'For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained.'" Pg. 215, #816
#846 is titled "outside the church there is no salvation"
#862 talking of the position of pope..."the bishops have by divine institutuiontaken the place of the apostles as pastorsof the Church, in such wise that whoever listens to them listens to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christand him who sent Christ"
There is alot of pulling out of context, that occurs on some of these thread, dealing with Catholicism. The result is a misunderstanding of what The Church actually teaches.
Those quotes from the CCC, when presented alone, does not explain, the full teachings, on how the Church views Christians that are outside of Catholicism. It is so easy, for one who makes claims, that we don't believe those who are not Catholic are saved, to use these quotes to support their claims.
However, in other places of the CCC, there are quotes that explain, just how the Church
defines the Mystical Body of Christ, and it's members.
It is important, to understand; that we Catholics have a different concept, of the Body of Christ. We don't believe The Body of Christ, to be a spiritual body of Christ, united by common believers. We believe that the Church and her
members,
is the Mystical Body of Christ. with Christ as the Head.
Membership, into the Body of Christ, does not include only Catholics, people are brought into this membership, by their baptism. It is thru baptism, that we (Protestant and Catholic) have a sacramental bond of unity, although not in full communion.
Now, someone still might have a problem, with the explanation that I just gave, and not agree with it, however you can see, that the Church doesn't teach, everyone has to be a Catholic, inorder to obtain salvation. We are all made members, thru our baptism, into the Mystical Body of Christ, with Christ as Her Head. ----The Church. So when it reads, that those outside of the Church, there is no salvation, it is referring to non-christians.
From the CCC.
The sacramental bond of the unity of Christians
1271 Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church."81 "Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn."82
An indelible spiritual mark . . .
1272 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (
character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.83 Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.
1273 Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship.84 The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity.85
1274 The Holy Spirit has marked us with the
seal of the Lord ("Dominicus character") "for the day of redemption."86 "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life."87 The faithful Christian who has "kept the seal" until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith,"88 with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.
can be found in column 153).
