As determined by whom? Heretics? Obviously not, otherwise, every heresy of every sort would have claim to "divine inspiration". Orthodoxy is determined by the bishops of the Church; that is precisely what distinguishes orthodoxy from heterdoxy. Orthodoxy is not determined by agreement with one's own private and personal interpretation of Scripture or one's own private and personal determination of "what God is saying". That would entail the elimination of orthodoxy (and heresy) altogether, for then each person would have his own orthodoxy, evacuating the very concept of all meaning.
That is why St. Augustine is exactly right when he says: "For my part, I should not believe the Gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church." Notice the contrast between the great saint Augustine, and the contemporary individualist for whom the Church has nothing to do with the Gospel or salvation; it just "me and Jesus". In actuality, it is not the Bible per se that determines orthdoxy (as 20,000+ different 'sola scriptura' sects demonstrate); it is fundamentally the Church, particularly, her bishops in succession from the Apostles and in communion with the bishop holding the seat of Peter. Just as in the days of the Apostles, to enter the Church was to enter into communion with the Apostles and to submit to their leadership and authority, so today to enter the Church is to enter into communion with those bishops in succession from the Apostles and submit to their leadership and authority.
-A8
Maybe tomorrow.
Seems to me that those assertions have fallen in a huge logical and historical trap.
The history of the human Roman organization is full of blazing brazen examples to the opposite. I have no need to rub anyone's nose in them. But I'm a bit shocked that the above statement is believed by anyone in light of them.
Absolute power corrupting absolutely has been exemplified worst in RELIGIOUS organizations up until probably Hitler. There could be other exceptions I'm not thinking of at the moment. Augustine was wiser than to have made such a brash statement. Evidently his biases blinded him.
it is not the Roman Hierarchy per se that determines orthdoxy--as 20,000+ different John SKERRIAN FLIPFLOPS, indulgences, Papal exceptions for Papal escapades . . . on what is right and wrong from one year, decade, century to the next have demonstrated with abundant repetitiveness. It is fundamentally the Church, particularly, her bishops in POLITICAL succession from the Apostles and in POLITICAL BLOCK MANEUVERING with the bishop holding the seat of THE CHIEF POLITICIAN--THE POPE--THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED VERY BRAZENLY SO REPEATEDLY OVER THE CENTURIES that Phariseeism is alive and well on planet earth.
Just as in the days of Christ and the Apostles, to enter the Church was to enter into political gamesmanchip with the currently most politically successful pharisees and to submit to their leadership and authority, VS THAT OF SCRIPTURE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT . . . so today to enter the Church is to FAR TO OFTEN IN MOST ALL ORGANIZED RELIGIOUS GROUPS . . . to enter into more political gamesmanship; pharisaical posturing and pontificating with those bishops in succession from the pharisees of Jesus' earthly walk and submit to their spiritually corrupt; spiritually bankrupt; spiritually deadly leadership and authority.
. . . slightly . . . (tee hee) . . . edited for accuracy and Scriptural faithfulness.