[Destro]

The Bible talks and tells the reader that what he read and understood is correct? There is a misconception that the Bishops tell their churches what the Bible says. In reality the churches of Latins and Greeks obey an Ecumenical council--7 in all where all the major Bishops came-debated-argued-thought over and then voted on what the authoritative meaning of those words were. The Protestants of course came at a tome where the Pope acted as his own Ecumenical council - so they were right to question Papal authority on the bible but they were wrong to trust what true Christianity is to personal innovations and interpretations.

[RobbyS]

No, our bishops did not spend time explicating the Bible either. They offer interpretations only when forced to respond to Protestant doctrines that are contrary to the teachings of the Church. None of the so-called Catholic innovations in dogma came at the iniative of the popes, with the posible exception of the filioque clause. For instance, the immaculate conception was a settled matter by the fifteenth Century, largely because of the influence of Duns Scots, the Franciscan theologian and rival of St. Thomas (who did not accept the dogma).