One of the reasons why the papacy is an obstacle to Christian unity is because other Christians fear the Dogma of Papal Infallibility. For many non-Catholics, they are suspicious of papal infallibility because to them it is a “‘creeping infallibility,’ [which] is an exercise of infallible authority that seems at first to grow so gradually [that] it is hardly noticed, but then could run out of control.” Pope John Paul II recognized that other Christians’ concerns about papal primacy and infallibility are reasonable; however, John Paul II wanted to begin his dialogue with these other denominations by stressing that the first step in reforming the papacy is by engaging in ecumenical dialogue. Pope John Paul II began this initiative in earnest in his encyclical Ut Unum Sint in which he wrote: “Thus it is absolutely clear that ecumenism, the movement promoting Christian unity, is not just some sort of "appendix" which is added to the Church's traditional activity. Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of her life and work, and consequently must pervade all that she is and does.” Later on in that encyclical, Pope John Paul II conceded “that in the ministry of the Bishop of Rome... [there] constitutes a difficulty for most other Christians, whose memory is marked by certain painful recollections. To the extent that we are responsible for these, I join my Predecessor Paul VI in asking forgiveness.” Pope John Paul II also mentioned in Ut Unum Sint that the pope “has the duty to admonish, to caution and to declare at times that this or that opinion being circulated is
One of the reasons why the papacy is an obstacle to Christian unity is because other Christians fear the Dogma of Papal Infallibility. For many non-Catholics, they are suspicious of papal infallibility because to them it is a “‘creeping infallibility,’ [which] is an exercise of infallible authority that seems at first to grow so gradually [that] it is hardly noticed, but then could run out of control.” Pope John Paul II recognized that other Christians’ concerns about papal primacy and infallibility are reasonable; however, John Paul II wanted to begin his dialogue with these other denominations by stressing that the first step in reforming the papacy is by engaging in ecumenical dialogue. Pope John Paul II began this initiative in earnest in his encyclical Ut Unum Sint in which he wrote: “Thus it is absolutely clear that ecumenism, the movement promoting Christian unity, is not just some sort of "appendix" which is added to the Church's traditional activity. Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of her life and work, and consequently must pervade all that she is and does.” Later on in that encyclical, Pope John Paul II conceded “that in the ministry of the Bishop of Rome... [there] constitutes a difficulty for most other Christians, whose memory is marked by certain painful recollections. To the extent that we are responsible for these, I join my Predecessor Paul VI in asking forgiveness.” Pope John Paul II also mentioned in Ut Unum Sint that the pope “has the duty to admonish, to caution and to declare at times that this or that opinion being circulated is