RE: A moral and ethical question for theists
July 12, 2015 at 10:33 am
(This post was last modified: July 12, 2015 at 10:34 am by Randy Carson.)
INTERVENTION
Some confusion and misunderstanding are evident in these posts because terms have not been defined properly.
Infallible
Infallible means "incapable of making mistakes or being wrong." A fallible person or group of persons can make mistakes because they can change. To be infallible means that the person or group is incapable of making mistakes.
Inerrant
Inerrant means "free from error." A math textbook can be free from error on a number of levels (no typos, every problem is solved correctly, and the principles of mathematics are articulated accurately).
Inspired
Inspired means that "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more." (CCC 106)
Catholics believe that the Pope, Ecumenical Councils ratified by the Pope and the college of Bishops acting in union with the pope are infallible. They cannot make mistakes when teaching formally on matters of faith and morals. This is a very precise and limited scope of meaning.
Catholics believe that the Bible is both inspired and inerrant. All 73 books - from Genesis to Maps.
Hope this helps.
![[Image: ani_tiphat.gif]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=forums.catholic.com%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2Fani%2Fani_tiphat.gif)
Some confusion and misunderstanding are evident in these posts because terms have not been defined properly.
Infallible
Infallible means "incapable of making mistakes or being wrong." A fallible person or group of persons can make mistakes because they can change. To be infallible means that the person or group is incapable of making mistakes.
Inerrant
Inerrant means "free from error." A math textbook can be free from error on a number of levels (no typos, every problem is solved correctly, and the principles of mathematics are articulated accurately).
Inspired
Inspired means that "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more." (CCC 106)
Catholics believe that the Pope, Ecumenical Councils ratified by the Pope and the college of Bishops acting in union with the pope are infallible. They cannot make mistakes when teaching formally on matters of faith and morals. This is a very precise and limited scope of meaning.
Catholics believe that the Bible is both inspired and inerrant. All 73 books - from Genesis to Maps.
Hope this helps.
