Roman Catholic and The Bible.

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darinhouston
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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by darinhouston » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:20 am

I will be interested to see how Ratzinger handles his ecumenical desires to share communion with the Orthodox Church and the Lutheran church. I understand he even presented the elements to an Anglican friend of his at Pope John Paul's funeral mass. He hasn't made an ex cathedra pronouncement on Luther yet, but his so-called "private commentaries" have been pretty illuminating as to his views of these schismatics. If they can be restored to Communion without confessing the catechism, etc. then all bets are off, I suspect.

I would need to do more research to provide details, but I recall some of the early popes being declared by later councils as heretics. How that can happen in an infallible church with an infallible papacy requires a bit of an Alice in Wonderland twisting of what words and truth actually mean.

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Homer
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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by Homer » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:21 am

Hi Tom,

You posted:
Irenaeus

"In the Church God has placed apostles, prophets, teachers, and every other working of the Spirit, of whom none of those are sharers who do not conform to the Church,
What is this? Irenaeus knows of no Pope in the church? Doesn't sound like the RC church existed then, or perhaps he wasn't a member of it!

And you posted:
Origen

"[T]here was never a time when God did not want men to be just; he was always concerned about that. Indeed, he always provided beings endowed with reason with occasions for practicing virtue and doing what is right. In every generation the wisdom of God descended into those souls which he found holy and made them to be prophets and friends of God" (Against Celsus 4:7 [A.D. 248]).

"If someone from this people wants to be saved, let him come into this house so that he may be able to attain his salvation. . . . Let no one, then, be persuaded otherwise, nor let anyone deceive himself: Outside of this house, that is, outside of the Church, no one is saved; for, if anyone should go out of it, he is guilty of his own death" (Homilies on Joshua 3:5 [A.D. 250]).
I could have posted other quotes of those you posted but it is not necessary; the quote of Origen will suffice. Ahead of the Origen quote you posted:
In Vatican II, Lumen Gentium; "Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience--those too may achieve eternal salvation.
Was the quote from Vatican II an infallible statement? It certainly contradicts the statement of Origen. I know you and the RC church claim Origen was one of you. By quoting him, and the others, I understand you to be attempting to show your church has been consistent and infallible throughout its history, but you have instead made our point. You have no more certain knowledge ofthe truth than the rest of us!

Here we have two equally momentous and similar questions. The first, in Acts 15, is whether we must be circumcised and Keep the Law of Moses to be saved. We can all read our bibles and easily see the answer if we have an open mind. The second question is whether one must be a Roman Catholic to be saved. You can read your Vatican II and Origen and get two conflicting opinions.

God bless, Homer

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darinhouston
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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by darinhouston » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:26 pm

Homer wrote:Here we have two equally momentous and similar questions. The first, in Acts 15, is whether we must be circumcised and Keep the Law of Moses to be saved. We can all read our bibles and easily see the answer if we have an open mind. The second question is whether one must be a Roman Catholic to be saved. You can read your Vatican II and Origen and get two conflicting opinions.
And even if it were consistent, you're still left with a job of interpretation -- it's just that you're interpreting Vatican II statements, for example, instead of the Holy Scriptures. For example, the phrase "those without fault of their own" is full of a need of interpretation. I don't see that even Vatican II gave us much in the way of clarity to govern our lives. Certainly, if the church anathematized individuals and/or groups in the past and has removed or is about to remove the anathema, we must at least have to scratch our heads. To consider a group as merely "separated brethren" instead of heretics or anathematized schismatics is quite a change it would seem.

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Paidion
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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by Paidion » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:16 pm

I'm sure you'll get the jest of it if you skim through it.
That's a good one! I just had to laugh, though I don't think you were trying to be funny. It would have been hilarious if popeman had said it ---- with his various attempts at being the jokester.
Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.

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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by tom » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:14 pm

darinhouston wrote:
And even if it were consistent, you're still left with a job of interpretation -- it's just that you're interpreting Vatican II statements, for example, instead of the Holy Scriptures. For example, the phrase "those without fault of their own" is full of a need of interpretation. I don't see that even Vatican II gave us much in the way of clarity to govern our lives. Certainly, if the church anathematized individuals and/or groups in the past and has removed or is about to remove the anathema, we must at least have to scratch our heads. To consider a group as merely "separated brethren" instead of heretics or anathematized schismatics is quite a change it would seem.
Now you've finally nailed it and you don't even know it! If it needs interpretation we can go to the Church. If the Bible needs interpretaion we go to...everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

Tom

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darinhouston
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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by darinhouston » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:31 pm

tom wrote:
darinhouston wrote:
And even if it were consistent, you're still left with a job of interpretation -- it's just that you're interpreting Vatican II statements, for example, instead of the Holy Scriptures. For example, the phrase "those without fault of their own" is full of a need of interpretation. I don't see that even Vatican II gave us much in the way of clarity to govern our lives. Certainly, if the church anathematized individuals and/or groups in the past and has removed or is about to remove the anathema, we must at least have to scratch our heads. To consider a group as merely "separated brethren" instead of heretics or anathematized schismatics is quite a change it would seem.
Now you've finally nailed it and you don't even know it! If it needs interpretation we can go to the Church. If the Bible needs interpretaion we go to...everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

Tom
I'll ask again -- how do you go to the church? If only ex cathedra and council teachings are infallible, how do you get that? And who interprets those?

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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by tom » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:45 pm

Homer wrote:Hi Tom,

You posted:

Origen

"[T]here was never a time when God did not want men to be just; he was always concerned about that. Indeed, he always provided beings endowed with reason with occasions for practicing virtue and doing what is right. In every generation the wisdom of God descended into those souls which he found holy and made them to be prophets and friends of God" (Against Celsus 4:7 [A.D. 248]).

"If someone from this people wants to be saved, let him come into this house so that he may be able to attain his salvation. . . . Let no one, then, be persuaded otherwise, nor let anyone deceive himself: Outside of this house, that is, outside of the Church, no one is saved; for, if anyone should go out of it, he is guilty of his own death" (Homilies on Joshua 3:5 [A.D. 250]).
I could have posted other quotes of those you posted but it is not necessary; the quote of Origen will suffice. Ahead of the Origen quote you posted:
In Vatican II, Lumen Gentium; "Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience--those too may achieve eternal salvation.
Was the quote from Vatican II an infallible statement? It certainly contradicts the statement of Origen. I know you and the RC church claim Origen was one of you. By quoting him, and the others, I understand you to be attempting to show your church has been consistent and infallible throughout its history, but you have instead made our point. You have no more certain knowledge ofthe truth than the rest of us!

You can read your Vatican II and Origen and get two conflicting opinions.

God bless, Homer[/quote]
steve wrote:So it sounds like the church fathers you quoted do contradict the words of Vatican II (which you also quoted). Yet you say the church has not changed its doctrine. How can a later statement contradicting an earlier one avoid being a "changed" position?


Steve, Homer, Darin and all,

Here's a little clarification on what you say is a contradiction. This is an abbreviated version.

Whoever, under the impulse of actual grace, elicits these acts receives immediately the gift of sanctifying grace, and is numbered among the children of God. Should he die in these dispositions, he will assuredly attain heaven. It is true such acts could not possibly be elicited by one who was aware that God has commanded all to join the Church, and who nevertheless should willfully remain outside her fold. For love of God carries with it the practical desire to fulfill His commandments.

But of those who die without visible communion with the Church, not all are guilty of willful disobedience to God's commands. Many are kept from the Church by ignorance. Such may be the case of numbers among those who have been brought up in heresy. To others the external means of grace may be unattainable. Thus an excommunicated person may have no opportunity of seeking reconciliation at the last, and yet may repair his faults by inward acts of contrition and charity.

It should be observed that those who are thus saved are not entirely outside the pale of the Church. The will to fulfill all God's commandments is, and must be, present in all of them. Such a wish implicitly includes the desire for incorporation with the visible Church: for this, though they know it not, has been commanded by God.


Remember you all say; "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." And although this is so true it also has what would look like contradictions, right?

Tom

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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by tom » Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:30 am

darinhouston wrote:
tom wrote:
darinhouston wrote:
And even if it were consistent, you're still left with a job of interpretation -- it's just that you're interpreting Vatican II statements, for example, instead of the Holy Scriptures. For example, the phrase "those without fault of their own" is full of a need of interpretation. I don't see that even Vatican II gave us much in the way of clarity to govern our lives. Certainly, if the church anathematized individuals and/or groups in the past and has removed or is about to remove the anathema, we must at least have to scratch our heads. To consider a group as merely "separated brethren" instead of heretics or anathematized schismatics is quite a change it would seem.
Now you've finally nailed it and you don't even know it! If it needs interpretation we can go to the Church. If the Bible needs interpretaion we go to...everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

Tom
I'll ask again -- how do you go to the church? If only ex cathedra and council teachings are infallible, how do you get that? And who interprets those?
Darin,

I'll ask again -- how do you go to the church? Go down to your local parish.

If only ex cathedra and council teachings are infallible, how do you get that? I didn't get that, Christ gave that, John 10:11-17, John 21:15-17.

And who interprets those? Christ's Church, Matt 16:19, Matt 18:17-18.

Tom

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darinhouston
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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by darinhouston » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:25 am

I have to admit I'm having a hard time with this dialogue -- in some ways, I think we just keep speaking past each other, and I'm not sure I'm contributing a whole lot to the dialogue. I'll probably step back and let Homer and Steve keep this up if at all unless there are particular items of interest. In any event, this one has me perplexed...
It is true such acts could not possibly be elicited by one who was aware that God has commanded all to join the Church, and who nevertheless should willfully remain outside her fold. For love of God carries with it the practical desire to fulfill His commandments.

But of those who die without visible communion with the Church, not all are guilty of willful disobedience to God's commands. Many are kept from the Church by ignorance. Such may be the case of numbers among those who have been brought up in heresy. To others the external means of grace may be unattainable. Thus an excommunicated person may have no opportunity of seeking reconciliation at the last, and yet may repair his faults by inward acts of contrition and charity.

It should be observed that those who are thus saved are not entirely outside the pale of the Church. The will to fulfill all God's commandments is, and must be, present in all of them. Such a wish implicitly includes the desire for incorporation with the visible Church: for this, though they know it not, has been commanded by God.
If I read this correctly, it would imply that one can be saved only by God's free grace as long as you're in the Church, but you can save yourself by contrition and charity if you're out of it. So, I'm saved by Jesus if I'm in the Church, and saved by myself if I'm out of it? That makes no sense from my worldview.

And, tom, what is ignorance? Am I among the ignorant because I fail to understand Christ as having commanded me to join the Church even though I do understand the arguments and reject not a command of Christ, but only the notion that it was his command in the first place? If so, then virtually all outside the Church whom I've ever met would be considered separated brethren and as long as they are contrite and perform acts of charity, I'll see them on the other side... Again, that simply doesn't comport with anything I gather from Scripture. Does this mean that a Christ-rejecting "good person" who does a lot of charity and feels contrition about his "wrongs" will be saved?

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darinhouston
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Re: Roman Catholic and The Bible.

Post by darinhouston » Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:57 am

I found this interesting piece from http://www.religioustolerance.org/rcc_salv.htm....

The fate of non-Catholics, as stated prior to Vatican II:

Before Vatican II, the Church consistently taught that only Roman Catholics had a chance to be saved and attain Heaven. Followers of other Christian denominations and of other religions would be automatically routed to Hell for all eternity:

Pope Innocent III (circa 1160 - 1216 CE) is considered "one of the greatest popes of the Middle Ages..." fn1 At the Fourth Lateran Council (a.k.a. the General Council of Lateran, and the Great Council) he wrote:

"There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside of which no one at all can be saved."

Pope Boniface VIII (1235-1303 CE) promulgated a Papal Bull in 1302 CE titled Unam Sanctam (One Holy). He wrote, in part:
"Urged by faith, we are obliged to believe and to maintain that the Church is one, holy, catholic, and also apostolic. We believe in her firmly and we confess with simplicity that outside of her there is neither salvation nor the remission of sins...In her then is one Lord, one faith, one baptism [Ephesians 4:5]. There had been at the time of the deluge only one ark of Noah, prefiguring the one Church, which ark, having been finished to a single cubit, had only one pilot and guide, i.e., Noah, and we read that, outside of this ark, all that subsisted on the earth was destroyed....Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff." fn2
The last sentence in the original Latin reads: "Porro subesse Romano Pontifici omni humanae creaturae declaramus, dicimus, definimus, et pronuntiamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis." fn3

Pope Eugene IV, (1388-1447 CE) wrote a Papal bull in 1441 CE titled Cantate Domino. One paragraph reads:
"It [the Church] firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart 'into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels' [Matt. 25:41], unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church." fn4

The fate of non-Catholics, as expressed at Vatican II:

The "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium" (1964) is one of many documents to come out of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council (often referred to as "Vatican II"). The Council was held in Rome between 1962 and 1965. Lumen Gentium" contains in its Chapter 1 an essay on "The Mystery of the church." Sections 14 to 16 describe the potential for salvation of:
  • Followers of the Catholic Church,
  • Members of other Christian denominations, and
  • Believers of non-Christian religions. 5


The language is difficult to follow for a lay person. However, an "Assessment of this Council" was written "as an AID to study by Catholic Students of the Second Vatican Council. They contain material, some written in a journalistic style, for the American reader." In the section "The Constitution of the Church" the assessment reads:
"The Catholic Church professes that it is the one, holy catholic and apostolic Church of Christ; this it does not and could not deny. But in its Constitution the Church now solemnly acknowledges that the Holy Ghost is truly active in the churches and communities separated from itself. To these other Christian Churches the Catholic Church is bound in many ways: through reverence for God's word in the Scriptures; through the fact of baptism; through other sacraments which they recognize." fn5.

The non-Christian may not be blamed for his ignorance of Christ and his Church; salvation is open to him also, if he seeks God sincerely and if he follows the commands of his conscience, for through this means the Holy Ghost acts upon all men; this divine action is not confined within the limited boundaries of the visible Church." fn6
This statement would seem to include the possibility that seekers after God may attain salvation, even though they have not concluded that God exists. Presumably, the authors of this document define "God" in Roman Catholic terms as a super-human intelligence and personality with specific attributes, such as being omnipotent, omniscient, omnibeneficient, omnipresent, etc. This statement indicates that even some Agnostics and Atheists could be saved and attain heaven, if they sincerely sought this Christian God. It also seems to imply that many Buddhists -- those who follow traditions that have no concept of such a deity -- will be relegated to Hell after death.

The "Decree on Ecumenism: Unitatis Redintegratio" (1964) is one of nine decrees of Vatican II. It deals with Ecumenism, which the Catholic Church defines as the reuniting of all Christian faith groups under the authority of the pope. This includes Eastern Orthodox churches, the Anglican Communion, and Protestant denominations -- those who "came to be separated from full communion with the Catholic Church." Section 3 deals with "separated brethren" -- followers of Christian denominations which The document repeats the belief that the Roman Catholic church is the only true Christian church -- the only denomination which "has been endowed with all divinely revealed truth and with all means of grace." Other Christian denominations are considered deficient. But the document does recognize that salvation is possible through the Catholic church for followers of those separated faith groups. It recognizes other denominations as fellow Christians:
"The children who are born into these Communities and who grow up believing in Christ cannot be accused of the sin involved in the separation, and the Catholic Church embraces upon them as brothers, with respect and affection. For men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect. ...it remains true that all who have been justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ's body, and have a right to be called Christian, and so are correctly accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church."

"Moreover, some and even very many of the significant elements and endowments which together go to build up and give life to the Church itself, can exist outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church: the written word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, and visible elements too. All of these, which come from Christ and lead back to Christ, belong by right to the one Church of Christ."

"The brethren divided from us also use many liturgical actions of the Christian religion. These most certainly can truly engender a life of grace in ways that vary according to the condition of each Church or Community. These liturgical actions must be regarded as capable of giving access to the community of salvation."

"It follows that the separated Churches and Communities as such, though we believe them to be deficient in some respects, have been by no means deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Church."

"Nevertheless, our separated brethren, whether considered as individuals or as Communities and Churches, are not blessed with that unity which Jesus Christ wished to bestow on all those who through Him were born again into one body, and with Him quickened to newness of life- that unity which the Holy Scriptures and the ancient Tradition of the Church proclaim. For it is only through Christ's Catholic Church, which is 'the all-embracing means of salvation,' that they can benefit fully from the means of salvation. We believe that Our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, in order to establish the one Body of Christ on earth to which all should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the people of God." (Footnote references deleted) fn7
The "Declaration on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions: Nostra Aetate," (1965) is one of three declarations of Vatican II. fn8 It states that:
  • "[The Christian] God made the whole human race to live over the face of the earth."
  • "The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these [non-Christian] religions."
  • "God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers..."
  • "...the [Roman Catholic] Church is the new People of God..."
  • "...the Church has always held and holds now, Christ underwent His passion and death freely, because of the sins of men and out of infinite love, in order that all may reach salvation."

The fate of non-Catholics, as expressed after Vatican II:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994), deals with the relationship of the Roman Catholic Church to non-Catholics in Topics 839 to 845. fn9 Some points are:
  • 839: Followers of other religions are referred to as "Those who have not yet received the gospel..." The implication is that they will eventually become united with the Roman Catholic Church.
  • 839 to 841: The Roman Catholic Church has a special relationship to Jews and Muslims because of the common reverence for the patriarch Abraham.
  • 843: Other religions contain "goodness and truth" which are "a preparation for the Gospel."
  • 845: God wishes to "reunite all his children," of all religions who are "scattered and led astray by sin...together into" the Catholic Church.

'Dominus Iesus' on the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the Church" was published on 2000-AUG-6 by Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It was released on SEP-5. The document had been ratified and confirmed by the Pope John Paul II on JUN-16 "with sure knowledge and by his apostolic authority." fn10 The document appears to have been triggered by the growth in acceptance of "relativistic theories which seek to justify religious pluralism." fn12 It states that:
  • "The full revelation of divine truth is given" in the "mystery of Jesus Christ." No additional revelation is expected in the future.
  • Elements of Christianity were placed in other religions by the Holy Spirit.
  • Jesus is the only savior of mankind.
  • All who are saved achieve this status through the Roman Catholic Church.
  • Salvation is possible to those who are not Roman Catholics or Eastern Orthodox.
  • The prayers and rituals of other religions may help or hinder their believers. Some practices may prepare their membership to absorb the Gospel. However, those rituals which "depend on superstitions or other errors... constitute an obstacle to salvation."
  • Members of other religions are "gravely deficient" relative to members of the Church of Christ who already have "the fullness of the means of salvation."
Has the position of the Roman Catholic Church changed?

At first glance, the Church has changed its teachings about whether a non-Catholic can be saved:
  • In the past, the Church seems to have taken an exclusivist position on the validity of other faith traditions. Numerous popes in the Middle Ages seem to have stated clearly that anyone who is "outside" the Church, who is "not subject to the Roman Pontiff" or is "not living within the Catholic Church" cannot be saved and will not attain Heaven.
  • Numerous statements since the 1960's seem to have stated clearly that the Church has switches to an inclusivist position. They now believe that non-Catholics can have indirect access to salvation, but that their faith may well place serious roadblocks on the path to salvation.
The church tackles this apparent conflict in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Items 846 and 847 attempt to harmonize ancient and recent statements on salvation of non-Christians.

Section 846 by making the following points:
  • In ancient times, the Church Fathers often said that "Outside the [Catholic] Church there is no salvation."
  • The church has always taught that:
    • "...all salvation comes from Christ...through the [Catholic] Church..."
    • "...the [Catholic] Church...is necessary for salvation..."
    • "...Christ ...affirmed...the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door."
  • Those who realize the Church's role and who "refuse either to enter it or to remain in it" cannot achieve salvation or attain Heaven after death.
  • This is what various popes meant when they said that there was no salvation outside the church.
Section 847 states that:
  • The above "...is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church."
  • "Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience -- those too may achieve eternal salvation." fn9


This attempt at harmonizing leaves many Anglicans, Muslims, Protestants, Wiccans, and followers of other religions in an awkward situation. Many know of the claims of the Roman Catholic Church and reject them in favor of the teachings of other groups. That would seem to eliminate any possibility for them to be saved and attain Heaven, according to the Roman Catholic Church.

The Catechism's explanation is difficult to harmonize with very specific statements by past popes, which were often referred to by the phrase : "Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus" ("Outside the Church there is no salvation"). According to the Saint Benedict Center, this doctrine of the Catholic Faith "...was taught By Jesus Christ to His Apostles, preached by the Fathers, defined by popes and councils and piously believed by the faithful in every age of the Church." fn13

  • Pope Innocent III: "There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved." Fourth Lateran Council, 1215.
  • Pope Boniface VIII: "We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff." From his Bull Unam Sanctam, 1302.
  • Pope Eugene IV: "The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church." From his Bull Cantate Domino, 1441.)


Protestant denominations and the Anglican Communion would presumably fall under the category of "heretics and schismatics." Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, etc would presumably be considered "Pagans."

An attempt to harmonize Pope Boniface VIII's Unam Sanctam Bull is available online. It raises a number of points. One is that this bull was directed at Catholics in France during the 14th century who were not submitting to the Pope. Thus, it would not apply to Protestants. fn11

References:

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