XXIX. Papal claims on councils and Pope; three remaining questions
XXIX. Further, judicial interpretation in the Papacy is ascribed partly to a council, partly to the Roman Pontiff, partly to both together. For only the greater prelates — that is, bishops — ordinarily have decisive suffrage in councils; by privilege and custom also cardinals and general abbots of orders, even if not bishops; to laity and to uncalled priests, none; to those and to lesser clerics helping in debate they grant only consultative suffrage, as Bellarmine teaches. On which councils and how far they can err in interpretation, the papists disagree among themselves.
Three questions remain: (1) Can a council err without the Pontiff or before his confirmation? (2) Can the Pontiff err? (3) Is the Pope above a council? Bellarmine (On Councils 2.17) holds that the Pontiff is simply and absolutely above the universal Church and above a general council. But this is a claimed right — indeed pure ambition — the Hildebrandine claim thrust into the church some years ago. From which we gather: about judicial interpretation properly so called (fitting law to fact) there is no controversy, because both sides confess that councils and the Pontiff can err in a question of fact; the controversy that remains is about didactic interpretation.
Latin
XXIX. Porro interpretatio judicialis tum in Papatu partim concilio, partim Pontifici Romano, partim utrique simul tribuitur. Nam solos praelatos majores, eosque omnes, h.e. episcopos habere in conciliis jus suffragii decisivi ordinarie: ex privilegio autem & consuetudine etiam Cardinales, Abbates Generales ordinum, etiamsi non sint episcopi: laicis, quos vocant, & presbyteris, qui non vocantur, nullum: iis autem & clericis minoribus, viris doctis juvantibus in disputando, largiuntur duntaxat suffragium consultivum, ut docet Bellarminus. Quae vero concilia & quatenus errare possint in interpretatione, Pontificii inter se dissentiunt. Tres autem quaestiones supersunt: 1. An concilium, sine Pontifice vel ante confirmationem Pontificis errare possit? 2. An Pontifex errare possit? 3. An Papa sit supra concilium? Bellarminus lib.2. de concil. c.17. statuit, Pontificem simpliciter & absolute esse supra Ecclesiam universalem & supra concilium generale. Sed hoc est jus, imo pura puta ambitio, Hildebrandina in ecclesiam ab aliquot annis invecta. Ex quibus colligimus: de interpretatione judiciali proprie dicta, sive de accommodatione juris ad factum, nullam esse controversiam: quia fatentur utrinque, & concilia & Pontificem in quaestione facti errare posse: controversiam vero superesse de interpretatione didascalica.