B
Brad
Guest
Unfortunately, you cannot use one particular group of Bishops for this test.It’s hard to tell in this instance, because Catholic teaching is that we are to be pro-life.
The best way to determine whether someone is a Catholic first or a Republican first is to take an issue where Catholic teaching is in opposition to the Republican party platform, and see who supports the Catholic side and who supports the Republican side. For example, this thread on the Minnesota bishops’ teaching on moral dimensions of public policy relating to budget and tax issues.
In order for teaching to be binding, the Bishops must be in communion with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. This requires:
A) That the Vatican has a doctrinal/moral teaching on the matter
B) The Bishops are in communion with it
There have been many Bishops in the past(in fact a majority of Bishops during the early heresy days) that taught doctrines outside of communion with the Pope and the Magisterium.