POPE FRANCIS - A HERETIC? ON THE PUNISHMENT OF HERETICS AND ESPECIALLY OF THE POPE WHO HAS BECOME A HERETIC WILLIAM OF OCKHAM Dial. 6 CHP. XXXVI

Spot The Jew


Chapter 36

Student: I understand from the preceding material that of those who affirm that catholics are allowed to appeal from a heretic pope, some say that it is not necessary to utter the word "appeal" though it might sometimes be useful, while others claim that the utterance is necessary. And the former are involved in various terminological difficulties because of the distinct senses which they attribute to the word "appeal". All of the aforementioned individuals, however, do agree on one point: that believers have the right to oppose every heretical doctrine of the pope, and even the heretic pope himself. Therefore, putting aside the terms "appeal" and "appellant", I would like to use the terms "opposition" and "opponent" in the context of certain questions I shall be putting to you with respect to the preceding issue. And first of all I ask whether opponents of a heretic pope are to be defended by other catholics even against a pope wanting to punish such opponents.

Master: There are contrary assertions in reply to this question. One is that the opponents of a heretic pope who by no means utter the word "appeal" must not be defended by catholics. There is a contrary view, namely that such opponents must be defended.

Student: I am gladly all ears as to your arguments in support of these contrary assertions.

Master: It appears that the first assertion may be proved by the following reason. It is a greater matter to defend the opponents of a heretic pope than to defer to their opposition, just as it is a greater matter to defend appellants than to defer to their appeal. But catholics are not bound to defer to an opposition against a heretic pope unless these opponents have issued a legitimate appeal. Therefore neither are they bound to defend such opponents. Here is a second reason. His opposition does not exempt an opponent from the jurisdiction of the prelate he is opposing, but a legitimate appeal does exempt an appellant from the jurisdiction of the prelate from whom he is appealing. Therefore a mere opposition to a heretic pope does not exempt the appellant from the pope's jurisdiction, but an appeal does create such an exemption. And catholics must not provide a defense against the pope except and only to those individuals who are exempt from the pope's jurisdiction. Therefore although catholics are obligated to defend appellants, they are not for all that obligated to defend opponents who do not appeal.

Comments