(from the CCC on www.vatican.va)
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm
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
840And 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
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I turned the text different colors in places I would like to address.
I want to build a case so that anyone that might read this post that is Catholic will see that I'm not bashing them when I make comments, and so they can look to see that the places I got my information are completely valid.
In the purple (845) it says that God wants to reunite all of his people. and the church is the world reconsiled. This is plain and simply... wrong... God does want us all saved, but we have to choose Him.. He knows we won't all choose Him. He knows that some of us will end up in hell for eternity. He knows the WORLD won't be reconsiled. (is there anything in revelation that I've missed that someone would get this idea from??)
James 4:4-6 You adulterous people, don't you knwo that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reasion that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensley? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
In the green (846) Here we'd have to look for the defination of the church they are referring to... is it the people who are the body that make up the church? Or is it the leaders (pope, councils, magisterium) that make up the church? It seems to me they are referring to the latter.
Either way, it is saying here if you REFUSE to enter or REFUSE to remain in it (like me, I was born Catholic and left the Catholic church about 2 years ago) then salvation is out of your reach. By their defination I am therefore going to hell.
In the Dark Red (847) This shows that all of those NOT born/raised Catholic that don't know of the "One True Church" still have the possibility of being saved. They will be judged on their works/heart by God and he may/maynot let them in on judgement day. This includes Muslims, Jews and others that believe in the true God in the "wrong" way. This also includes people who have never head the gosple message at all. Because God in his infinate wisdom knows if a person had head the message if they would have accepted it or not and can decided their fate on judgement day.
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Finally to comment on the link GEL posted...
I find that article to be consistant with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
This is one of the reasons that the Orthodox and Catholic church split, because the Orthodox felt that was an unOrthodox teaching. It's one of the reasons Luther posted his thesis. These things were not done in rebellion to the "one true church" these things were done in rebellion of FLASE TEACHINGS. These things were done to try to help others to learn of the grace of God, which becomes useless if we can work our way to salvation!
This is one of the (many) reasons that I no longer call myself Catholic! To me it seems almost cultish to say the only way to God is a man-made way. Christ doesn't NEED us for anything. Saying that God NEEDS anything is unbiblical, let alone that he might need from US lowly sinners?! He's perfect! com'on!
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Side note... It really makes me sad
to see so many threads that speak against our Christian brothers and sisters. I wanted to write to address this subject because it's very close to me. My entire family is Catholic. I was Catholic. I was saved as a Catholic (just didn't understand the entire concept) since I leaned "was saved, am saved, will be saved" theory. When I write about Catholic dogma's these days, I ALWAYS look up what I'm about to talk about in the bible and the CCC first. I hope this thread will help us to have a learning discussion about why our brothers and sisters believe what they do. I hope this thread will be a good witness to those who check in on us.. so that they can identify this as a learning thread were we learn maybe how to witness to them and not a thread that insults their beliefs.
In Him,
Carina
