Question

What was the request made by the Extraordinary Consistory of Bishops to Pope John Paul II regarding human life and its inviolability?

A) To organize an international conference on the topic
B) To form a committee of scholars to study the issue
C) To reaffirm the value of human life and its inviolability
D) To issue a papal encyclical on a different subject

Answer 1

The Extraordinary Consistory of Bishops requested Pope John Paul II to reaffirm the value of human life and its inviolability, illustrating the ongoing role of the papacy in addressing and clarifying critical issues of faith and morals within the Church.

Step-by-step explanation:

The request made by the Extraordinary Consistory of Bishops to Pope John Paul II regarding human life and its inviolability was C) To reaffirm the value of human life and its inviolability. The bishops looked to the Pope to reassert the Church's longstanding teaching on the sanctity of human life in the face of modern challenges. This kind of appeal to papal authority is part of a historical continuity where ecclesiastical matters are brought forth for definitive clarification by the papacy, much like the early ecumenical councils addressed doctrinal disputes. The Infallibility of the Pope, a doctrine ratified during the First Vatican Council in 1868, emphasizes the Pope's authoritative role in defining doctrines on faith and morals, as seen in the singular use of this authority in relation to Marian doctrines in 1950.