What is the definition of infallible?

Answer 1

A:The First Vatican Council in 1870, defined the infallibility of the pope, in Pastor Aeternalis. First of all, chapter 6 says:

9. Therefore, faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the christian faith, to the glory of God our savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion and for the salvation of the christian people, with the approval of the Sacred Council, we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogmathat when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable. [My emphasis in bold]

On this, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson (Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church) asks how a council can infallibly declare the infallibility of the pope unless we assume in advance that the council was itself infallible. In the absence of infallibility on the part of the First Vatican Council, the pronouncement in Pastor Aeternalis is no more than an opinion.

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In chapter 4 of the same document, the council appears to have limited that infallibility, by limiting the pope to jealously guarding and explaining what was handed down through the apostles, and not the ability to disclose a new doctrine by revelation:

6. For the Holy Spirit was promised to the successors of Peter not so that they might, by his revelation, make known some new doctrine, but that, by his assistance, they might religiously guard and faithfully expound the revelation or deposit of faith transmitted by the apostles.

The council may not have intended to have one clause limit the other in this way. The pope's pronouncement on the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was certainly not handed down through the apostles, so even if the pope is indeed infallible on certain matters Robinson believes this clause means that the pope was assuming an infallibility he did not have in this case.

In summary:

1. the council taught and declared that the pope is infallible when speaking ex cathedra on faith and morals, but apparently also limited his authority to matters of faith transmitted by the apostles;

2. there is reasonable doubt whether Catholics really ought to hold the pope to be infallible; and

3. there is further doubt as to whether the pope ought to be regarded as infallible when making pronouncements other than to expound teachings transmitted through the apostles, such as on the Assumption of Mary.

Answer 2

Infallible-

adjective 1. absolutely trustworthy or sure: an infallible rule. 2. unfailing in effectiveness or operation; certain: an infallible remedy. 3. not fallible; exempt from liability to error, as persons, their judgment, or pronouncements: an infallible principle. 4. Roman Catholic Church. immune from fallacy or liability to error in expounding matters of faith or morals by virtue of the promise made by Christ to the Church.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/infallible