Papal Infallibility

[amoxoxoma]

All doctrinal statements of a General Council, which have been ratified by the Pope, are infallible. This applies, however, only to the particular dogmatic decrees, which usually end with the words “let him be anathema”.

The disciplinary decrees which end in the words “let him be anathema”, since they are not dogmatic in nature, are reformable and not protected by infallibility.

Heresy is a serious offence against God. In the Catholic state, heresy was usually punished by death, just as our society sometimes punishes a murder by death. Whereas a murderer only kills the body, a heretic kills the soul. Therefore, much more appropriate is it to put a heretic to death to protect the innocent, than a murder who can only kill the body (that is almost word for word what St. Thomas says in the Summa).

Just as murder (which is a violation of the 5th commandment) is against the laws of our State, so to heresy (which is a violation of the 1st commandment) was against the law in a Catholic Country.

QUOTE]

So, it sounds like you are saying that putting heretics to death was a non-infallible disciplinary pronouncement, but you, along with St. Thomas Aquinas, think it is a good idea? Isn’t this the same position that Islamists take regarding death to apostates?

 

[JGuar17944]

I’d like to say that though being baptized and thus incorporated into the mystical body of christ through the Catholic Church in submission to the Roman Pontiff is a sure way of salvation, we do have admissions from everyone who has offered an opinion, even USMC, that it is possible for someone outside the visible Church to be saved.

This being established, why are we arguing over, or even opining on the frequency of such an occurrence? The most we have in our power to do is hope and pray - by even thinking about the matter we’ll fall into either presumption or despair.

As C.S. Lewis said, to paraphrase: “If you know you’ll be saved on the inside, but not sure of what will become on the people outside, the least reasonable thing you can do is remain outside yourself. What will become of those on the outside? God did not tell us.” Certainly it’s reasonable to think of one’s spiritual life in the same way one thinks of one’s biological life, no?

I, personally, would not think too much of a God who could not think up a way to save every person who wanted to be saved.

I also take great hope in the fact that God judges us on our hearts, and that any given grave sin might not be mortal in a specific case because one of the two other ingredients to make it a subjective mortal sin might not be present (full knowledge and consent of the will).

Of course this doesn’t mean I think we should tempt God, rather we should all live on the safe side - and besides, Jesus will only be able to work in our lives insofar as we practice self-denial in imitation of him.

I also thank God for creating Purgatory - where we can finish any self-perfection, necessary to enter heaven, which was left undone at the time of death.

 

[JGuar17944]

I’d like to say that though being baptized and thus incorporated into the mystical body of christ through the Catholic Church in submission to the Roman Pontiff is a sure way of salvation, we do have admissions from everyone who has offered an opinion, even USMC, that it is possible for someone outside the visible Church to be saved.

This being established, why are we arguing over, or even opining on the frequency of such an occurrence? The most we have in our power to do is hope and pray - by even thinking about the matter we’ll fall into either presumption or despair.

As C.S. Lewis said, to paraphrase: “If you know you’ll be saved on the inside, but not sure of what will become on the people outside, the least reasonable thing you can do is remain outside yourself. What will become of those on the outside? God did not tell us.” Certainly it’s reasonable to think of one’s spiritual life in the same way one thinks of one’s biological life, no?

I, personally, would not think too much of a God who could not think up a way to save every person who wanted to be saved.

I also take great hope in the fact that God judges us on our hearts, and that any given grave sin might not be mortal in a specific case because one of the two other ingredients to make it a subjective mortal sin might not be present (full knowledge and consent of the will).

Of course this doesn’t mean I think we should tempt God, rather we should all live on the safe side - and besides, Jesus will only be able to work in our lives insofar as we practice self-denial in imitation of him.

I also thank God for creating Purgatory - where we can finish any self-perfection, necessary to enter heaven, which is left undone at the time of death.