The Pope and the Council

Written under the pseudonym Janus in the months leading up to the convening of the First Vatican Council in December of 1869, this work sharply critiques the notion of papal infallibility, which the Council declared the following year. Von Döllinger, the primary author of this work, was considered a great ecclesiastical scholar, holding a teaching post at the University of Munich. The work was translated into English in late 1869.

Von Döllinger marshals all of his knowledge of church history and Vatican politics in this volume to reject the position of papal infallibility. He begins with the earliest church fathers and works chronologically through the centuries up to his time, pointing out all of the errors made by the Vatican along the way.

This detailed, systematic work did not have the result for which the authors hoped. The Council decided in favor of papal infallibility, and those who did not recant of their contrary positions were excommunicated. Von Döllinger refused to change his stance, and would later die without recanting.

Although the debate has long been decided by an ecumenical council, “The Pope and the Council” remains a fascinating read. It details the history of the papacy and the corrupt officials which have held positions of power throughout the ages.


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Roman numerals for chapters have been updated to modern numbers. Footnotes have been converted to end notes connected by hyperlinks.