Hard magisterium question

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fineca

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I’m all confused, trying to write an article on infallibility and only now found out that there are millions of different kinds of magisteriums, before everyone just said Magisterium!
Now I need some theologically skilled person explain to me how we can know that something is part of the ORDINARY AND UNIVERSAL MAGISTERIUM and what is part of the ORDINARY MAGISTERIUM’s teaching. I think I already understand the EXTRAORDINARY MAGISTERIUM , that is, papal and conciliar definitions on faith and morals. Yet also the ORDINARY AND UNVIERSAL MAGISTERIUM seems to be infallible, whereas the ORDINARY MAGISTERIUM is not infallible. Take contraception for example. Or death penalty. Or that Satan was a good angel before he fell. Or that the matter of baptism is water. Or that Mary gave birth without pain. Bob Sungenis lately replied to the last one that is should be given religious assent but that a Catholic can doubt any doctrine that is not infallibly defined as long as he doesn’t teach his doubt publicly. Now could one then doubt the teaching on contraception in one’s private life? It seems clear that it’s not the case, but how is one to tell whether something is part of the ordinary magisterium or the ordinary and universal magisterium? AND: Where do all these magisteriums come from? Is there any magisterial document specifying the magisteria? Since when have these concepts existed?
Many thanks! Please reply urgently!
 
fineca said:
I’m all confused, trying to write an article on infallibility and only now found out that there are millions of different kinds of magisteriums, before everyone just said Magisterium!
Now I need some theologically skilled person explain to me how we can know that something is part of the ORDINARY AND UNIVERSAL MAGISTERIUM and what is part of the ORDINARY MAGISTERIUM’s teaching. I think I already understand the EXTRAORDINARY MAGISTERIUM , that is, papal and conciliar definitions on faith and morals. Yet also the ORDINARY AND UNVIERSAL MAGISTERIUM seems to be infallible, whereas the ORDINARY MAGISTERIUM is not infallible. Take contraception for example. Or death penalty. Or that Satan was a good angel before he fell. Or that the matter of baptism is water. Or that Mary gave birth without pain. Bob Sungenis lately replied to the last one that is should be given religious assent but that a Catholic can doubt any doctrine that is not infallibly defined as long as he doesn’t teach his doubt publicly. Now could one then doubt the teaching on contraception in one’s private life? It seems clear that it’s not the case, but how is one to tell whether something is part of the ordinary magisterium or the ordinary and universal magisterium? AND: Where do all these magisteriums come from? Is there any magisterial document specifying the magisteria? Since when have these concepts existed?
Many thanks! Please reply urgently!
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There is ONE Magisterium or Teaching Authority of the Catholic Church and it can be expressed in several different ways.
 
Thanks! But none of those really answer my question. None dealt with the ORDINARY AND UNIVERSAL magisterium. Some sources say Lumen Gentium 25 speaks about it, others say it speaks about the ORDINARY magisterium. Is contraception forbidden by the former or the latter?
 
fineca said:
Thanks! But none of those really answer my question. None dealt with the ORDINARY AND UNIVERSAL magisterium. Some sources say Lumen Gentium 25 speaks about it, others say it speaks about the ORDINARY magisterium. Is contraception forbidden by the former or the latter?
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If you have a deadline, it’s very important to keep your topic sufficiently narrow, otherwise you’ll spend too much time researching and you won’t have enough time to distill your thoughts and your research into a final written draft. As a suggestion, if you don’t find the answer to your question, just write the best article you can with the information you already have. However, don’t put something in your article unless you’re absolutely certain about it; otherwise just leave it out.

Although I am not a trained theologian, I can assure you that not much has been written on the specific issue of distinguishing between “ordinary magisterium” and “ordinary and universal magisterium”, and I’m not sure which reference would help you in this regard.

Here’s some food for thought, however. If you have found some material which states that the “ordinary magisterium” is not infallible, perhaps the authors might be discussing one or both of the following situations.

First: discipline. Canon law and other rules are enacted, modified and repealed. Decrees of excommunication and anathemas can be withdrawn. These are valid exercises of the ordinary magisterium of the Catholic Church, but they are reformable. The ordinary magisterium does not have the charism of infallibility in making decisions of mere discipline.

Second: local. The teaching of local bishops and synods is only binding upon Catholic believers under their jurisdiction. Local bishops and synods have formulated some rather exquisite and beautiful teachings, but the ordinary magisterium does not have the charism of infallibility unless it is universal, i.e., joined together with the pope to be held and binding upon all Catholics.

Again, I’m not a trained theologian but just using my untrained logic I’d say that the Church’s teaching against contraception is part of the “ordinary and universal magisterium” and is infallible. There may be some rules and decrees concerning specific situations, however, such as birth control issued to nuns during WWII for example, that are valid exercises of the “ordinary magisterium”, but would not be infallible.

None of what I’ve said is reference material, of course, but I hope it puts you on the right path to find what you need.
 
Thanks. In fact I already finished the article days ago with the knowledge I had. Ratzinger’s response to Ordinatio Sacerdotalis and JP2:s Evangelium Vitae show that priesthood for men only and abortion are part of the infallible ordinary and universal magisterium. The ordinary magisterium requires religious assent, as the CCC (892 I think) explains, but still I don’t know what truths I should assent to with the obedience of faith and which ones with religious assent…since they’re different, aren’t we supposed to know which we give to which doctrine?
 
Infalliblity in a nutshell:

Any teaching binding on all members of the Church is infallible. That teaching may be expressed in a variety of ways, but however it is expressed, if it must be held by the whole Church, it is infallbile.
 
fineca said:
The ordinary magisterium requires religious assent, as the CCC (892 I think) explains, but still I don’t know what truths I should assent to with the obedience of faith and which ones with religious assent…since they’re different, aren’t we supposed to know which we give to which doctrine?
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I think you’re asking an excellent question.
 
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