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Infallibility of the Church
Infallibility of the Church is a doctrine held by Catholics, Orthodox, and some Protestants, the belief that the Holy Spirit will not allow the church as a whole to fall into error. In particular, Catholics and Orthodox (and some Protestants) believe that the bishops meeting in an ecumenical council are collectively infallible in defining doctrine. However, the Orthodox accept only the first seven general councils as genuinely ecumenical, while Catholics accept twenty-one. Most Protestants who believe in the infallibility of ecumenical councils also accept only the first seven general councils. Catholics also believe in papal infallibility, the doctrine that the pope is infallible when he addresses the whole church, defining doctrine on faith and morals.
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