ORTODOKS VE PROTESTAN KİLİSELERİN ‘PAPANIN YANILMAZLIĞI DOKTRİNİ’NE BAKIŞI VE BU KİLİSELERİN YANILMAZLIK ANLAYIŞLARI

THE VIEW OF ORTHODOX AND PROTESTANT CHURCHES TO THE DOCTRINE OF PAPAL INFALLIBILITY AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF INFALLIBILITY

Özet

Menşe ve mebde itibariyle kendisini havari Petrus'a, Petrus kanalıyla da bizzat İsa'ya dayandıran Roma Katolik Kilisesi, hemen her dönemde bu argümanı ileri sürerek kendisini benzerlerinden ayrıştırma yoluna gitmiş ve diğer kiliseler üzerinde idari ve yargılama (kazaî) öncelik ve üstünlük yetkisine sahip olduğunu iddia etmiştir. Gücünün zirvesinde olduğu dönemlerde böylesi bir tanımlamaya ihtiyaç hissetmeyen Roma Kilisesi, XI. yüzyıldaki Doğu-Batı ayrılığıyla başlayıp XVI. yüzyıldaki Protestan ayrılığıyla devam eden, XVIII. yüzyıl ve sonrası aydınlanma, Fransız İhtilali ve modernizm ile ivme kazanan yoğun epistemolojik ve teolojik meydan okumalar karşısında papanın yanılmazlığı ilkesine bel bağlamıştır. Roma Katolik Kilisesi'nin belirli dönem ve durumlarda ileri sürdüğü eşsizlik-emsalsizlik, öncelik ve üstünlük iddialarının, bu kilisenin başı olan papanın yanılmazlığına doğru evrilmesi olarak da görülen bu ilke, en nihayet I. Vatikan Konsili'nin 17 Temmuz 1870 tarihindeki son oturumunda kabul edilen Pastor Aeternus adlı konsil yasasında ifadesini bularak Katolik inanç esaslarına (credo) dahil edilmiştir. Katolik Kilisesi'nin, Ortaçağlardaki kendinden emin ve mağrur tutum ve davranışlarının ultramontanist bir tutumla en vurgulu şekilde ifadesi olan bu dogma sadra şifa vermediği gibi Katolik Kilisesi'nin kendi içinde ayrıca yeni bir bölünmeyi de beraberinde getirmiştir. Bu dogmaya muhalefet eden bir grup Katolik teolog, Eski Katolik Kilisesi (Old Catholic Church) adıyla yeni bir kilise kurarak Roma'dan ayrılmıştır. Papanın yanılmazlığı aynı zamanda diğer kiliselerle belli dönemlerde yürütülen ökümenik çalışmalar önünde aşılması güç bir engel olarak da karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Zira Roma Kilisesi'nin uzun bir tarihsel süreçte teşekkül eden Katolik geleneği reddetmemek adına takındığı tavizsiz tutumunun yanında Ortodoks ve Protestan kiliselerin bu dogmaya muhalefeti ve farklı yanılmazlık anlayışları bir problematik teşkil etmektedir

Abstract

The Roman Catholic Church has originally attributed itself to Jesus Christ via apostle Peter for centuries. By virtue of that assertion, the Roman Catholic Church has made itself dissimilar from the other churches and asserted the jurisdiction and administrative priority and superiority above these churches. Despite the fact that it didn’t need such a definition when it was in the climax of its power, the Roman Catholic Church relied on papal infallibility dogma in the First Vatican Council in 1870 when it encountered with the Eastern and Western schism in XI. century and Protestant Reformation in XVI. century and the following excessive epistemological and theological challenges which stem from Enlightenment, French Revolution and modernism in the modern era. The papal infallibility dogma which is seen as the Catholic Church’s confident and proud attitudes and behavior’s reflection with an ultramontanist feelings from Middle Ages, However it hasn’t answered the purpose it caused a new seperation in Catholicism. Some theologians who opposed infallibility dogma established a new church by the name of Old Catholic Church and diverged from Roman Catholic Church. Papal Infallibility dogma is an insuperable obstacle in front of the ecumenical movement which running in a particular times with the other churches as well. Because the opposition and different infallibility understanding of the Orthodox and Protestant Churches constitutes a problematique along with the uncompromising manner of the Catholic Church in order not to reject the Catholic doctrine which has establihed in a long historical period. So in this survey as a Catholic doctrine, papal infallibility dogma and Orthodox, Protestant and other more local Eastern Churches’ approaches about this dogma was studied. In the introduction we gave some general information on papal infallibility. In the first title we evaluated the view of Orthodox Churches to this doctrine and their understanding of infallibility. In the second title the viewpoint of Protestant or Reformed Churches to the infallibility defining and their infallibility understanding was presented as well. In the third and final title we examined the Eastern Churches and integrated with Rome Uniate Churches’ infallibility concept. In the conclusion all the information was summarized briefly as a whole. Although the Orthodox and Protestants was invited to the First Vatican Council they rejected this invitation. Because this invitation of Pope Pius IX was considered as strengthening his hand against rivals. But this attempt run into the ground because of the long time seperation between two churches and foreseeing of non-acceptable council’s decisions previously. Because the announced statements on supremacy and infallibility of the pope in the council’s constitution Pastor Aeternus are intolerable for the Orthodox and Protetestants. Furthermore the last sentence of the council constitution -but if anyone which may god, forbid, contradict this our definition, let him be anathema- not only is a menace to the antagonist group within the Catholic Church but also is a dismissive expression which describes the Orthodox and Protestants heretic. The Orthodox Church which has been mostly representing by the Greek and Slav nations today claims that the true belief, true worship and true doctrine of the Church (ortho-doxa) gather in itself. Instead of a hierarchical structure like the Roman Catholicism, there is equality and autonomic status among churches in Orthodoxy. Contrary to the Catholic Church, in Orthodoxy there is no any supreme and infallible person like pope above the Orthodox Churches. Orthodox Church describes the pope’s position in the Church as primacy (first among equals) not supremacy and accuses the Catholic Church transferring from primatus to papatus. Orthodox Church rejects papal infallibility dogma defined solemnly in the first Vatican Council. According to Orthodox Christianity infallibility belongs to Church as a body and its organ ecumenical councils. Protestantism is a movement originated from the Protestant Reformation which was initiated by Martin Luther in the XVI. century. Protestantism is based on Luther’s theological understanding which outlined sola fide, sola scriptura (by faith alone, by scripture alone) motto. Protestant Churches are opposed to the hierarchical system in the Church and thus they reject papal authority and doctrinal infallibility above believers. For Protestants only infallible thing is Bible; no one is infallible except scripture. According to the Protestants infallibility dogma is a roadblock in front of the ecumenical dialogue among churches as well. For this reason this definition should be reevaluated immediately, otherwise reunion of Christian churches is not possible. The Anglican Church which diverged from Catholic Church in the XVI. century, has different understanding on the Church administration. In 1534, the pope’s authority was apportioned between bishop of Canterbury and king of England via Act of Supremacy. According to Anglicans the pope is not leader of the Church, therefore he hasn’t got any infallible doctrinel definition rights and power. The Anglican Church accepts the scripture as infallible only like other Protestant churches. Like other reformed churches, Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christians don’t accept papal infallibility dogma, for these churches, only infallible authority is Bible. Likewise, characteristically depend on Orthodox Churches familiy and against to 451 Chalcedon Council, the monophisite churches such as Armenian, Assyrian and Coptic Orthodox Churches don’t accept papal infallibility at all. Because according to these churches Christian dogmas stem from the first three council and none of the councils is ecumenical following the 431 Ephesus Council.