Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!gatech!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: paulk@caen.engin.umich.edu (Paul J. Kominsky) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Trent Message-ID:Date: 25 Sep 89 01:31:55 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: U of M Engineering, Ann Arbor, Mich. Lines: 67 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Someone said that >>by 1231 Pope Gregory IX had incorporated Frederick's penalties >>into his "Excommunicamus" constitution, so that "from then on, >>animadverso debita became synonymous with death at the stake." >>[Jedin & Dolan]. > > Yes, and in light of the infallibility of the decrees of a pope all > the way back to constantine, it is unlikely that it was removed. Infallible decrees of Popes are extrememly rare. Outiside of councils there have been only 18 "ex cathedra" infallible documents, and that's it. This constitution of Gregory IX was not one of them. Furthermore, infallibility is limited to the sphere of faith and morals, so the statement above about civil punishment could not possibly be infallible. Here is a list of all of the ex cathedra pronouncements *outside* of councils, from "That Catholic Church," Radio Replies Press, 1954: Leo I, Lectis Dilectionis Tuae, 13 June 449, On the divinity of Christ. Agatho, Omnium Bonorum Spes, ~680, On the divine and human wills in Christ. Boniface VII, Unam Sanctam, 18 Nov 1302, On papal supremacy in the Church. Benedict XII, Benedictus Deus, 29 Jan 1336, On the heavenly destiny of saints. Leo X, Exsurge Domine, 15 June 1520, Condemning the errors of Martin Luther. Innocent X, Cum Occasione, 31 May 1653, Condemning the errors of the Jansenists. Innocent XI, Coelestis Pastor, 19 Nov 1687, Condemning the erros of the Quietists. Clement XI, Unigenitus, 8 Sept 1713, Condemning the false teachings of Paschasius Quesnel. Pius VI, Auctorem Fidei, 28 Aug 1794, Condemning the false teachings of the Synod of Pistoia. Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, 8 Dec 1854, Defining the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. also, Quantae Cura, 8 Dec 1864, Condemning the erros of secularism and communism. Leo XIII, Apostolicae Curae, 13 Sept 1896, Condemning Anglican orders as null and void. also, Testem Benevolentiae, 22 Jan 1899, Condemning merely Naturalistic interpretations of Christian Activities. [A few theologians say these two are not technically ex cathedra.] Pius X, Lamentabili, 3 July 1907, also, Pascendi, 7 Sept, 1907, Condeming the errors of the Modernists. Pius XI, Casti Connubii, 31 Dec 1930, Calling contraceptive birth control a grave violation of the Law of God. Quadragesimo Anno, 15 May 1931, Condeming materialistic socialism. [These two are "very probably" ex cathedra, according to my source.] Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus, 1 Nov 1950, Defining the dogma of the Assumption. | Paul Kominsky --+-- paulk@caen.engin.umich.edu | |\ | /| The more noble a thing is, ---\---|- the more reprehensible is its abuse. | V | -Aloysius Biskupek, S.V.D. [I have often seen the claim that only the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption are infallible. What makes something ex cathedra? --clh]