POPE FRANCIS - A HERETIC? CAN POPE AND CARDINALS BE HERETICS TOGETHER? WILLIAM OF OCKHAM Dial. 5.6-10 CHP. X


Chapter 10

Student: It seems to me in the smallness [of my opinions] that an adequate response has been made to the seventh, eighth and ninth arguments, but I do not understand the replies to the other arguments. Nevertheless I want to defer a fuller discussion of them to another time. Now, however, prompted by the foregoing I want to know what scholars think about the college of cardinals together with the pope, that is whether the pope and all the cardinals can be entangled at the same time in heretical wickedness.

Can pope and cardinals be heretics together?

Master: There are various opinions about this. For some people say that the pope can not err against faith, and, in addition, those who affirm that the college of cardinals can not err against faith have to say as a consequence that the pope together with the college of cardinals can not err against faith. Their principal argument seems to be that the Roman church can not err against faith; however the Roman church is the pope together with the college of cardinals; therefore, etc

Again, the apostolic see can not err against faith; however the apostolic see consists of the pope and the college of cardinals only; therefore, etc.

Others affirm plainly that the pope together with the whole college of cardinals can err against faith. Their basic arguments have been touched on above: firstly, that if the pope together with the cardinals were unable to err it would be in vain that general councils gathered to determine questions of faith; secondly, that it is held of only one church that it can not err; thirdly, that there is salvation outside the pope and the cardinals; finally, that all of them can at the same time be entangled in wickedness and so they can at the same time all err against faith.

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