The church calls us, in the name of God, to be obedient to our bishops, so long as our bishops remain in unity with the church.
For clerics, this call is under pain of grave sin.
If one’s bishop should prove heterodox, one has the right to appeal/complain to one’s metropolitan (Archbishop), and if the metropolitan is heterodox, to the Primate of one’s Church (for the Roman Church, this is the pope), and then to the Holy See of the Pope.
I agree, but nowhere does it say we should assent to their errors until otherwise told not to. To do so would be to the ruin of the Church.
St. Robert Bellarmine gives example:
"Then two years later came the lapse of Liberius, of which we have spoken above. Then indeed the Roman clergy, stripping Liberius of his pontifical dignity, went over to Felix, whom they knew [then] to be a Catholic. From that time, Felix began to be the true Pontiff.
For although Liberius was not a heretic, nevertheless he was considered one, on account of the peace he made with the Arians, and by that presumption the pontificate could rightly [merito] be taken from him: for men are not bound, or able to read hearts; but when they see that someone is a heretic by his external works, they judge him to be a heretic pure and simple [simpliciter], and condemn him as a heretic."
Notice he does not say here we must await a formal delaration of heresy. If St. Robert says this is enough to lose the pontificate, how much more a bishop?
He continues:
"And in a letter to the clergy of Constantinople, Pope St. Celestine I says: ‘The authority of Our Apostolic See has determined that the bishop, cleric, or simple Christian who had been deposed or excommunicated by Nestorius or his followers, after the latter began to preach heresy shall not be considered deposed or excommunicated. For he who had defected from the faith with such preachings, cannot depose or remove anyone whatsoever.’
None of us have the authority to depose a bishop. But can we remain in union with one who harms the faith?
Another example, though not proven with complete certainty, is Pope St. Marcellinus. In the Liber Ponitificalis, the story is rendered of St. Marcellinus, out of fear, offering incense to pagan gods and idols. This is why it is believed early liturigical books and calendars had omitted his name, for it was believed he had lost the pontificate, even if only until he recanted his error, which he did. Again, the info is sketchy, but it did show that in the early Church, if there was doubt regarding a bishop’s faith, communion with him was doubted, for we cannot be united with one who openly has not the Faith. Several saints and theologians point this out.
Before anybody assumes, this is not an argument for sedevacantism, or denying our lawful ordinary. It is an argument that we should not follow a bishop into darkness, like the blind leading the blind. The point is one who preaches falsehood is not united to the Church, even if he has not officially lost his position, he has lost it in spirit. So we must resist them, even as St. Paul resisted St. Peter to the face, otherwise we are not living up to our responsible as member’s of Christ’s Church.
Any thoughts?
