Amoris Laetitia: Its Teachings and Magisterial Authority

This article situates Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia within the historical development of the Church's magisterium, tracing the concept of teaching authority from the “Chair of Moses” through medieval and modern ecclesiology. Arguing that Amoris Laetitia exemplifies the authentic, non-infallible magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, the author examines the religious submission of mind and will owed to such teaching, particularly its treatment of conscience and moral discernment in complex family situations. The article emphasizes that conscience formation is a communal task shared between pastors and the faithful, and concludes that the document's guidance, though not ex cathedra, remains authoritative and Spirit-guided.