While the Catholic Church teaches that “the whole body of the faithful . . . cannot error in matters of belief”, this does not mean Catholic beliefs are open to popular vote, Pope Benedict XVI has told a group of theologians.
The Pope said an authentic “sensus fidei” (“sense of faith”) can come only when Catholics actively participate in the life of the Church and follow the teachings of the Pope and the bishops.
Addressing members of the International Theological Commission, he praised their efforts to “present, so to speak, the genetic code of Catholic theology”.
Tacking the notion that the sense of faith can be used to defend theological dissent, the Pope reminded his audience that the term refers to “a kind of supernatural instinct” among the faithful.
He referred to the Second Vatican Council’s teaching in Lumen Gentium that “whole whole body of the faithful, anointed as they are by the Holy One, cannot err in matters of belief”.
“Today it is particularly important to clarify the criteria which make it possible to distinguish the authentic ‘sensus fidelium’ from its counterfeits,” he said.
“In reality, it is not some kind of ecclesial public opinion, and it is unthinkable to use it to contest the teaching of the magisterium because the ‘sensus fidei’ cannot develop authentically in a believer except to the extent in which he or she fully participates in the life of the Church, and this requires a responsible adherence to the magisterium.”
The “sensus fidei” helps Catholics recognise what does and does not belong to the faith of the Church, he said, and it is a sign that “the Holy Spirit does not cease to speak to the churches and lead them to the whole truth”.
Sources:
Image: Rome Reports
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