[dangus]

It is called theory because it is that: theory. It does represent the mainstream of Catholic thought. I suppose when you were told it was not Catholic doctrine, the poster meant that it is not infallible. Infallibility exists when one of two conditions are met:

1. Conciliar Infallibility. When all the Catholic bishops of the world are invited to confer over a doctrine, and they concur that the doctrine is true.

2. Papal Infallibility. On very rare occassions, the Pope has discerned that there has been a consensus throughout history, he can speak on behalf of the church and declare that a doctrine is true.

In reality, Conciliar Infallibility is really in essence another expression of Papal infallibility, since it is the Pope who determines that the conditions have been met to assert that concensus is reached.

On the other hand, Papal Infallibility is not much different from Conciliar Infallibility. The Pope has no authority to proclaim his opinion as doctrine. On the rare istnaces when the Pope has invoked infallibility, he has asserted that there has been a concensus. In essence, there is no need to call a council to reach a concensus.

[Piranha]

Thank you. That is an interesting post.

Actually, the poster separately addressed Papal infallability and agreed with my surmise that this doctrine does not extend to geopolitical situations (e.g., condemning Israel for killing Yassin).

[johnb2004]

What about infallibility from the ordinary magisterium? Humanae Vitae is said to be never called infallible, yet many say it is infallible by the ordinary teaching of the Church. The 10 commandments have never been defined as infallible in the ways you listed.

[saradippity]

I think it's important to repeat the that Lumen Gentium,the Catholic Catechism and Ad Tuendum Fidem all clarify that Peter can speak alone and that the Bishops are under the Pope and can never proclaim without him.

My comment is beside the point in this discussion of Just War theory,but it needs to be restated in "chats" where comments could be constsrued by others to mean something different regards who speaks for the Church in matters of faith and morals and dogma and doctrine.