Infallibility refers to a freedom from error. Roman Catholic theology posits infallibility in the office of the pope when he speaks authoritatively on matters of faith and morals.
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The roots of the doctrine of papal infallibility can be traced back to various Fathers of the Church, but was formally defined in 1870 by Pope Pius IX at the First Vatican Council.
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Infallibility is believed by Catholics to be a corollary of the Church's teaching authority. Catholics believe that the pope is the final decision-making authority for the Church, and that essential issues can receive a definitive interpretation, free from error.
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Infallibility does not relate to the holiness or sinlessness of the pope, nor does it mean that everything that the pope says or does in without error.
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Though the popes have used their power to define doctrine since the early Middle Ages, they have spoken infallibly only once since 1870, in defining the Assumption of Mary into Heaven as an article of faith.
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Infallibility is one of the major issues dividing the Christian churches. Many Protestants reject papal infallibility, believing that the Bible alone is infallible.
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