• t3rmit3@beehaw.org
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    28
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    No. In Catholicism, when a Pope makes official rulings on matters of Catholic doctrine it is supposed to be infallible. It also must be explicitly invoked as ex cathedra, meaning “from the chair”, as applying to all Catholics. The last time that happened was in 1950, with a doctrinal ruling on the nature of the Assumption of Mary. It also cannot be a new doctrine, only a ruling on the nature of an existing one, so it’s meant to be sort of akin to a SCOTUS ruling interpreting a law, rather than being an executive order.

    In Protestant and other Reformation-derived denominations (e.g. Evangelicals) Pastors are not supposed to be authoritative or infallible. They just often present themselves that way.