Catholic Answers Live #12199 Can a Pope Modify an Ecumenical Council? And More - Jimmy Akin
May 16, 2025
Jimmy Akin, a senior apologist and expert in Catholic theology, dives into provocative topics such as whether a pope can modify an ecumenical council's declarations. He discusses the acceptance of Deuterocanonical books by early Jewish groups and explores why God designed humanity the way we are. Akin also addresses the objectivity of mortal sin, the historical significance of papal names, and the implications of human bipedalism. He emphasizes the importance of learning Church history and moral accountability in understanding faith.
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Pope Can't Rewrite Council Documents
- A pope cannot rewrite or directly modify the text of an ecumenical council's document.
- The pope can issue new teachings that supplement or clarify councils, especially if the original teaching was non-infallible.
Jewish Acceptance of Deuterocanonicals
- Early Jewish groups varied in acceptance of Deuterocanonical books.
- Pharisees had a canon like Protestants; Essenes and Septuagint users accepted many Deuterocanonicals.
Bipedalism Enables Intelligence
- Humans walk on two legs so hands are free to manipulate objects.
- This fine motor ability correlates with greater intelligence among creatures.
