Infallibility: What does it mean and does it matter?

By Fr Dylan James, 24/8/08‘Infallibility’ is the term that is used to describe the fact that the Catholic Church teaches thetruth and the way that it teaches the truth. Without it we cannot know the truth with certainty.

The Mission to Teach to Truth

Jesus Christ declared Himself to be “the way the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6)He came to teach the truth. Christ willed that the truth be known by all peoples and soHe appointed His apostles to go out and teach the truth:"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and makedisciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son andof the Holy spirit,

teaching

them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, Iam with you always, to the close of the age" (Mt 28:18-20).The

Catechism

points out that the Church’s mission is the same as the mission of Christand was founded by Christ for this very purpose:"The Church's mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is itssacrament" (

Catechism of the Catholic Church

n. 738).This teaching mission was entrusted in a particular way to the 12 Apostles who Christsingled out for this role, and these Apostles appointed the bishops to continue this role.The Church thus has a structure that was given to it by Christ:"The Lord Jesus endowed his community with a structure that will remain until theKingdom is fully achieved. Before all else there is the choice of the Twelve withPeter as their head" (

Catechism

n. 765).

The Promise that Christ would Guide the Teaching of His Church

Christ not only commanded His Apostles to teach the truth but He promised that whenthey taught they would teach faithfully:“He that hears you hears me; and he that rejects you rejects me (Lk 10:16).By the gift of the Holy Spirit the Apostles were promised to know the

whole

truth:“When the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth” (Jn 16:13).The Apostles thus teach accurately not by their own ability or wisdom but by the HolySpirit. This was the same with the first pope, St Peter, who recognised Jesus as theChrist only by the power of God:"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this toyou, but my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 16:17).

Authority and Division

The teaching authority in the Church was given to us by Christ in order that we mighthave a focus for unity when divisions come. Christ knew that divisions would come (e.g.Mt 24:24).Pope Clement in 96AD wrote:“Our Apostles knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would bedissensions over the title of bishop. In their full knowledge of this, therefore, theyproceeded to appoint the ministers I spoke of, and they went on to add aninstruction that if these would die, other accredited persons should succeed themin their office” (

Corinthians,

n. 44).When divisions come we should listen to those who hold

proper

authority. It is the pope,as the successor of St Peter who possesses the fullness of Christ’s teaching authority. Itwas St Peter who was appointed as the visible head of Christ’s Church:“And I tell you, you are Peter [‘Rock’], and on this rock I will build my church, andthe powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of thekingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:18-19).