Imprimatur Expire?

[jswranch]

I understand why; newer, better, and fuller truths may now exist.

What are more reasons?

I got this question on another forum:
[quote]How can Imprimaturs expire when a bishop leaves office?I thought teachings of the magisterium were infallible. Is there a time limit on the infallibility? I do not understand how an imprimatur can expire. Whatever was taught has to still be true. [/quote]

[Quietfire]

An imprimatur is (usually) reserved for items written in regards to faith and morals. So yes, I suppose that could fall under infallability, depending on what item we are speaking of. A book written by a priest isnt infallable. A Papal Bull is, as far as my understanding.

Imprimaturs usually expires because times change. The teachings, or the basic underlaying are the same though, so one shouldnt be confused here. So things need to be explained in our time, not 100 years ago.

For instance off the top of my head. Skirt lengths have changed significantly since say......1906. A lady would never expose her ankles in public because it was considered bad form and risked scandal. Now Im sure that a priest could explain this better than me but one in 1906 would never enter Church for Mass in something as risque as a knee length skirt.

It would be odd to still follow that in todays society. Could you imagine the shock if women had to keep their ankles covered in Church today? How many of us have participated at Mass in knee length skirts?

Yes I did read this in an older book, that had an imprimatur. I laughed cause there would be so many people scandalized today if this was still in effect.

It may not be the best example but I still think you get the point.

[Quietfire]

[quote]How can Imprimaturs expire when a bishop leaves office?I thought teachings of the magisterium were infallible. Is there a time limit on the infallibility? I do not understand how an imprimatur can expire. Whatever was taught has to still be true.[/quote]

Ok, lets break this down cause there are a few things going on.

I think I covered the first part. Albiet a bad job, my example isnt the best and Im sure someone could give a much better one, but you get the jist of it right?

the second part...[quote]How can Imprimaturs expire when a bishop leaves office?[/quote][quote]I do not understand how an imprimatur can expire. Whatever was taught has to still be true.[/quote]

Last one first...yes, still true. It is expanded and expounded upon. Explained so that the modern reader will understand it just as much as the original reader did.
Imprimaturs and infallibility are two very different things. So this poster definitely has them confused and lumped together.

An Imprimatur (and usually in tow the Nihil Obstat) are official declarations that a book or pamphlet are free of doctrinal or moral errors. No implication is contained therin that those who granted(like the particular Bishop) agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

It basically means that the book in question is free of doctrinal and moral errors. One may use a lousy example, like my post above, but the point is to show that it is morally and doctrinally acceptable. So basically, skirts above the ankle dont cause scandal anymore, LOL.

Why do they expire when a Bishop leaves office? Simple. Times change. If you were to go back say...100 years and read some of the stuff that had the stamp of the imprimatur you would realize that alot of it is not even an issue any more. There will always be a new issue that will arise and need clarification. Take stem cell research, it wasnt around 50 years ago, and you wont find anything about it in any book written then. Back then birth control pills were still in its infancy and the biggest problem then was most likely the issue of WWII. But stem cell research is definitely an issue now.. and need addressing. So men will write in defense of the Church about this issue and have the imprimatur stated. But lets say that in another 50 years that Bishop leaves his office and the whole stem cell thing is still going on and has been twisted and distorted, then another man will have to do some more clarifying on the subject just so the rest of us can keep up.
Which leads me back to one of the other points above, WWII. It is still discussed, and still addressed in reference to the actions of the Church. Information that may not have been available then that is available now will shed NEW light on the subject. The teaching will be the same (in regards the doctrines and morals) but it will be looked at in light of the new information and expanded, not...as some like to think...given a completely different contradictory answer.
Gosh, I hope that helps.


Now, the infallible issue. It has nothing to do with imprimaturs. Two different issues.
[quote]I thought teachings of the magisterium were infallible. Is there a time limit on the infallibility?[/quote]

Infallibility has no time limit. What Pope St. Peter taught is still in effect today, just to make that point. Infallibility means that the Pope is incapable of error, when he teaches a doctrine on faith and morals to the Universal Church in his office as supreme head. When the Pope asserts his official authority in matters of faith and morals to the whole church, the Holy Spirit guards him from error.

Papal infallibility doesnt mean that the Pope cant make any mistakes. He is not infallible in scientific, historical, geographic, political or any other matters-just faith and morals. This is where most folks get confused and think infallibility means impeccablity.
It doesnt mean that the Pope is impeccable, which is the absence of sin. Only Christ, the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, and his mother the Blessed Virgin Mary had impeccability-via a special grace from God.
Popes arent impeccable, so they are capable of sin...yes.
A good example would be our first Pope, St. Peter. He denied Christ three times.

But back to the point...
Infallibility means that the Holy Spirit will prevent -even by death-the Pope from falsely teaching on matters of faith and morals.
So for example(Im quoting from "Catholicism for Dummies" here...)

No Pope can say, "As of today, the number of commandments is nine instead of ten." Nor can he declare, "Jesus was not a man" or "Jesus was not the Son of God."



I will address the last part (general magisterium)in a bit, my fingers need a rest.


Pax.

[Quietfire]

from Wikipedia...

[quote](While at first glance this statement might seem contradictory, an example might be that of a Roman Catholic work that offered parenting advice -- the advice may not be morally wrong or contradict Roman Catholic doctrine, but it might not reflect the views on parenting of the censor or bishop.)

Imprimaturs are not automatically transferrable to later versions of a work. Any new edition also requires a new imprimatur to be obtained.

The imprimatur can be revoked if, upon further examination, any doctrinal or moral error is found to be contained in the work.[/quote]

[Resurrexi]

I don't think Imprimaturs automatically expire, but from the previous post I see that they can be revoked.

[Quietfire]

I havent been able to find anything that shows that an imprimatur expires, per say.
Revoked is something different.

But expires?
Well, like I stated above. Some things are no longer done or practiced, so to speak, and it may be "out dated" in the sense that we simply dont do it anymore or the Church no longer does it on a constant basis (like incense during Mass)
So if that is what is meant by expires, then the answer best to my knowledge is "it depends" with the exceptions above.
Technically, no an imprimatur doesnt expire, as far a I know.
But as times change, new imprimaturs replace the old.


After all, Jesus said it best...
"I make all things new."


Hope that helps.

[Aloysius]

an imprimateur is nothing more than permission to print the book in the diocese.

it is a nihil obstat which says there is nothing in the book which is contrary to the faith.

it is up to the bishop whether to allow the printing of theological works et cetera by giving them an imprimateur (though nowadays Catholic writers are permitted to get their works printed anyway without seeking the imprimateur). but the imprimateur does not necessarily say anything about whether the doctrine in a book is good or not, just whether the bishop endorses its printing.