How can the Pope just suddenly declare limbo does not exist?

Question

It either exists or it doesn't, if the Catholic Church previous said it exists then and now say it doesn't, it must surely follow that they're original belief was wrong - where does that leave Papal Infalability.

I don't understand how the Church can teach for hundreds of years that non-baptised children are removed from heaven, and then this year "oh by the way ........ we don't believe in limbo anymore."

Answer 1

The Church has pondered the suggestion of Limbo for a few hundred years and has decided that it is not a good idea. Limbo was never official doctrine and never declared by Papal infallibility.

Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved." (Mark 16:15-16)

For centuries, people have wondered about children who died before they were baptized. The Bible does not explicitly state that they will go to heaven.

Limbo was suggested as the place where unbaptized babies went when they died. This idea was never official Church doctrine and has been rejected.

The Church now says that it is not sure what happens to unbaptized babies when they die but she entrusts them to the mercy of God.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church section 1261: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2.htm#1261

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Yes, imagine the sorrow of millions of people who had a child that died before baptism. Be sure that when limbo still did exist, it was more hell than heaven.
There is a little bit more finesse to their point of view. Actually they say now that they really had said already a long time ago that it does not exist, but somehow people did not seem to have noticed it.

And indeed: Limbo was never dogma. But it was doctrine. Shall we go to the market and ask people whether they know the difference? They made people believe it. Children were buried in a special corner of the cemetery outside the annointed perimeter. Their moms and dads had to pass there every day. They had failed to baptise their child.
No private mass could be said for them. People who do not believe this are invited on a trip to my hometown, the loser pays the trip. The special corner does not exist anymore, but it was there untill the whole churchyard was removed, I believe end of the 1960's.

"It is principally on the strength of these Scriptural texts, harmonized with the general doctrine of the Fall and Redemption of mankind, that Catholic tradition has defended the existence of the limbus patrum . . ."

They can change anything they like in their creed. They have the experts to do it and they have done it since they exist. If interested, you can read in Wikipedia how they stole the Papal States under "Donation of Constantine". The message is not important to them, the market is. So they adapt the message to the market. Limbo does not work anymore as a deterrent: we never said limbo existed.

Now they say they have accepted the theory of Darwin. What? They have never been against it. Now they hope people will forget that the official view of the doctrine is still "Humani Generis" by Pius XII, 1950, who condemns the theory of evolution. Practical to say yes and no at the same time. See what the market does.

I have answered many, many questions in this sometimes silly, sometimes funny, but mostly useless site. This is the first time I feel I am getting angry. So be it.

Answer 3

Exactly.
I was going to ask this question myself and looked it up on the web first. I am sure the Catholics will now tell you it was only a theological idea and never gods direct word and that's the only argument they have.
Like you say, it either exists or it doesn't. If it was just a theological idea where does that leave the rest of the teachings from the catholic church. They either have gods words or they don't, you cant go changing things just to suit political gain. The whole idea of limbo being considered then not being an issue sums up what a load of rubbish the church is, and more to the point, what a bunch of deluded sheep who cant think for themselves who follow the every word of there leader, the pope.
I don't believe in god myself, but if there was one who communicated with people they would know the truth and not need to keep guessing. and his rule would be constant. not changed throughout the ages.

Answer 4

The catholic church has been altering and corrupting christianity for centuries.

Theres nothing in the bible about limbo, pergatory, confessions, selling indulgences, deifying Mary etc etc....however these falsehoods, and many more, are all tenets of Roman Catholocism.

Christianity, whose first believers were all Middle Eastern, Semitic and Aramaic speaking, was hijacked by Rome, when they realised they could not stamp it out.

It was altered at an early stage so that it would fit neatly into the existing Greco-Roman culture of the time.

Much has been added and taken away from christianity by Rome, simply for the sake of Cultural, Political and Financial expediency.

Look at some of the existing Eastern Churches for TRUE christianity; The Ancient Assyrian Church, Syrian Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox, Egyptian Coptic Church, and St Thomas Church in India, all these are closer to the way christianity was, and should be.

In fact the Assyrians STILL speak Aramaic/Syriac as a mother tongue to this day.

Catholocism is a fake!

Answer 5

Limbo was never an official doctrine of the church; although, some theologians supported this view. Purgatory is a doctrine. Doctrines or dogmas don't change. It may be fine tuned for better definition, in the light of new revelation, but it won't change. Reason: God's word does not change.

Answer 6

I'm going to do some research on the subject since I find it interesting.

But here's my guess; the pope is infallible only in matters of faith & morals.

The definition of faith is a belief in God, to know & adore him, & how to enter heaven based upon the bible & the commandments. I don't believe that the concept of limbo falls into the category of faith. I believe that the concept of limbo came about because it has been believed by all Christians that you can only attain heaven if you have been baptized & it was the Church's way of explaining what happens to good & innocent people who have not been baptized.

Since it is not a matter of infallibility, the Church is willing to make changes in order to be closer to other Christians & their beliefs.

Answer 7

Very good question! I suspect that limbo's sudden diasappearance by papal decree is just one of the many faux paus of a faith which calls it's doctrines "absolute truths, given directly by God, and thus irrefutable"--sooner or later those "truths" become inconvienient and so they get changed, or simply done away with entirely!

Also consider the fate of poor Joan of Arc! Condemned and burned as a heretic--then a couple of hundred years later, made a Saint by the very same Church. Is it truly possible for a heretic to be a saint? Doesn't make much sense to me at all. Go figure!

Answer 8

I wouldn't mind betting that ego could have a lot to do with it. Each Pope wants to go down in history as one of the "great" Popes - so he deliberately chooses to do something that will get people talking. This Pope (or maybe it was his advisors) decided to get rid of Limbo. The previous Pope broke the record for the number of people selected for sainthood,,,

On the other hand, if the Pope really does have a direct line to God himself, then my theory falls to the ground. Still, it's worth thinking about.

Answer 9

Provide a source for your claims, so we can all access it too.

Whatever your undeclared source may be, I suggest you read and digest the message once more, understand what has been put across before attempting to confuse and mislead with your sweeping and questionable assumptions as presented in your question.

Answer 10

Scared of what he does not know, on the other hand maybe he knows more than he is saying, the whole church could be a risk if the truth comes out, and not just the catholic church