Could the Church Change her teaching on Contraception?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cathangel
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cathangel

Guest
We had this discussion the other day as to if the Church could ever change her teaching on Contraception because it was an issue of Faith & Morals which cannot be changed (right?). So has the Church ever changed her views on something on Faith & Morals? Or a statement spoken ex cathedra? Please help me!!
 
No, the Church has not contradicted earlier teachings.

You will likely get objections on many items, but primarily naysayers will try to say the Church contradicted on:
  1. No Salvation outside of the Church
  2. Slavery
  3. Usury
So bone up on those issues! 🙂

Personally, I love the teaching on contraception, it has helped bring some fantastic converts to the Church.

Scott
 
Where can I find out more about those issues and the Church’s teaching on them because those issues did come up in the conversation!
 
40.png
cathangel:
We had this discussion the other day as to if the Church could ever change her teaching on Contraception because it was an issue of Faith & Morals which cannot be changed (right?). So has the Church ever changed her views on something on Faith & Morals? Or a statement spoken ex cathedra? Please help me!!
Click to expand...
No. Because it would be impossible. Jesus Himself said “whatsoever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven”. This means that it is affirmed in heave or the Holy Spirit would prevent it from ever be prounounced. It is the Holy Spirit which watches over any Ex Cathedra prounancements!
 
40.png
cathangel:
Where can I find out more about those issues and the Church’s teaching on them because those issues did come up in the conversation!
Click to expand...
Why right here at Catholic Answers! Hit the ‘Home’ link (the one at the very top next to ‘Library’.) Enter ‘usury’ or ‘slavery’ in the search box, and it will take you to the articles.

Scott
 
This council was brought up:
Pope Eugene IV, Bull “Cantate Domino”, 1441:

It firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart “into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Matt. 25:41], unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.

Is this still the teaching of the Catholic Church?

We just talked to an apologist who said that the Church can go through “organic growth.” Could this not in a way be concidered a change in the doctrine by changing how the Church viewed it before and how it is viewed now?
 
This is still the teaching. From my understanding (primarily from Ott), that there is no salvation outside of the Church is absolute by precept and by means. The necessity of precept is absolute, however the necessity of means (what counts as being in the Church) is hypothetical. Perhaps try this from CA: catholic.com/library/Salvation_Outside_the_Church.asp
 
NO. There is some debate at to weather Humana Vitea is ex cathedra but it is from the the Holy Spirit. Since it is from the Holy Spirit, you should assent - agree and accept it.

On the subject of Salvation outside the church still stands. If you know and believe that the Catholic Church is the one true church, then you know that there is no salvation outside the church. Other protestants may get to heaven through Jesus through the Catholic Church. Had it not been for the Catholic Church they would really be in the dark. No scripture, not tradition. No knowledge about Christ. So what they know from the bible - a catholic book - it is only because of the Catholic Church.

Peace
 
Something to remember about Cantate Domino:
When it was brought up, there WERE no Protestants. What there was: Catholics (i.e., “Christians of the Roman or Latin Catholic rites”), Orthodox (i.e., "Christians of the Eastern Rites. . .Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.)–and these two had been one until less than 300 years prior to Cantate Domino–plus adherents of the two other main monotheistic “related” religions, Judaism and Islam–and all others, i.e., “pagans”.

What was hoped to be understood in the context of Cantate Domino was that East and West would reunite, and that Jews, Muslims and pagans would convert. Like excommunications and anathemas, it was meant as a “wake-up” call to come INTO THE FOLD of Catholicism.

It wasn’t a “nyah-nyah” meant to intimidate Protestants or wholesale d-mn people.
 
The Catholic Church did not invent the prohibition to artificial contraception, it merely acted to expound it with clarity. The prohibition of contraception exists parallel to Church teaching, not because of Church teaching. The Church has no more authority to reverse the teaching on contraception than it does to reverse its position on abortion or any one of the Ten Commandments.
 
The Church cannot change her position on contraception because a) as has been mentioned it breaks the natural law, which is immutable, and b) her ordinary magisterium has affirmed this truth throughout her entire history. The constant unified testimony of the ordinary magisterium is infallible, as are ex cathedra and conciliar statements.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top