Interpreting The Moral Law

4. "This kind of question requires from the teaching authority of the Church a new and deeper reflection on the principles of the moral teaching on marriage—a teaching which is based on the natural law as illuminated and enriched by divine Revelation.

No member of the faithful could possibly deny that the Church is competent in her magisterium to interpret the natural moral law.

It is in fact indisputable, as Our predecessors have many times declared, (l) that Jesus Christ, when He communicated His divine power to Peter and the other Apostles and sent them to teach all nations His commandments, (2) constituted them as the authentic guardians and interpreters of the whole moral law, not only, that is, of the law of the Gospel but also of the natural law. For the natural law, too, declares the will of God, and its faithful observance is necessary for men's eternal salvation. (3)

In carrying out this mandate, the Church has always issued appropriate documents on the nature of marriage, the correct use of conjugal rights, and the duties of spouses. These documents have been more copious in recent times. (4)"

This is a very large assumption/claim that is made by the Pope. By assuming that the Church has the ability or the RIGHT to interpret the Moral Law, every idea that Christianity aligns itself with is given credibility. Odd, considering that, although Christianity is the leading world religion, it does not represent the majority and that only a small percentage of the people who practice the religion adhere to the authority of the Pope. Also interesting is that the four reasons stated for why the Church is considered competent to interpret moral law are merely claims to authority and do not provide support for the authority. It is pure rhetoric, plain and simple, and for you to accept the claim he is making, you must have faith in a God that gives no proof and no fact. Religion is based on faith, authority rests on faith and faith is, in turn, dependent on the rhetoric of the people who believe. There is no proof. Only claims.

Additionally, any claims made by faithless people should be disregarded because they do not have the claim of authority that the Pope has. You may have all the social evidence to support your claim to authority (professional authority, success, education, knowledge about the subject) but it will mean less than nothing compared to the authority claimed by the church....even though it offers no such proof.

"When the evidence of the experts had been received, as well as the opinions and advice of a considerable number of Our brethren in the episcopate—some of whom sent their views spontaneously, while others were requested by Us to do so—We were in a position to weigh with more precision all the aspects of this complex subject. Hence We are deeply grateful to all those concerned.

The Magisterium's Reply

6. However, the conclusions arrived at by the commission could not be considered by Us as definitive and absolutely certain, dispensing Us from the duty of examining personally this serious question."

The claims and authority of these experts, no matter how diverse the opinion, is put under the scrutiny of this proof-less claim.