Will the Vatican ever teach again that Catholicism is the only means for salvation?

Question

Did the Holocaust influence the current teaching that allows salvation for non-Catholics including Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Confucians, etc.? Is the Church afraid of being labeled anti-Semitic?

Answer 1

What influenced this type of teaching began in the 1800's under the guise of modernism and humanism.

The basic thinking is "you're ok , I'm ok". From this came the thinking of there being some truth in every religion. This in turn reduced the Catholic Church as being one of many churches, it became one of many ways to achieve salvation.
During the Second Vatican Council, which by the way had Protestant observers which did influence behind the scenes and had a part in the outcome of the Council, something called "ecuminism" emerged.
All who have been baptised and have strayed are to be brought back to be in full communion with the Church through evangelization.There is confusion about this matter. Some priests have told protestants who want to convert to the Catholic faith that they should stay where they are and just be the best protestant they can be, they will be saved. Other priests have taken an interest in converts and instructed them and provided them with support to prepare them for the sacraments.

Catholics believed long ago up until the 2nd vatican council what was defined at the Lateran Council IV in 1215, namely that, "One indeed is the universal Church of the faithful, outside of which no one at all is saved." We must believe that there is baptism of water, and the desire for that baptism, plus baptism of blood.
Ecuminism called for all "seperated bretheren" (protestants, jews, muslims, buddists, etc...) be united under the God which has given their religion a part of the truth. We can all find common ground by engaging in "dialogue" and achieve salvation by being the best muslim, the best jew, and the best whatever your religion is. There is a lot of this type of thinking going on since vatican ll.
By doing this, the Catholic Church has shot itself in the foot because it can no longer say that " There is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church". Instead, the Catholic Church says it has the "fullness of truth", not the ONLY TRUTH.
The only way for those who are outside of the Catholic Church to be saved is for them to convert. That is what THE GREAT COMMISSION given by Jesus Christ to the apostles was about.
Why did Jesus come down to earth and sacrifice himself and rise again to save us if just being a jew, muslim or wiccan, voodoo priest is good enough to be saved?
Why would Jesus go through the trouble to establish the Catholic Church if it wasn't going to mean anything and only be one of many religions?

In my opinion, the Catholic Church heirarchy is very afraid of offending the russian orthadox, the jews, and the rest of the religious lot.

Answer 2

According to the new Catechism the Roman Catholic church teaches that Muslims have a path to salvation. Isn't that a bit anti gospel to say that there is another path to salvation. I guess to Catholics, "I am the way the truth and the Light, no one comes to the Father except through me" doesn't mean anything.
signed
an ex catholic.

Oh, one more thing. The Catholic Church has never stopped teaching that if you ever leave the "True Church" to go to another Church you will forever burn in Hell.
They still consider themselves to be the one "True Church" but so do the "Church of Christ" people and the Mormons.

Answer 3

definite, Catholicism is biblical, yet Roman Catholics, eastern ceremony Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants and non-denominationals all interpret the bible in yet differently. Catholics additionally shop on with custom, which in itself is biblical: See: a million Corinthians 11:a million-2, Philippians 4:9, a million Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Timothy 2:2. those verses, as properly as others, tell Christians to maintain on with the training of apostles and disciples - teachings that weren't written. For the salvation area of the question: contained in the bible it says over and over that we would be judged by our deeds. that's logically inconsistent to assert we can be judged by our deeds yet then say that our deeds have not have been given any bearing on our salvation. "the 1st Christians have been all bible believers" - the recent testomony bible did no longer exist contained for the period of the time of the 1st Christians. you will could desire to look into it for your self approximately which version of the Hebrew Bible (previous testomony) you would be wanting to apply. Protestants use the Hebrew/Aramaic version because of the fact in approximately advert ninety a Jewish council or rabbis desperate that the Greek version of the bible (the Septuagint) should not be used. This looks like a good reason for Protestants to assert Christians shouldn't use it the two, and perchance that's. however the recent testomony writers (who wrote a great style of the books of the recent testomony in the previous a.d. ninety) used the Septuagint while they quoted the Hebrew Bible. that's up for debate no count if or no longer they quoted from the Apocrypha (greater desirable books of the greek version of the hebrew bible) or no longer. some Catholics and Orthodox say they did, Protestants think of they did no longer. there is way too lots to describe right here approximately that, so which you will could desire to return to a decision no count in case you think of the Catholic Bible could be used, or the Protestant Bible. the significant element to comprehend is, even even with the undeniable fact that there are variations between Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, and Non-denominationals, they are all Christians - all of them shop on with Christ.

Answer 4

This is a loaded question, but I'll address it in good spirit anyway. For those who have been taught and believe that Jesus Christ is our Saviour (that includes Catholics and all other Christians), Jesus IS the only means for salvation.

The Catholic Church diplomatically stated that other religions who do not follow Christ could have their own means of salvation.... for THEM.

There are Protestant churches who will NOT say the same, and don't care if they are criticized for saying everybody else is going to Hell.... or for saying that everybody else will eventually have a chance to become Christian.

**

Answer 5

The Catholic church has always been subject to the political vogue of the day to some degree, and I am certain the nice phtoso of Bishops and Cardinals giving Hitler the Nazi salute had to be lived down some how.

Answer 6

Questions like this really bother me. First, for anyone to think they need salvation amazes me. I am so glad that I don't believe in a Deity that needs worshiping or that curses generations and generations of people( HIS/HER children) because someone they believe ate a damn apple. Then you want to call yourself a Christian and put yourself in the Right and above anyone else who isn't Christian is SO Unchristian to me. I really don't believe you people feel or understand GOD at all because this unloving GOD you believe in is worse than many unloving people I know.

Answer 7

Catholicism changes with time and with the polls. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Kinda makes you wonder about the catholics religion why they change and Christ don't.

Answer 8

I hope not, cause unless you believe Jesus is a liar; he is the only means to salvation.

Answer 9

I doubt it, Hail Hitler, sounds just Like Hail Mary.
So you know where they were going with that one.

Answer 10

From the official Catholic Catechism:

Who belongs to the Catholic Church?

836 "All men are called to this catholic unity of the People of God. . . . And to it, in different ways, belong or are ordered: the Catholic faithful, others who believe in Christ, and finally all mankind, called by God's grace to salvation."320

837 "Fully incorporated into the society of the Church are those who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept all the means of salvation given to the Church together with her entire organization, and who - by the bonds constituted by the profession of faith, the sacraments, ecclesiastical government, and communion - are joined in the visible structure of the Church of Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but 'in body' not 'in heart.'"321

838 "The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter."322 Those "who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church."323 With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound "that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord's Eucharist."324

The Church and non-Christians

839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."325

The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People,326 "the first to hear the Word of God."327 The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ",328 "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."329

840 And when one considers the future, God's People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus.


841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."330

842 The Church's bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:


All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .331

843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."332

844 In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them:


Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair.333

845 To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son's Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is "the world reconciled." She is that bark which "in the full sail of the Lord's cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world." According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saves from the flood.334

"Outside the Church there is no salvation"

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:


Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336

847 This affirmation 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.337

848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."338

Mission - a requirement of the Church's catholicity

849 The missionary mandate. "Having been divinely sent to the nations that she might be 'the universal sacrament of salvation,' the Church, in obedience to the command of her founder and because it is demanded by her own essential universality, strives to preach the Gospel to all men":339 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and Lo, I am with you always, until the close of the age."340