Home > Papal Infallibility
In Catholic theology, papal infallibility is the dogma that the Pope, when he solemnly defines a matter of faith and morals ex cathedra (that is, officially and as pastor of the universal Church), does not have the possibility of error. This doctrine was defined dogmatically by the First Vatican Council of 1870.1 Theological history
Within Catholic theology, a number of Scriptural passages coalesce to indicate the primacy of the Roman Pontiff and the theological dogma of his infallibility, including:
- Jn 1:42; Mk 3:16 ("And to Simon he gave the name Peter", Cephas or Rock)
- Mt 16:18 ("thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church"; cf. Mt 7:24-28, the house built on rock)
- Jn 16:13 ("when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth.")
- Jn 14:26 ("the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things")
- Jn 21:15-17 ("Feed my lambs/sheep") (stated three times)
- Lk 10:16 ("He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.")
- 1 Tim 3:15 ("behave thyself in the house of GodThis article focuses on the concept of singular, monotheistic God . See deity, gods, or goddesses for details on divine entities in specific religions and mythologies. God is a term referring to the supreme being generally believed to be ruler or creator, which is ... the pillar and ground of the truth.")
- 1 JnThe First Epistle of John is a book of the Bible New Testament. It the fourth of the catholic or "general" epistles. It was traditionally held to have been written by John the Evangelist, and probably also at Ephesus, and when the writer was in advanced a 2:27 ("let the unction, which you have received from him, abide in you. And you have no need that any man teach you; but as his unction teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie. And as it hath taught you, abide in him.")
- AcThe Acts of the Apostles (Greek Praxeis Apostolon is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. Abbreviated in Bible citation: Act . The author names it "treatise" (1:1). It was early called "The Acts", "The Gospel of the Holy Ghost 15:28 ("For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, ...") (the Apostles speak with voice of Holy Ghost)
- Mt 10:2 ("And the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon who is called Peter,...") (Peter is first)
- Mt 28:20 ("Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days...")
- Ludwig Ott points out the many indications in Scripture that Peter was given a primary role with respect to the other Apostles: Mk 5:37, Mt 17:1, Mt 26:37, Lk 5:3, Mt 17:27, Lk 22:32, Lk 24:34, and 1 CorSee also: Second Epistle to the Corinthians The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul and Sosthenes to the people of Corinth, Greece. It was written from Ephesus (16:8) about the time of the 15:5 (Fund., Bk. IV, Pt. 2, Ch. 2, §5).
