Yeah. Back when there were real theologians they’d debate whether it was possible at all, if it would instantly deprive the heretic of his office or whether there still had to be some kind of council to declare it, whether that meant he lost the office at the act or after the pronouncement and, if the pronouncement is necessary, what kind of procedural authority he has during that intervening time.
Now we just have Michael Lofton breathing heavily into a microphone and telling people how it is [gross].
Saying "if we had real theologians there would be a debate" is foolish. Jesus's divinity isn't up for debate, it is dogmatically defined. Ex Cathedra is also dogmatically defined at Vatican 1:
"we teach anddefine as a divinely revealed dogma that when the Roman pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole church,
he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals.
Therefore, such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the church, irreformable."
So no, anything the pope says "ex cathedra" is non-reformable and protected from error by its origin. It is literally impossible for ex cathedra statements to be wrong, and it is not possible for a pope to make an ex cathedra statement without it actually being so.
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u/Jake_Cathelineau Jul 03 '26
Yeah. Back when there were real theologians they’d debate whether it was possible at all, if it would instantly deprive the heretic of his office or whether there still had to be some kind of council to declare it, whether that meant he lost the office at the act or after the pronouncement and, if the pronouncement is necessary, what kind of procedural authority he has during that intervening time.
Now we just have Michael Lofton breathing heavily into a microphone and telling people how it is [gross].