Today’s Scripture Reading (January 8,
2013): 2 Samuel 7
I have to admit
that there are dogmas of the church that make no sense to me. And one dogma close
to the top of my list is Papal infallibility. The main idea behind the dogma is
that because of the promise that Jesus made to Peter, the Pope is protected
from error in the exercise of his office. The idea of Papal infallibility continues
to be redefined by the Catholic Church – and a cynic would probably say that it
continues to be redefined because of evidence of Papal fallibility. But either
way, the idea that any one of us could be infallible is an absurd and dangerous
belief – at least it is to me.
And part of
my struggle with the dogma is that I really do not see any biblical evidence
for it. Even Peter did not seem to be immune from mistakes after the promise
that Jesus made to him. Paul had problems (and probably rightfully so) with the
way that Peter had treated the Gentile believers. And Peter himself never
seemed to expect that he was infallible.
In Peter’s
belief in his own fallibility, he was aligning himself with the historical
expectations of the prophets and priests of God, including Nathan. Nathan was a
prophet in King David’s court. It is hard to imagine a more prestigious
position than being the king’s prophet. Nathan spoke with the authority of God
in the court of the king. He was the one that was in communication with God.
And so when the King asks him a question, Nathan answers – go and do whatever
it is that you are thinking about. God is with you.
But Nathan
was not covered by any infallibility dogma. And in this case, in the exercising
of his office as the prophet, Nathan was wrong. God would have a conversation with
Nathan and he would have to clarify God’s instructions to David. But in this
statement, Nathan would be simply be wrong.
It is the
reality of all of our lives. Sometimes we make statements that are wrong. And
there is nothing inherently sinful in being wrong – but, like Nathan, we need
to own up to our mistakes and make things right.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm
30
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