Doctrine/dogma Infallibility

[1catholic]

What is the difference between doctrine and dogma in the Catholic Church? Is either infallible? Which is the Catechism? Is the Catechism infallible and can it ever change.

[CatherineM]

[quote name='1catholic' timestamp='1307506049' post='2251131']
What is the difference between doctrine and dogma in the Catholic Church? Is either infallible? Which is the Catechism? Is the Catechism infallible and can it ever change.
[/quote]
Dogmas are our core beliefs, and are infallible. Think Nicene Creed. Doctrines are divided into Definitive and Authoritative. Definitive we have to accept to be Catholic. Authoritative, we should accept even though we can recognize the [i]remote[/i] possibility that the Church may be in error. The last level is Discipline and admonitions and things like pastoral letters. We should obey these even if we don't agree with them, but we are allowed not to agree with them. As an example, priestly celibacy is a discipline, and the Church could change that rule any time it wants to without everything falling apart.

Some of the Catechism falls into all four levels of Church teachings. And no, there is no master book that lets us know where every line in the Catechism falls. That's the same for most of our teachings. We pretty much know what stuff is Dogma, but for the more complicated issues there is debate as to where they fall on the curve. The Magisterium can be bad about defining what type of doctrine each rule is. I believe that is because they don't see a reason to because we should obey anyway. I think they may also like to give themselves some wiggle room for the future. They also like to let time pass on issues to see how things develop. The idea of the Immaculate Conception was held by the church for many, many years before it was formally acknowledged as infallible. The Magisterium isn't like our local bylaw board that puts things out in weeks. It is here for the long haul, with the most important issues in the world weighing in on their shoulders. They take their time because they should, and we should go along with all the teachings of the Church, no matter where they fall, even if we disagree. For those things we disagree about, we should actively inform our conscience to try to understand why we should agree.