(iv)
The Fourth Council of Constantinople (869-870)––“The Catholic
faith is preserved inviolable in the Apostolic See.”
(v)
The reunion Councils of Lyons (1274) and Florence (1438-1445)––
“The Roman Pontiff…to him in blessed Peter the full power of
feeding, ruling and governing the universal Church was given by
Our Lord Jesus Christ”.
These are but a few of many statements from the early centuries that can be
quoted in support of the supreme doctrinal authority and therefore the
infallibility of the Pope. On the other hand, there existed no formal denial
of papal authority until the first Eastern schism (that of Photius) in 862 AD.
Fourth objection: “How could St. Peter as first Pope be infallible
when it is clear from the Bible that on one occasion St. Paul proved
him wrong (Gal. 2:11-16)?”
In this episode, which occurred in Antioch, St. Paul withstood St. Peter “to
his face” because of his decision to withdraw from the table of the Gentiles
for fear of offending the visiting Jews from Palestine who belonged to the
“circumcision party.” St. Paul did accuse St. Peter of error: “If you, though
a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the
Gentiles to live like Jews?” (v. 14). Nevertheless, infallibility was not
involved, as the issue was one of prudence and expedience, not faith and
morals. Also, St. Peter did not teach others to do the same or declare his
example as binding the whole Church.
Fifth objection: “There have been Popes who have taught heresy,
Pope Liberius in the fourth century for example.”
No Pope has ever solemnly taught or endorsed heresy or any other kind of
teaching contrary to Catholic faith and morals. Pope Liberius was
imprisoned, threatened with death and treated with cruelty for two years by
Arians who sought to extract a heretical statement in their favor. But none
was forthcoming. The only evidence is that he may have signed a creed that
did not include the full definition of Nicaea but contained no positive
statement in favor of heresy. But, even then, he did not promulgate this
creed to the whole Church. His alleged condemnation of St. Athanasius as a
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