Question that the Bible, nor official religious texts can't answer- where is infallible answer?

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Thomas_Jennings

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That is, an answer that is certainly seen as correct within the faith, undenyable and undebatable (a fact rather than an opinion).
 
Some things can’t be answered. The humble man accepts that, denies himself, takes up his cross, does the best he can with what he has and trusts God with the rest.
 
Thomas_Jennings said:
That is, an answer that is certainly seen as correct within the faith, undenyable and undebatable (a fact rather than an opinion).
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By “a question,” do you mean a matter of conscience, of theology, or perhaps something else?
 
We are not God we cannot make a perfect answer unless we have full knowledge of it
 
It’s interesting that, in your original question, you limit the sources of revelation to written texts. That is a very modern (post 14th c) way of thinking and is at odds with historic Christianity and with Catholicism. We know that something is certainly true, not because it is found in a religious text, but because it is taught as such by the Holy Catholic Church. Some of this teaching is written, but it need not have been. In fact, if it had so pleased the Holy Spirit, the Church could have communicated it’s teaching orally without ever producing definitive texts. It’s the teaching of the Church (which is the teaching of Christ) that we rely on, not “religious texts.”

To directly answer your question, then, I’d say take it to the Church! If the Church is not willing (or able) to provide an infallible answer, then we must content ourselves with reason. If reason is not able to provide an infallible answer (perhaps we’ve been forced to use induction rather than deduction which can only arrive at probability not certainty) then we must content ourselves with a probable answer. If even that fails, then we must content ourselves with continuing to seek the answer.
 
1ke said:
You don’t.

Not everything has been revealed to us.
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Ditto this. We also don’t scruplulize over whether or not something has been taught “infallibly” like Reformed Fundamentalists think we are required to. :o
 
PietroPaolo said:
It’s interesting that, in your original question, you limit the sources of revelation to written texts. That is a very modern (post 14th c) way of thinking and is at odds with historic Christianity and with Catholicism. We know that something is certainly true, not because it is found in a religious text, but because it is taught as such by the Holy Catholic Church. Some of this teaching is written, but it need not have been. In fact, if it had so pleased the Holy Spirit, the Church could have communicated it’s teaching orally without ever producing definitive texts. It’s the teaching of the Church (which is the teaching of Christ) that we rely on, not “religious texts.”

To directly answer your question, then, I’d say take it to the Church! If the Church is not willing (or able) to provide an infallible answer, then we must content ourselves with reason. If reason is not able to provide an infallible answer (perhaps we’ve been forced to use induction rather than deduction which can only arrive at probability not certainty) then we must content ourselves with a probable answer. If even that fails, then we must content ourselves with continuing to seek the answer.
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So the catechism is a good guide to what is thought utterly ‘certain’ in the Catholic Church?
 
Thomas_Jennings said:
So the catechism is a good guide to what is thought utterly ‘certain’ in the Catholic Church?
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Yes. Pope JP2 said that the Catechism “is given as a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine.”

But the Catechism is still a text. The teaching authority of the Church isn’t confined to texts at all. Rather it is embodied in the living Magisterium of the Church. That teaching authority has chosen to use texts (encyclicals, Conciliar docs, etc) but the texts themselves are only an expression of the teaching authority that resides in the Church (not in the texts). When the Church teaches something as true, we can know it is true (under certain circumstances) - whether it is in writing or not.
 
Let’s put it this way: The essence of Protestantism is the personal interpretation of scripture. Each individual has the right and authority to make his/her own judgement. By leaving the interpretation to the teaching authority of the Church Catholics have a greater number of hard and fast answers than Protestants can ever have.
Not all questions admit of a definitive answer. Live with it.

Reb Levi
 
I can’t think of a single thing like that. What example can you offer?

The idea that one has to have such is really just a fundamentalist mindset.

Some things are not explained and don’t need to be.
 
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