Is Church teaching on abortion de fide dogma?

[hamburglar]

First off, I am 100 percent pro-life and am not questioning Church teaching on the issue.

Now that we have that out of the way, is Church teaching on abortion considered de fide dogma and denial of that teaching constitutes heresy under Canon 751?

Heresy is the obstinate denial or obstinate doubt after the reception of baptism of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith

 

[Corki]

The Church teaches on faith AND morals. The terms ‘dogma’ and ‘heresy’ refer to teaching about faith. Abortion is a matter of morals.

Abortion is as infallible as a dogma but matters of morals aren’t expressed in those terms.

 

[LilyM]

First off, I am 100 percent pro-life and am not questioning Church teaching on the issue.

Now that we have that out of the way, is Church teaching on abortion considered de fide dogma and denial of that teaching constitutes heresy under Canon 751?

Even if it’s not dogma, it certainly would seem to come under Canon 751. I would say that teachings on abortion would constitute a ‘truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith’ and therefore that obstinate denial or doubt of Church teaching on abortion would appear to fit in the definition of heresy.

 

[diggerdomer]

First off, I am 100 percent pro-life and am not questioning Church teaching on the issue.

Now that we have that out of the way, is Church teaching on abortion considered de fide dogma and denial of that teaching constitutes heresy under Canon 751?

I’m curious about this question.

Abortion is clearly wrong per the Catholic Church. It’s classified as an “intrinsic evil” meaning it’s never justified/excusable.

So, given that, …what’s the difference to you regarding Canon 751? Just curious.
I mean, is this primarily a question about abortion, or canon law, or heresy?

 

[Canto]

Given such unanimity in the doctrinal and disciplinary tradition of the Church, Pope Paul VI was able to declare that this tradition [regarding abortion] is unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, in communion with the Bishops – who on various occasions have condemned abortion and who in the aforementioned consultation, albeit dispersed throughout the world, have shown unanimous agreement concerning this doctrine – I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written Word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s Tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. (Evangelium Vitae, § 62 Pope John Paul II)

According to Catholic theology, a teaching of the “ordinary and universal magisterium” is infallible if it is taught by all Bishop dispersed throughout the world, as long as they all teach it in a definitive and authoritative manner. Before writing Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II surveyed every Catholic bishop in the world asking whether they agreed that murder, directly-willed abortion, and euthanasia were immoral, and they all agreed that they were. To make this connection clear, the pope concluded each of these passages in Evangelium Vitae with a reference to the “ordinary and universal magisterium” and a footnote that cited Lumen Gentium§ 25.

The current Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, William Levada, wrote in 1995 that Evangelium Vitaes teaching regarding abortion was an infallible teaching of the ordinary magisterium.

Among the Catholic theologians who have written about infallibility, nearly all agree that these three statements constitute infallible teaching. These theologians include “liberals” (Richard Gaillardetz, Hermann Pottmeyer), “moderates”, and “conservatives” (Mark Lowery, Lawrence J. Welch).

Not sure where I found this info, sitting on my computer, copied it from somewhere. Hope this helps.

 

[RobbyS]

Given such unanimity in the doctrinal and disciplinary tradition of the Church, Pope Paul VI was able to declare that this tradition [regarding abortion] is unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, in communion with the Bishops – who on various occasions have condemned abortion and who in the aforementioned consultation, albeit dispersed throughout the world, have shown unanimous agreement concerning this doctrine – I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written Word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s Tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. (Evangelium Vitae, § 62 Pope John Paul II)

According to Catholic theology, a teaching of the “ordinary and universal magisterium” is infallible if it is taught by all Bishop dispersed throughout the world, as long as they all teach it in a definitive and authoritative manner. Before writing Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II surveyed every Catholic bishop in the world asking whether they agreed that murder, directly-willed abortion, and euthanasia were immoral, and they all agreed that they were. To make this connection clear, the pope concluded each of these passages in Evangelium Vitae with a reference to the “ordinary and universal magisterium” and a footnote that cited Lumen Gentium§ 25.

The current Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, William Levada, wrote in 1995 that Evangelium Vitaes teaching regarding abortion was an infallible teaching of the ordinary magisterium.

Among the Catholic theologians who have written about infallibility, nearly all agree that these three statements constitute infallible teaching. These theologians include “liberals” (Richard Gaillardetz, Hermann Pottmeyer), “moderates”, and “conservatives” (Mark Lowery, Lawrence J. Welch).

Not sure where I found this info, sitting on my computer, copied it from somewhere. Hope this helps.

Abortion is proscribed in early Christian writings, and any disagreement about it seems to be about the severity of the act, based largely on our ignorance of biology. The Church has certainly come down 100% on the side of the anti-abortionists.

 

[hamburglar]

A clarification: this question is mostly regarding a person incurring latae sententiae excommunication for being a heretic.

Does a person that believes abortion is okay incur latae sententiae excommunication? If Church teaching on abortion is de fide then it would seem that under Canons 1364 and 751, a person who believes abortion is okay incurs excommunication.

 

[diggerdomer]

A clarification: this question is mostly regarding a person incurring latae sententiae excommunication for being a heretic.

Does a person that believes abortion is okay incur latae sententiae excommunication? If Church teaching on abortion is de fide then it would seem that under Canons 1364 and 751, a person who believes abortion is okay incurs excommunication.

I’m not sure heresy applies, but it seems that yes anyone procuring an abortion incurs excommunication (for better or worse).

 

[Canto]

Canon 1364 §1 An apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication, without prejudice to the provision of Canon 194 §1, n. 2; a cleric, moreover, may be punished with the penalties mentioned in Canon 1336 §1, nn. 1, 2 and 3.

Canon 1398 A person who actually procures an abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.

latae sententiae: the term to describe one of the two forms of penalty, namely, that which is automatically incurred on committing an offence, without the intervention of a judge or Superior.

procure: acquire something (according to Encarta dictionary)

 

[diggerdomer]

A clarification: this question is mostly regarding a person incurring latae sententiae excommunication for being a heretic.

Does a person that believes abortion is okay incur latae sententiae excommunication? If Church teaching on abortion is de fide then it would seem that under Canons 1364 and 751, a person who believes abortion is okay incurs excommunication.

Oops sorry my prior response may not have answered what you asked.

If you’re asking whether someone who disagrees with the Church’s teaching on abortion incurs excommunication due to heresy, the simple answer is no.

Is it possible that someone who disagrees with the Church’s teaching on abortion incurs an excommunication? Yes, it’s possible. I’ve never heard of it happening but I think it’s theoretically possible.