Editing Infallibility (section)

==In theology==
===Christianity===
{{See also|Biblical infallibility|Biblical inerrancy|Infallibility of the Church|Papal infallibility}}
''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'' defines infallibility as "Inability to err in teaching revealed truth".<ref>Cross, F. L. and Livingstone, E. A. (eds), "infallibility" in ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church'', p. 831. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. {{ISBN|0-19-211655-X}}</ref> [[Catholic theology|Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox theology]] claim that the [[Christian Church|Church]] is infallible, but disagree as to where infallibility exists, whether in doctrines, scripture, or church authorities.

In Catholic theology, [[Jesus]], who is the Truth, is infallible,<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm#889 CCC 889]</ref> but only a special act of teaching by the church's bishops may properly be called "infallible". According to the [[First Vatican Council]] (1869–1871) and as reaffirmed at [[Vatican II]] (1962–1965), the earthly head of the Catholic Church, [[the Pope]], is infallible when speaking ''[[ex cathedra]]'' on matters of faith and morals (that is, when he explicitly intends to use his papal office to teach the whole Church definitively and irreformably on matters which deal directly with faith and morals).<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://moses.creighton.edu/csrs/news/F96-1.html|title = The History and Future of Papal Infallibility|last = Burke|first = Ronald|date = Fall 1996|access-date = Oct 10, 2015}}</ref> However, [[papal infallibility]] does not extend beyond such cases, thus making it possible for a Pope to sin and to be incorrect.<ref name="CCC890">{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P26.HTM |work=Catechism of the Catholic Church |title=Chapter 3, Article 9: I believe in the Holy Catholic Church |publisher=Vatican Publishing House |date=2003-11-04<!--from the bottom of the title page--> |access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref> Papal infallibility also belongs to the body of [[Bishops in the Catholic Church|bishop]]s as a whole, when, in doctrinal unity with the pope, they solemnly teach a doctrine as true.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.catholic.com/tracts/papal-infallibility|title = Papal Infallibility|date = August 10, 2004|access-date = October 11, 2015|website = Catholic Answers|last = Brom|first = Robert|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130104141224/http://www.catholic.com/tracts/papal-infallibility|archive-date = January 4, 2013|url-status = dead}}</ref>

In contrast, Protestant and non-denominational Christian churches believe that the Christian Church is indeed fallible, as evidenced by the requirement of Christ's sacrifice on the cross to pay for the sins of the world, including those of his Church, and that [[Sola scriptura|only God's word in scripture]] is infallible. They also completely reject the Catholic claim regarding papal infallibility, citing not just scriptural reasons, but also the many times popes have contradicted each other and the history of mistakes committed by many popes throughout Roman Catholic Church history.{{cn|date=June 2020}}

Because of the complexity in defining infallibility, some Protestant and non-denominational views confuse papal infallibility with [[impeccability]], as if the Pope were immune from sin.<ref>[http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/does-papal-infallibility-mean-the-pope-is-perfect-or-inerrant Does papal infallibility mean the pope is perfect or inerrant?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317092342/http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/does-papal-infallibility-mean-the-pope-is-perfect-or-inerrant |date=2013-03-17 }}. Catholic Answers. Retrieved: 23 March 2013.</ref> This is not the Catholic Church's doctrine, which concedes that Popes can sin and may even contradict one another's personal theological opinions.<ref name="CCC890"/> It is evident that the Pope can sin (which every Pope explicitly states in the [[Confiteor]], and whenever he receives the [[Sacrament of Penance]]) and a Pope may even succumb to [[Heresy in Christianity|heresy]], as suggested in the condemnation by the [[Third Council of Constantinople]] (13th and 16th session) which [[anathema|anathematized]] [[Pope Honorius I]] for supporting the heresy of [[monothelitism]], and which [[Pope John XXII]] admitted when he retracted his views on the [[beatific vision]].<ref>[[Charles A. Coulombe|Coulombe, Charles]] (2003). ''Vicars of Christ: A History of the Popes''. Citadel Press. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4tbYF51StSQC&pg=PA293 p. 293]. {{ISBN|0-8065-2370-0}}.</ref>

===Islam===
====Universal teachings====
[[Islam]] teaches that the teachings and guidance by the [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Prophets]] with regard to bringing the message of the One true God is infallible. Islam also teaches that the [[Quran]] is an infallible text.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hasan |first=Ahmad |title=The Concept of Infallibility in Islam |date=1972 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20833049 |journal=Islamic Studies |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=1–11 |jstor=20833049 |issn=0578-8072}}</ref>

====Additional Shi'a teachings====
{{main|Ismah}}
In [[Shi'a]] theology, one of the two branches of [[Islam]], the belief is that the [[Ahl al-Bayt]], including [[Muhammad]], his daughter [[Fatima Zahra]] and [[Shi'a Imams]] are all infallible. It is believed that they are infallible in the sense that all statements or teachings made by them can be relied on to be certainly true, that all information believed by themselves is true, and that they have complete knowledge about right and wrong and never intend to disobey God. It is also held by Shi'as that there were 124,000 [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Prophets]], beginning with [[Adam (Bible)|Adam]] and ending with [[Muhammad]] – with all, including the last, being infallible in the same sense as the Ahl al-Bayt.<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.shianews.com/hi/articles/islam/0000006.php |work=Shia News |title=Infallibility of the Prophets|access-date=2007-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.answering-ansar.org/shia_viewpoint/khalifatullah_in_shia/en/index.php|work=Answering Ansar |title=The Khalifatullah in Shi'a belief|access-date=2007-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070527090215/http://www.answering-ansar.org/shia_viewpoint/khalifatullah_in_shia/en/index.php|archive-date=2007-05-27|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Judaism===
The notion of infallibility in Judaism as it relates to the [[Tannaim]] and [[Amoraim]] of the [[Talmud]], as well as the [[Rishonim]], [[Achronim]] and modern day [[Gedolim]] is one surrounded by debate.

Some who reject infallibility cite the Talmud, [[Pesachim]] 94b:
{{quote|The sages of Israel say: "The sphere ([[Earth]]) remains fixed and the [[constellations]] revolve," while the sages of the nations say: "The sphere revolves and the constellations remain fixed."&nbsp;... the sages of Israel say: "during the day the [[sun]] moves below the canopy (sky) and at night above the canopy," while the sages of the nations say: "during the day the sun moves below the canopy and at night below the ground." Rebbi said: "Their words seem more correct than ours..."}}

The words of the [[Mishnah]] are commented on by numerous commentators, and [[Yehuda (Leo) Levi|Yehuda Levi]] argues that the [[Geonim]] and [[Maimonides]] perceived that the sages of the Talmud "erred in a matter of astronomy".<ref>Levi, Yehuda, ''The Science in Torah'', Feldheim Publishers 2004, p. 92.</ref> Maimonides wrote that the great sages are not expected to advocate positions perfectly in-line with modern science because they were "scholars of that generation," often basing their assessments of what "they learned from the scholars of the era."<ref>[[Maimonidies]], ''[[The Guide for the Perplexed]]'', part 3, chapter 14.</ref>

In the [[Hasidism|Hasidic]] tradition, however, infallibility is taught in the [[Chabad]] tradition in connection with a [[rebbe]].{{Cn|date=January 2023}}

===Vaishnavism (Hinduism)===
{{refimprove section|date=March 2017}}
In the [[Bhagavad Gita]], [[Krishna]] explains to [[Arjuna]] (Bg 15.16 to 15.20):
{{quote|There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible. Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord Himself, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them. Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person. Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata. This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection.<ref>[http://vedabase.net/bg/15/16/en Bhagavad Gita]</ref>}}

=== Baháʼí Faith ===
The [[Baháʼí Faith]] teaches the doctrine of the Most Great Infallibility (''al-'ismah al-kubra'') which applies to the [[Manifestation of God (Baháʼí Faith)|Manifestations of God]] who founded the world's major religions, including Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, as well as the [[Báb]] (1819–1850) and [[Baháʼu'lláh]] (1817–1892), the prophet-founder of the faith.

Infallibility also extends to [[ʻAbdu'l-Bahá]] (1844–1921), the son of the faith's founder; to the Guardian of the faith [[Shoghi Effendi]] (1897–1957); and to the [[Universal House of Justice]], the faith's nine-member supreme ruling body.

In the [[Kitáb-i-Aqdas]], the central religious text of the faith, Baháʼu'lláh describes himself as having "no partner in the Most Great Infallibility". He later expounds on the doctrine in the [[Tablets of Baháʼu'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas|ʼIs͟hráqát]], a tablet written circa 1885 to a believer from [[Azerbaijan]].

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá described infallibility as being of two kinds: the "essential infallibility" of the Manifestations of God, and the "acquired infallibility" of the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Infallibility of the Universal House of Justice|url=https://bahai-library.com/vafai_infallibility_uhj|access-date=2022-01-05|website=bahai-library.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

In the [[Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá]], he describes both the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice as being "under the care and protection of the Abhá Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of the Exalted One":<ref>{{Cite web|title=Will And Testament of 'Abdu'l‑Bahá {{!}} Bahá'í Reference Library|url=https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/will-testament-abdul-baha/2#189137811|access-date=2022-01-05|website=www.bahai.org}}</ref> <blockquote>Whatsoever they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him not, neither obeyeth them, hath not obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him and against them hath rebelled against God; whoso opposeth him hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath contended with God; whoso disputeth with him hath disputed with God; whoso denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath disbelieved in God; whoso deviateth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him hath in truth deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him!</blockquote>Shoghi Effendi describes the limits of the Guardian's infallibility as such<ref>{{Cite web|title=Infallibility {{!}} Bahá'í Quotes|url=http://bahaiquotes.com/subject/infallibility|access-date=2022-01-05|website=bahaiquotes.com}}</ref>:<blockquote>The infallibility of the Guardian is confined to matters which are related strictly to the Cause and interpretation of the teachings; he is not an infallible authority on other subjects, such as economics, science, etc. When he feels that a certain thing is essential for the protection of the Cause, even if it is something that affects a person personally, he must be obeyed, but when he gives advice, such as that he gave you in a previous letter about your future, it is not binding; you are free to follow it or not as you please.</blockquote>