edith M. (15 April 2013). Scripture and Tradition. Baker Books. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-4412-4048-4. historically Anglicans have adopted what could be called a prima Scriptura position.

[21] "Library : The Complex Relationship between Scripture and Tradition". catholicculture.org. Retrieved 2017-04-30.

[22] James F. Keenan (17 January 2010). A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century: From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences. A&C Black. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-0-8264-2929-2.

[23] James Barr, Bible and Interpretation: Volume I: Interpretation and Theology, OUP Oxford, UK, 2013, p. 454, 458

[24] W. Glenn Jonas Jr., The Baptist River: Essays on Many Tributaries of a Diverse Tradition, Mercer University Press, USA, 2008, p. 125: "Independents assert that the Bible is a unified document containing consistent propositional truths. They accept the supernatural elements of the Bible, affirm that it is infallible in every area of reality, and contend that it is to be interpreted literally in the vast majority of cases. Ultimately, they hold not merely to the inerrancy of Scripture, but to the infallibility of their interpretation of Scripture. The doctrine of premillennialism serves as a case in point. Early on in the movement, Independents embraced premillennialism as the only acceptable eschatological view. The BBU made the doctrine a test of fellowship. When Norris formed his Premillennial Missionary Baptist Fellowship (1933), he made premillennialism a requirement for membership. He held this doctrine to be the only acceptable biblical position, charging conventionism with being postmillennial in orientation."

[25] "What is the Church?". Archived from the original on 1998-12-06. Retrieved 2010-12-03.

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 {{Short description|Christian concept}}
 {{more citations needed|date=April 2018}}
-The '''infallibility of the Church''' is the belief that the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]] preserves the [[Christian Church]] from errors that would contradict its essential doctrines. It is related to, but not the same as, indefectibility, that is, "she remains and will remain the Institution of Salvation, founded by Christ, until the [[End time|end of the world]]."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://jloughnan.tripod.com/dogma.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216175051/http://jloughnan.tripod.com/dogma.htm |archive-date=2015-02-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The doctrine of infallibility is premised on the authority Jesus granted to the apostles to "bind and loose" ([[Matthew 18]]:18; [[John 20:23]]) and in particular the promises to Peter ([[Matthew 16]]:16–20; [[Luke 22]]:32) in regard to [[papal infallibility]].
+The '''infallibility of the Church''' is the belief that the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]] preserves the [[Christian Church]] from errors that would contradict its essential doctrines. It is related to, but not the same as, indefectibility, that is, "she remains and will remain the Institution of Salvation, founded by Christ, until the [[Eschatology|end of the world]]."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://jloughnan.tripod.com/dogma.htm |title=Dogmas of the Catholic Faith |access-date=2014-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216175051/http://jloughnan.tripod.com/dogma.htm |archive-date=2015-02-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The doctrine of infallibility is premised on the authority Jesus granted to the apostles to "bind and loose" ([[Matthew 18]]:18; [[John 20:23]]) and in particular the promises to Peter ([[Matthew 16]]:16–20; [[Luke 22]]:32) in regard to [[papal infallibility]].
 ==Infallibility of the ecumenical councils==
+The [[Roman Catholic Church]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: General Councils |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04423f.htm |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Washburn |first=Christian D. |date=2010 |title=St. Robert Bellarmine on the Infallibility of General Councils of the Church |url=https://www.academia.edu/36244015 |journal=Annuarium Historiae Conciliorum |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=171–192 |doi=10.30965/25890433-04201011 |issn=0003-5157}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Philip Schaff: NPNF2-14. The Seven Ecumenical Councils - Christian Classics Ethereal Library |url=https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.iii.ii.html |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=www.ccel.org}}</ref> and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Confession of Dositheus, Synod of Jerusalem (1672) |url=https://www.crivoice.org/creeddositheus.html |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Christian Resource Institute}} "Moreover, when any man speaks from himself he is liable to err, and to deceive, and be deceived; but the Catholic Church, as never having spoken, or speaking from herself, but from the Spirit of God — who being her teacher, she is ever unfailingly rich — it is impossible for her to in any wise err, or to at all deceive, or be deceived; but like the Divine Scriptures, is infallible, and has perpetual authority." (Decree 2)</ref> hold this doctrine.
-The doctrine of the [[infallibility]] of [[ecumenical council]]s states that solemn definitions of ecumenical councils, approved by the [[Pope]], which concern faith or morals, and to which the whole Church must adhere, are infallible. Such decrees often have an attached [[anathema]], a penalty of [[excommunication]], against those who refuse to believe the teaching. The doctrine does not claim that every aspect of every ecumenical council is infallible.
-The [[Roman Catholic Church]] holds this doctrine,<ref>[[First Vatican Council|Vatican I]], ''Dei Filius'' ch. 3 ¶ 1, ''available at'' http://www.ewtn.com/library/councils/v1.htm#4. [[Second Vatican Council|Vatican II]], ''Lumen gentium'' §&nbsp;25 ¶ 2, ''available at'' http://www.ewtn.com/library/councils/v2church.htm. 1983 Code of Canon Law 749 §&nbsp;2, ''available at'' https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2H.HTM.</ref> as do most or all [[Eastern Orthodox]] theologians. However, the Orthodox churches accept only the [[First seven Ecumenical Councils|Seven Ecumenical Councils]] from [[First Council of Nicaea|Nicaea I]] to [[Second Council of Nicaea|Nicaea II]] as genuinely ecumenical, while Roman Catholics accept twenty-one. Only a very few [[Protestant]]s believe in the infallibility of ecumenical councils, and these usually restrict infallibility to the [[Christology|Christological]] statements of the first seven councils. [[Lutheran]] Christians recognize the first four councils,<ref>''See, e.g.'' Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission, Seventh Meeting, The Ecumenical Councils, Common Statement, 1993, ''available at'' http://www.helsinki.fi/~risaarin/lutortjointtext.html#ecum ("We agree on the doctrine of God, the Holy Trinity, as formulated by the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople and on the doctrine of the person of Christ as formulated by the first four Ecumenical Councils.").</ref> whereas most [[High Church]] [[Anglican]]s accept all seven as persuasive but not infallible.<ref>''See'' The Conciliar Anglican, Ask An Anglican: The Ecumenical Councils, Aug. 3, 2011, ''available at'' http://conciliaranglican.com/2011/08/03/ask-an-anglican-the-ecumenical-councils/ ("While it is possible for a Council to err, it is so manifestly unlikely in the event of a truly Ecumenical Council that the conclusions of such a Council should be treated as final.").</ref>
+However, the Eastern Orthodox churches accept only the [[First seven Ecumenical Councils|Seven Ecumenical Councils]] from [[First Council of Nicaea|Nicaea I]] to [[Second Council of Nicaea|Nicaea II]] as genuinely ecumenical, while Roman Catholics accept twenty-one. Only a very few [[Protestant]]s believe in the infallibility of ecumenical councils,{{Source needed|date=July 2024}} and these usually restrict infallibility to the [[Christology|Christological]] statements of the first seven councils.{{Source needed|date=July 2024}} [[Lutheran]] Christians recognize the first four councils,<ref>''See, e.g.'' Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission, Seventh Meeting, The Ecumenical Councils, Common Statement, 1993, ''available at'' http://www.helsinki.fi/~risaarin/lutortjointtext.html#ecum ("We agree on the doctrine of God, the Holy Trinity, as formulated by the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople and on the doctrine of the person of Christ as formulated by the first four Ecumenical Councils.").</ref> whereas most [[High Church]] [[Anglican]]s accept all seven as persuasive but not infallible.<ref>''See'' The Conciliar Anglican, Ask An Anglican: The Ecumenical Councils, Aug. 3, 2011, ''available at'' http://conciliaranglican.com/2011/08/03/ask-an-anglican-the-ecumenical-councils/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414054724/http://conciliaranglican.com/2011/08/03/ask-an-anglican-the-ecumenical-councils/ |date=2013-04-14 }} ("While it is possible for a Council to err, it is so manifestly unlikely in the event of a truly Ecumenical Council that the conclusions of such a Council should be treated as final.").</ref>
-A popular view among Orthodox Christians, especially [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox]] and churches that fall within the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]], is that an ecumenical council is itself infallible when pronouncing on a specific matter such as [[Christology]],<ref>"The infallibility of the Church does not mean that the Church, in the assembly of the [[Church Fathers]] or in the expression of the Conscience of the Church, has already formally expressed all the truths of faith and norms. The infallibility of the Church is confined to the formulation of truths in question. This infallibility is not wholly a God-inspired energy which would affect the participants of the [[synod]] to such an extent that they would be inspired to pronounce all the truths at one time as a whole system of a Christian catechism. The Synod does not formulate a system of beliefs encompassing all Christian teachings and truths, but only endeavors to define the particular disputed truth which was misunderstood and misinterpreted. The Church of Christ and its divine nature, as set forth above, is the foundation upon which the Eastern Orthodox Church [sic.] continues to administer and nourish its faithful, thereby protecting its fundamental essentials." Rev. George Mastrantonis, of the [[Archbishop of America|Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]],</ref> whereas others hold that a council can be considered of full ecumenical authority only once its declarations have been embraced by the faithful, an opinion more common among the Slavic Churches, such as the [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodox]].
 ==Catholic Church==
+{{Original research section|date=November 2021}}
-[[Catholic theology|Catholicism]] teaches that [[Jesus Christ]], "the Word made Flesh" ({{bible|John|1:14}}), is the source of [[divine revelation]] and, as the Truth, he is infallible.<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm#889 CCC 889]</ref> The [[Second Vatican Council]] states, "For this reason Jesus perfected revelation by fulfilling it through His whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself: through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially through His death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth." (''[[Dei verbum]]'', 4). The content of Christ's divine revelation is called the [[deposit of faith]], and is contained in both [[sacred scripture]] and [[sacred tradition]], not as two sources but as a single source.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20051010_dei-verbum-levada_en.html|title=Dei Verbum – Forty Years Later – His Eminence Card. William Joseph Levada, 10 October 2005|website=www.vatican.va|access-date=2017-04-30}}</ref>
+[[Catholic theology|Catholicism]] teaches that [[Jesus Christ]], "the Word made Flesh" ({{bibleverse|John|1:14}}), is the source of [[divine revelation]] and, as the Truth, he is infallible.<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm#889 CCC 889]</ref> The [[Second Vatican Council]] states, "For this reason Jesus perfected revelation by fulfilling it through His whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself: through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially through His death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth." (''[[Dei verbum]]'', 4). The content of Christ's divine revelation is called the [[deposit of faith]], and is contained in both [[Sacred Scripture]] and [[sacred tradition]], not as two sources but as a single source.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20051010_dei-verbum-levada_en.html|title=Dei Verbum – Forty Years Later – His Eminence Card. William Joseph Levada, 10 October 2005|website=www.vatican.va|access-date=2017-04-30}}</ref><!-- THIS WHOLE BIT IS A MATTER OF OPINION WHICH GOES AGAINST OTHER OPINIONS TENABLE IN THE CHURCH TODAY:, as well as of the ordinary and universal magisterium. Despite its name, the "ordinary and universal magisterium" falls under the infallible sacred magisterium, and in fact is the usual manifestation of the infallibility of the Church, the decrees of popes and councils being "extraordinary". Examples of infallible extraordinary Conciliar decrees include the Council of Trent's decree on justification, and the First Vatican Council's definition of papal infallibility.
+Examples of infallible teachings of the ordinary and universal magisterium are harder to point to, since these are not contained in any one specific document, but are the common teachings found among the Bishops dispersed through the world yet united with the Pope. Pope John Paul II specifically clarified that the reservation of ordination to males is infallible under the infallibility of the ordinary and universal magisterium of the Church, without issuing a corresponding extraordinary papal definition. It has been suggested that Pope John Paul II did this to remind everyone that the ordinary and universal magisterium can also be infallible, and that an extraordinary definition is not necessary to make a teaching irrevocably binding and demanding of supernatural faith. In fact, the ordinary and universal magisterium is the usual manifestation of infallibility, the decrees of popes and councils being the extraordinary expression.
-The [[magisterium]] ([[Latin]]: ''magister'', "teacher") is the teaching office of the Catholic Church.  Catholic theology divides the functions of the teaching office into two categories: the infallible ''sacred magisterium'' and the fallible ''ordinary magisterium''. The infallible sacred magisterium includes the extraordinary declarations of the [[papal infallibility|pope]] speaking ''[[ex cathedra]]'' and of [[ecumenical councils]] (traditionally expressed in conciliar creeds, canons, and decrees). Examples of infallible extraordinary papal definitions (and, hence, of teachings of the sacred magisterium) are [[Pope Pius IX]]'s definition of the [[Immaculate Conception]] of Mary, and [[Pope Pius XII]]'s definition of the [[Assumption of Mary]]. Before these definitions both sovereign pontiffs asked the bishops throughout the world whether these truths were indeed held by the faithful. Nowhere is it said that the Pope's charism involves special revelations, and the Pope must ascertain whether a belief is universally maintained before speaking ''ex cathedra'' on it. The above two instances of infallible definition outside an ecumenical council are the only two that can be cited in the history of the Catholic church.<!-- THIS WHOLE BIT IS A MATTER OF OPINION WHICH GOES AGAINST OTHER OPINIONS TENABLE IN THE CHURCH TODAY:, as well as of the ordinary and universal magisterium. Despite its name, the "ordinary and universal magisterium" falls under the infallible sacred magisterium, and in fact is the usual manifestation of the infallibility of the Church, the decrees of popes and councils being "extraordinary". Examples of infallible extraordinary Conciliar decrees include the Council of Trent's decree on justification, and the First Vatican Council's definition of papal infallibility.
-Examples of infallible teachings of the ordinary and universal magisterium are harder to point to, since these are not contained in any one specific document, but are the common teachings found among the Bishops dispersed through the world yet united with the Pope. Pope John Paul II specifically clarified that the reservation of ordination to males is infallible under the infallibility of the ordinary and universal magisterium of the Church, without issuing a corresponding extraordinary papal definition. It has been suggested [by whom?] that Pope John Paul II did this to remind everyone that the ordinary and universal magisterium can also be infallible, and that an extraordinary definition is not necessary to make a teaching irrevocably binding and demanding of supernatural faith. In fact, the ordinary and universal magisterium is the usual manifestation of infallibility, the decrees of popes and councils being the extraordinary expression. [citation needed]
 The document Pope John Paul II approved—signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (later known as Pope Benedict XVI), and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone—answers the question "Whether the teaching that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women, which is presented in the Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis to be held definitively, is to be understood as belonging to the deposit of faith" with "Affirmative."
+^ Do not restore without fixing issues -- needs citations, especially for phrases like "it has been suggested".
  -->
-A document signed by then-Cardinal Ratzinger and Cardinal Bertone speaks of
+A document signed by then-[[Cardinal Ratzinger]] and [[Tarcisio Bertone|Cardinal Bertone]] speaks of
-{{Quote|...&nbsp;the more recent teaching regarding the doctrine that priestly ordination is reserved only to men. The Supreme Pontiff, while not wishing to proceed to a dogmatic definition, intended to reaffirm that this doctrine is to be held definitively, since, founded on the written Word of God, constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. As the prior example illustrates, this does not foreclose the possibility that, in the future, the consciousness of the Church might progress to the point where this teaching could be defined as a doctrine to be believed as divinely revealed.<ref>[http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFADTU.HTM DOCTRINAL COMMENTARY ON THE CONCLUDING FORMULA OF THE PROFESSIO FIDEI]. EWTN. Retrieved: 23 March 2013</ref>}}
+{{Blockquote|...&nbsp;the more recent teaching regarding the doctrine that priestly ordination is reserved only to men. The Supreme Pontiff, while not wishing to proceed to a dogmatic definition, intended to reaffirm that this doctrine is to be held definitively, since, founded on the written Word of God, constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. As the prior example illustrates, this does not foreclose the possibility that, in the future, the consciousness of the Church might progress to the point where this teaching could be defined as a doctrine to be believed as divinely revealed.<ref>[http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFADTU.HTM DOCTRINAL COMMENTARY ON THE CONCLUDING FORMULA OF THE PROFESSIO FIDEI]. EWTN. Retrieved: 23 March 2013</ref>}}
+Of the ordinary [[magisterium]], the [[Second Vatican Council]] said: "Bishops, teaching in communion with the Roman Pontiff, are to be respected by all as witnesses to divine and Catholic truth. In matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent."<ref>''Lumen Gentium'', 25</ref>
-Notable here is the confirmation that the ''[[sensus fidelium]]'' is critical in determining whether a doctrine can be called infallible teaching.
-Of the ordinary magisterium, the Second Vatican Council said: "Bishops, teaching in communion with the Roman Pontiff, are to be respected by all as witnesses to divine and Catholic truth. In matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent."<ref>''Lumen Gentium'', 25</ref> The ordinary magisterium includes the potentially fallible teachings of the pope and ecumenical Councils (i.e., not given [[ex cathedra]]) and, more commonly, of individual Bishops or groups of Bishops as taken separately from the whole [[College of Bishops]]. Such teachings are fallible and could possibly contain errors; they are subject to revisions or revocation. In the case of the teachings of individual bishops to their diocese, there can of course even be disagreement among the individual bishops on such issues. However, these potentially fallible teachings are necessary to contribute to the development of doctrine.
-Example of ordinary magisterium includes the social teachings of recent popes or theological opinions that the Popes or bishops make public. Catholics are not free to merely dismiss such teachings. The Church demands a "submission of the intellect and will" to them, even if not supernatural faith. However, this is to varying degrees depending on a variety of things, especially when teachers disagree. Catholics must respectfully hear all opinions from equal authorities and judge which is best, makes more sense, and is more consonant with the tradition of the whole history of the Church. However, the use of a higher level of authority trumps past disagreement—for example, if a pope condemns the teaching of a bishop (even if both the condemnation and the teaching are fallible), or if an infallible teaching disagrees with a past fallible teaching. Catholics are free to weigh a variety of factors, however, in judging divergent opinions. In the end all must follow their own, well-formed conscience.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}
-Infallible teachings can be divided into two categories of precedence. The highest are called ''de fide credenda'' teachings, that is to say teachings defined as explicitly and specifically revealed in the deposit of faith: "Wherefore, by divine and Catholic faith all those things are to be believed which are contained in the word of God as found in Scripture and Tradition, and which are proposed by the Church as matters to be believed as divinely revealed, whether by her solemn judgment or in her ordinary and universal Magisterium." (First Vatican Council, ''Dei Filius'' 8.) The other category are called ''de fide tenenda'' teachings. These are equally infallible but are proposed not as being explicitly in the deposit of faith, but nevertheless implied by it or intrinsically connected to it logically or historically. These too demand supernatural faith, but not specifically in themselves on the authority of the Word of God. Further discernment may lead to the conclusion that a ''de fide tenenda'' teaching is not merely implied by the deposit of faith, but explicitly contained and thus it may advance to ''de fide credenda'' status.
-Both extraordinary definitions and the universal magisterium may teach ''de fide credenda'' or ''de fide tenenda'' teachings. An example of ''de fide credenda'' teachings taught by extraordinary definition are the Christological teachings of the early ecumenical councils or the Marian dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption taught by the popes.
-An example of ''de fide credenda'' teachings taught by infallible ordinary and universal magisterium include the immorality of directly taking an innocent human life.
-Examples of ''de fide tenenda'' teachings taught by extraordinary definition include the canonizations of saints and Pope Leo XIII's declaration of Anglican orders as null and void (so-called "dogmatic facts"). Neither of these could advance to ''de fide credenda'' status as they are contingent on historical facts. However, certain teachings on grace and justification from the Council of Trent, currently regarded as infallible but only ''de fide tenenda'' due to disagreement about whether they are explicitly contained in the deposit of faith or merely logically implied, could someday advance to ''de fide credenda'' status either through extraordinary definition or through the consensus of the universal magisterium.
-An opinion from a former member of the Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger holds Examples of de fide tenenda teachings taught by infallible ordinary and universal magisterium include the validity of papal elections, earlier non-papal canonizations now universally accepted (of St. Agnes, for example), or the immorality of pornography.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}  However, none of these could advance to de fide credenda status as they are contingent on historical facts or developments, as for example pornography is condemned, and infallibly so, but is likely not included specifically in the deposit of faith (there was no such concept at the time), but is nevertheless an infallibly discerned implication of the more general revealed teachings on [[Catholic theology of sexuality|human sexuality]] and [[Vow of chastity|chastity]]. However, certain teachings taught in such a manner may someday advance to de fide credenda status, either through extraordinary definition or the consensus of the ordinary universal magisterium. As, for example, the teaching on papal infallibility was infallibly taught for a long time de fide tenenda by the universal magisterium, but not de fide credenda until the extraordinary definition at Vatican I, because there was disagreement on whether it was a specifically revealed truth from the deposit of faith or merely the logical implication of other things in the deposit of faith (as, for example, the authority of [[Saint Peter]] in the college of apostles, the constitution of the Church, her unity, her episcopal structure, etc.)
 ===Pope===
 {{Main|Papal infallibility}}
-The doctrine of '''papal infallibility''' states that when the pope teaches ''ex cathedra'' his teachings are infallible and irreformable. Such infallible papal decrees must be made by the pope, in his role as leader of the whole Church, and they must be definitive decisions on matters of faith and morals which are binding on the whole Church. An infallible decree by a pope is often referred to as an ''ex cathedra'' statement. This type of infallibility falls under the authority of the sacred magisterium.
+The doctrine of papal infallibility states that when the pope teaches ''ex cathedra'' his teachings are infallible and irreformable. Such infallible papal decrees must be made by the pope, in his role as leader of the whole Church, and they must be definitive decisions on matters of faith and morals which are binding on the whole Church. An infallible decree by a pope is often referred to as an ''ex cathedra'' statement. This type of infallibility falls under the authority of the sacred magisterium.
-The doctrine of papal infallibility was formally defined at the [[First Vatican Council]] in 1870, although belief in this doctrine long predated this council and was premised on the promises of Jesus to Peter, promises to Peter (Mat 16:16-20; Luke 22:32).<ref>[[First Vatican Council|Vatican I]], ''Dei Filius'' ch. 3 ¶ 1 and ''Pastor Aeternus'' ch. 4 ¶ 5. [[Second Vatican Council|Vatican II]], ''[[Lumen gentium]]'' §&nbsp;25 ¶ 3. 1983 Code of Canon Law 749 §&nbsp;1.</ref> The encyclicals of the First Vatican Council, however were rejected by a small minority of bishops who separated themselves from union with the Bishop or Rome to form, or preserve, the [[Old Catholic Church]].
+The doctrine of papal infallibility was formally defined at the [[First Vatican Council]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Belmonte |first=Charles |url=https://fsubelmonte.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/7/1/19715887/fsu1.pdf |title=Faith Seeking Understanding |publisher=Studium Theologiae Foundation, Inc. |year=2006 |isbn=971-91060-4-2 |editor-last=Belmonte |editor-first=Charles |edition=2nd |volume=I |location=Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines |pages=428 |access-date=April 13, 2023}}</ref> in 1870, although belief in this doctrine long predated this council and was premised on the promises of Jesus to Peter (Mat 16:16-20; Luke 22:32).<ref>[[First Vatican Council|Vatican I]], ''Dei Filius'' ch. 3 ¶ 1 and ''Pastor Aeternus'' ch. 4 ¶ 5. [[Second Vatican Council|Vatican II]], ''[[Lumen gentium]]'' §&nbsp;25 ¶ 3. 1983 Code of Canon Law 749 §&nbsp;1.</ref>
 ===Ordinary and universal magisterium===
+The ordinary and universal [[magisterium]] is considered infallible when it proposes a doctrine that the Pope and the bishops dispersed throughout the world who are in communion with the Successor of St. Peter universally hold as definitive.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moline |first=Enrique |url=https://fsubelmonte.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/7/1/19715887/fsu1.pdf |title=Faith Seeking Understanding |publisher=Studium Theologiae Foundation, Inc. |year=2006 |isbn=971-91060-4-2 |editor-last=Belmonte |editor-first=Charles |edition=2nd |volume=I |location=Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines |pages=99 |access-date=April 13, 2023}}</ref>
-The ordinary and universal episcopal magisterium is considered infallible as it relates to a teaching concerning a matter of faith and morals that all the bishops of the Church (including the Pope) universally hold as definitive and only as such therefore needing to be accepted by all the faithful. This aspect of infallibility only applies to teachings about faith and morals as opposed to customs and prudential practices. Additionally, the ordinary and universal episcopal magisterium applies to a teaching to be held definitively by all the bishops at any given moment in history. Such teachings are extremely hard to prove. Thus, even if a teaching on a matter of faith and morals is out of favor among the bishops of a later date, once it has been held definitively by all bishops to be accepted by the faithful as infallible, then it is considered infallible and unchangeably true. However, Bishops all agreeing to a teaching to be held inconclusively are not teaching it to be definitive. It must be clearly established to be definitive for all time. This was attempted to be thoroughly done and documented in the case of several statements contained in [[Evangelium vitae#Authority|Evangelium vitae]].
 ==Eastern Orthodox Church==
+{{Empty section|date=January 2023}}
-The Eastern Orthodox Churches also believe in [[apostolic succession]] through which Christ promised to preserve the Church from teaching error.  This grace and authority, however, does not make any of the bishops being individually infallible, however, but rather means that, in consensus, in combined agreement, they are charged with preserving the universal faith from error. Thus the Orthodox Church does not use the term "infallible" to discuss the works of any bishop or council. Orthodox Christians regard the concept of infallibility to be uniquely Western and therefore avoid the use of defining or terming even Ecumenical Councils as infallible. Ecumenical Councils are felt, in the East, to be a continuation of the apostolic faith, and that the apostolic faith does not change. However, it also believes that not every council that proclaims itself ecumenical is so in fact. The Orthodox would also not accept the infallibility of the ordinary and universal magisterium.{{Citation needed|date=December 2013}}
 ==Lutheranism==
 [[File:AugsburgConfessionArticle7OftheChurch.jpg|thumb|...one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.
 –[[Augsburg Confession]]<ref>[http://www.bookofconcord.org/augsburgconfession.php#article7 Augsburg Confession, Article 7, Of the Church]</ref>]]
-Lutheran theology teaches that the Church is indefectible, as with Catholic doctrine.<ref name="TS1979">{{cite journal |title=Teaching Authority and Infallibility in the Church Common Statement |journal=Theological Studies |date=1 March 1979 |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=113–166 |doi=10.1177/004056397904000105 |language=English |quote=For while Lutherans share with Catholics the conviction that the Church of Christ is indefectible, they regard the maintenance of this indefectibility as the sovereign work of God.}}</ref> The Lutheran Churches hold that the "maintenance of this indefectibility as the sovereign work of God."<ref name="TS1979"/>
+Lutheran theology teaches that the Church is indefectible, as with Catholic doctrine.<ref name="TS1979">{{cite journal |title=Teaching Authority and Infallibility in the Church Common Statement |journal=Theological Studies |date=1 March 1979 |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=113–166 |doi=10.1177/004056397904000105 |s2cid=220519207 |language=English |quote=For while Lutherans share with Catholics the conviction that the Church of Christ is indefectible, they regard the maintenance of this indefectibility as the sovereign work of God.}}</ref> The Lutheran Churches hold that the "maintenance of this indefectibility as the sovereign work of God."<ref name="TS1979"/>
 ==Anglicanism==
-The [[Church of England]] claimed this type of authority over the people of England, but the idea is no longer popular within the church, owing to a lack of commonly-accepted traditions and to disputes as to some peripheral doctrines. However, Anglicanism holds to a unique [[ecclesiology]]: in the Anglican view, churches in the historic episcopate (such as the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Scandinavian Lutheran, Moravian, Old Catholic, [[Church of the East|Persian]], Eastern Orthodox and [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental]] churches) that maintained apostolic succession, belief, and practice are all branches of the Universal Church.<ref name="Kinsman1924">{{cite book |last1=Kinsman |first1=Frederick Joseph |title=Americanism and Catholicism |url=https://archive.org/details/MN5170ucmf_4 |date=1924 |publisher=[[Longman]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/MN5170ucmf_4/page/n232 203] |language=en |quote=The one most talked about is the "Branch Theory," which assumes that the basis of unity is a valid priesthood. Given the priesthood, it is held that valid Sacraments unite in spite of schisms. Those who hold it assume that the Church is composed of Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, eastern heretics possessing undisputed Orders, and Old Catholics, Anglicans, Swedish Lutherans, Moravians, and any others who might be able to demonstrate that they had perpetuated a valid hierarchy. This is chiefly identified with High Church Anglicans and represents the survival of a seventeenth century contention against Puritans, that Anglicans were not to be classed with Continental Protestants.}}</ref> Anglicans believe there will always be a section of the Christian Church, although possibly not the Anglican Church itself, which will not fall into major heresy.<ref>{{bible|Mt|16:18}}</ref>
+The [[Church of England]] claimed this type of authority over the people of England, but the idea is no longer popular within the church, owing to a lack of commonly-accepted traditions and to disputes as to some peripheral doctrines. However, Anglicanism holds to a unique [[ecclesiology]]: in the Anglican view, churches in the historic episcopate (such as the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Scandinavian Lutheran, Moravian, Old Catholic, [[Church of the East|Persian]], Eastern Orthodox and [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental]] churches) that maintained apostolic succession, belief, and practice are all branches of the Universal Church.<ref name="Kinsman1924">{{cite book |last1=Kinsman |first1=Frederick Joseph |title=Americanism and Catholicism |url=https://archive.org/details/MN5170ucmf_4 |date=1924 |publisher=[[Longman]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/MN5170ucmf_4/page/n232 203] |language=en |quote=The one most talked about is the "Branch Theory," which assumes that the basis of unity is a valid priesthood. Given the priesthood, it is held that valid Sacraments unite in spite of schisms. Those who hold it assume that the Church is composed of Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, eastern heretics possessing undisputed Orders, and Old Catholics, Anglicans, Swedish Lutherans, Moravians, and any others who might be able to demonstrate that they had perpetuated a valid hierarchy. This is chiefly identified with High Church Anglicans and represents the survival of a seventeenth century contention against Puritans, that Anglicans were not to be classed with Continental Protestants.}}</ref> Anglicans believe there will always be a section of the Christian Church, although possibly not the Anglican Church itself, which will not fall into major heresy.<ref>{{bibleverse|Mt|16:18}}</ref>
 ==Tradition and scripture==
 Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe that divine revelation (the one "Word of God") is contained both in the words of God in [[Religious text#Christianity|sacred scripture]] and in the deeds of God in [[sacred tradition]]. Everything asserted as true by either scripture or tradition is true and infallible.
-{{Quote|This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity: the deeds wrought by God in the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and realities signified by the words, while the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them. By this revelation then, the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation.|Second Vatican Council, ''Dei verbum,'' n. 2}}
+{{Blockquote|This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity: the deeds wrought by God in the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and realities signified by the words, while the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them. By this revelation then, the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation.|Second Vatican Council, ''Dei verbum,'' n. 2}}
 Methodists and Anglicans teach the doctrine of ''[[prima scriptura]]'', which suggests that Scripture is the primary source for Christian doctrine, but that "tradition, experience, and reason" can nurture the Christian religion as long as they are in harmony with the [[Bible]].<ref name="WELS2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.wels.net/what-we-believe/questions-answers/christian/methodist-beliefs|title=Methodist Beliefs: In what ways are Lutherans different from United Methodists?|year=2014|publisher=Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod|language=en|access-date=22 May 2014|quote=The United Methodists see Scripture as the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine. They emphasize the importance of tradition, experience, and reason for Christian doctrine. Lutherans teach that the Bible is the sole source for Christian doctrine. The truths of Scripture do not need to be authenticated by tradition, human experience, or reason. Scripture is self authenticating and is true in and of itself.|archive-date=22 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522105449/http://www.wels.net/what-we-believe/questions-answers/christian/methodist-beliefs|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Humphrey2013">{{cite book|last=Humphrey|first=Edith M.|title=Scripture and Tradition |date=15 April 2013|publisher=Baker Books|language=en |isbn=978-1-4412-4048-4|page=16|quote=historically Anglicans have adopted what could be called a prima Scriptura position.}}</ref>
@@ Line 66: / Line 50: @@
 In his book, [[James F. Keenan]] reports studies by some academics. A study by Bernard Hoose states that claims to a continuous teaching by the Church on matters of sexuality, life and death, and crime and punishment are "simply not true." After examining seven medieval texts about homosexuality, Mark Jordan argues that, "far from being consistent, any attempt to make a connection among the texts proved impossible." He calls the tradition's teaching of the Church "incoherent". Karl-Wilhelm Merks considers that [[Sacred tradition|tradition]] itself is "not the truth guarantor of any particular teaching." Keenan, however, says that studies of "manualists" such as [[John T. Noonan Jr.]] has demonstrated that, "despite claims to the contrary, manualists were co-operators in the necessary historical development of the moral tradition." Noonan, according to Keenan, has provided a new way of viewing at "areas where the Church not only changed, but shamefully did not."<ref>{{cite book|author=James F. Keenan|title=A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century: From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KWbtc5XPMw0C&pg=PA45|date=17 January 2010|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-0-8264-2929-2|pages=45–46}}</ref>
+== Christian fundamentalism ==
+[[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] [[Christian Fundamentalism|Fundamentalist]] churches believe that the primary method of Bible study is [[literal interpretation]], and that the [[Biblical hermeneutics|interpretation]] of these verses is infallible and therefore cannot be discussed.<ref>James Barr, ''Bible and Interpretation: Volume I: Interpretation and Theology'', OUP Oxford, UK, 2013, p. 454, 458</ref><ref>W. Glenn Jonas Jr., ''The Baptist River: Essays on Many Tributaries of a Diverse Tradition'', Mercer University Press, USA, 2008, p. 125: "Independents assert that the Bible is a unified document containing consistent propositional truths. They accept the supernatural elements of the Bible, affirm that it is infallible in every area of reality, and contend that it is to be interpreted literally in the vast majority of cases. Ultimately, they hold not merely to the inerrancy of Scripture, but to the infallibility of their interpretation of Scripture. The doctrine of premillennialism serves as a case in point. Early on in the movement, Independents embraced premillennialism as the only acceptable eschatological view. The BBU made the doctrine a test of fellowship. When Norris formed his Premillennial Missionary Baptist Fellowship (1933), he made premillennialism a requirement for membership. He held this doctrine to be the only acceptable biblical position, charging conventionism with being postmillennial in orientation."</ref>
 ==Consequences for ecumenism==
-The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the various Protestant denominations are divided by their different views on infallibility. The [[Ecumenism|ecumenical movement]], which hopes to reunify all of Christianity, has found that the papacy is one of the most divisive of issues between churches. Infallibility has often been misunderstood by most [[Christian denomination]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/christianity/church.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-12-03 |archive-url=https://archive.is/19981206103950/http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/christianity/church.html |archive-date=1998-12-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Infallibility cannot be understood properly unless a sound comprehension of the administration and theology of each Christian group has first been understood.
+The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the various Protestant denominations are divided by their different views on infallibility. The [[Ecumenism|ecumenical movement]], which hopes to reunify all of Christianity, has found that the Catholic Church's Papacy is one of the most divisive of issues for Protestants and Eastern Orthodox, while Catholics view the Papacy as necessary source of the Church's unity and an indispensable ministry bestowed by Christ on the Church. [[Papal infallibility]] has often been misunderstood by many [[Protestant]] [[Christian denomination|denomination]]s and among some within Eastern Orthodoxy as well.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/christianity/church.html |title=What is the Church? |access-date=2010-12-03 |archive-url=https://archive.today/19981206103950/http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/christianity/church.html |archive-date=1998-12-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 ==See also==
-{{Portal|Christianity|Catholicism|Lutheranism}}
+{{Portal|Christianity|Catholicism}}
 * [[John 20:23]]
 * [[Biblical infallibility]]
@@ Line 81: / Line 68: @@
 ==Further reading==
+*{{cite book|chapter=[[s:Sermons from the Latins/Sermon 38|The Indestructibility of the Church.]] |title=Sermons from the Latins|year=1902|publisher= Benziger Brothers|first=Robert|last=Bellarmine|author-link=Robert Bellarmine}}
 * {{cite book|last=Harkianakis|first=Stylianos|author-link=Stylianos Harkianakis|title=The Infallibility of the Church in Orthodox Theology|year=2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MB7lQKmusxwC|location=Sydney|publisher=St Andrew's Orthodox Press|isbn=978-1-920691-98-1}}
+*{{Cite Catholic Encyclopedia |wstitle=Infallibility |volume=7 |first=Patrick Joseph  |last=Toner}}
 ==External links==
@@ Line 87: / Line 76: @@
 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070222052844/http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article7063.asp The Fundamental Teachings of the Eastern Orthodox Church]
-{{Infallible declarations}}
 {{Catholic Church footer}}
 {{Authority control}}
 [[Category:Ecclesiology]]
-[[Category:Catholic theology and doctrine]]
+[[Category:Catholic ecclesiology]]
 [[Category:Christian terminology]]