Linked Questions

35 votes
7 answers
19k views

When does the Pope speak ex cathedra?

The Catholic Church considers the Pope infallible, but only in limited circumstances. The Pope is a human being like the rest of us, and capable of sinning. However, when the Pope speaks ex cathedra, ...
StackExchange saddens dancek's user avatar
14 votes
13 answers
2k views

How can we be sure our specific Christian confession is true, when every other Christian group claims that it's not? [closed]

I'm a recent convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity, but I've started to doubt the faith recently, and I’m really desperate for help. The doubt I have is really one I've had since the beginning of ...
TermSpar's user avatar
  • 249
16 votes
4 answers
5k views

Catholicism - Consequences of not believing in all dogmas

What are the consequences according to the Catholic Church for members of the Catholic Church in case of not believing in all dogmas? For example Rejecting the notion of the bodily ascension or ...
royskatt's user avatar
  • 263
11 votes
6 answers
2k views

Papal Infallibility and teaching heresy?

I had a question that I hoped the Catholics on the board could help me out with. My understanding of the doctrine of Papal Infallibility is that speaking in his official capacity as the "Vicar of ...
Jordan Garrett's user avatar
18 votes
1 answer
3k views

What does the Catholic church teach about fate of non-Catholic christians?

From what I've heard, The Roman Catholic Church claims to be the only representative authority of God on Earth. Does it indeed claim that, and if so what does it say happens to members of non-Catholic ...
2tim424's user avatar
  • 3,468
7 votes
2 answers
751 views

Did the apostolic or early church fathers acknowledge Papal infallibility?

The Roman Catholic dogma of Papal Infallibility (P.I.) wasn't officially defined until 1870. This doctrine, defined dogmatically at the First Vatican Council of 1869–1870 in the document Pastor ...
Mike Borden's user avatar
  • 16.7k
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

Incompatibilities between Vatican II and the Council of Florence on salvation outside the Church?

I am aware of this previous question where the discussion centered on statements of Pope Francis and the catechism but that is not my interest here. This question also asks about the reasoning behind ...
Blue0500's user avatar
  • 171
8 votes
1 answer
798 views

Creed, Encyclical, Decretal, Canon, Bull, etc - What's the difference?

In Catholicism, what is the difference between a Creed, an Encyclical, a Decretal, a Canon and a Papal Bull? Are there any other decrees or formal or informal outlines of official church doctrine used ...
James Shewey's user avatar
  • 2,636
6 votes
1 answer
990 views

What doctrinal value does the Catholic Church place on "Cantate Domino"?

If I understand correctly, Cantate Domino is a papal bull by Pope Eugene IV which is in some way affiliated with the Council of Florence. I have heard it claimed that the writing of Cantate Domino ...
user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
217 views

What paths exist in the Catholic Church for a certain theological position to become recognized as dogma?

I'm trying to parse the words carefully to say "recognized as dogma" instead of "become dogma", but basically. How does a bill become a law, according to the Catholic Church. If, for instance, a ...
Peter Turner's user avatar
  • 34.5k
5 votes
2 answers
806 views

Can a pope be a heretic?

Say for example a Pope infallibly declares that Mary was not a virgin, and is currently rotting in Hell. This obviously contradicts established Catholic Dogma. What would happen in this case? Would ...
TheIronKnuckle's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
289 views

What is meant by "faith and morals" with regards to papal infallibility?

There are plenty of questions in this site about infallibility (e.g. here, here, and here). All of them take for granted a certain definition of "faith and morals", which is the area upon which ...
luchonacho's user avatar
  • 4,672
0 votes
2 answers
343 views

Did any of the Early Church Fathers believe in the supremacy of St. Peter? [duplicate]

Catholics believe that the Early Church Fathers held to the primacy of St. Peter (ie that Christ gave authority to St. Peter and to his successors to lead the church), but did any of the Early Church ...
user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
301 views

Has the Church stated any advantages or reasoning or prompting to re-formulating positively the Catholic Church's salvation doctrine?

The Church in Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Outside the Church there is no salvation", 846, has re-formulated positively "Outside the Church there is no salvation", often repeated by the Church ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
422 views

What is the meaning of "rigid Catholic" according to the mind of Pope Francis?

A look on the definition of the word "rigid" means - unable to bend or be forced out of shape, not flexible. From the point of view of Catholic faith or teachings or much better according to the mind ...
jong ricafort's user avatar

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