A question to catholics .. do you still believe in this?

Question

Pope Innocent III in 1208 A.D."We believe in our heart and confess in our mouth that there is one Church, not of heretics, but the holy Roman Catholic apostolic Church, outside of which we believe no one is saved."

The Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 A.D: "There is one universal Church of the faithful, outside of which no one at all is saved."

Pope Boniface VIII .Nov. 18, 1302 "Outside of which (the Church) there is neither salvation nor remission of sins. . . . But we declare, state and define that to be subject to the Roman Pontiff is altogether necessary for salvation."

Answer 1

No.

Answer 2

The people are more advanced in understanding then the clergy. I would say that it is very unlikely that the requirements for salvation can even be understood or that some wrote tests are required.

I think if you polled Catholics you would not find agreement with theological doctrine.

I am sure that God is merciful and loving and would not let a syntax requirement stand in the way of salvation, The churches of the world along with the governments will use all available tools to control their population to the advantage of the few. While these churches are wonderful you will find some left-over doctrine from centuries ago that is wrong, yet preserved for various internal cultural reasons.

Some of these systems that have become deprecated in modern times may have been incremental progress at some point in history. Such as leadership by strong man must have had some place in small communities but today it is no longer appropriate as a government.

Answer 3

Obviously not. I was a Roman Catholic for years. I'm now nondenominational. If I believed that salvation was possible only through the RCC, I'd still be there. And I believe the Church also believes the same, at least since the Second Vatican Council.

BTW, I've never heard of a Catholic Church that wasn't Roman Catholic. Aren't there only the RCC and the Greek Orthodox?

Answer 4

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states,

+ About Non-Catholic Christian Churches: Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines 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, as well as visible elements. Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.

About Judaism: "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"; "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

About Islam: 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.

About other non-Christian religions: 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.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

That is a good example of why the protestant reformation happened, especially that last one. The Bible says salvation is based on following Jesus, not any man.

In a sense the first two are true, but not in reading them as specifically the Catholic church. That word originally was known to mean simply universal. With that definition, it is true that there is not salvation outside the church, which is the body of Christ. The church is not a building or an organization, it is the followers of Christ. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through Him. So , biblically, those are true statements if they are referring to the biblical church instead of the specific catholic church.

Answer 6

Please note the dates that this was written. At that time, the only Christian Church was the Catholic Church.

Today, there are many churches which are Christian churches and God uses these communities as a means for salvation.

Regarding non-Catholic Christians:

However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church."

Answer 7

Father K is a Catholic, wonderful, not a Roman Catholic though, wonderful. I am Roman Catholic. With that said, it is believed that any Christian, any Christian denomination is saved "by the Grace of God." Judaen, (Jewish people) are Gods "Chosen people), making them saved as long as like us, obey God's law and follows the teachings of Him. Secularism, (partial belief in the repective faiths) will not allow one to be saved. This is an all or nothing proposition we have.

Answer 8

Here is what the Catechism says:

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"Outside the Church there is no salvation"

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? 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.

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.

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."

Answer 9

***THE MOST IMPORTANT*** factor that one has to consider is knowledge and accountability.

If one KNOWS that the Catholic Church, with its Sacraments and teachings, to be the fullness of truth AND KNOWINGLY REJECTS it, then there is 'no salvation outside the church'. If one, does not know the truth about Christ, His established Church, and His teachings then God could not hold them accountable for what they were ignorant in. Hope that helps somewhat, God bless.

Answer 10

.They still try to teach basically the same thing now. Don't know how many actually believe it yet though. I know a pastor who now has his own church and he USED to be Catholic. Went to cath. school, alter boy, etc. (the whole nine yards) so it makes me wonder how many actually believe in it. He ministers at a Church of God which I believe is Pentecostal.

Answer 11

Neither I nor the Church believes this to be true.

The Catholic Church believes that Christians of all faiths lead to Jesus & heaven.

Did you know that one of the definitions of 'catholic' is 'of all churches & religions?'

If a Catholic doesn't believe this, they need to brush up on the beliefs of their own church.