What are your thoughts with "there's no salvation outside of the Church," and what some Evangelicals are calling Catholicism as a system of justification they call "Sola Ecclesia." ? Or Catholics believe that salvation comes from the Church--not Christ?
Regarding salus extra Ecclesiam non est or extra Ecclesiam nulla salus, so to speak, my thoughts are that one should never underestimate the power of God’s love and mercy, and the many ways in which we are ultimately and fully saved through the Grace of God. This is best encapsulated in Lumen Gentium, a dogmatic Constitution on the Church that emerged from Vatican II.
As noted in my post this morning, one of the reasons we study the Church is precisely to understand its teachings. And Lumen Gentium 16 teaches this:
“Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God. In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh. On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues. *But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator.* In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things, and as Saviour wills that all men be saved. *Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.* Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life.“
I’d recommend Unitatis Redintegratio from Vatican II as a pillar document on this discussion. It raises the ecumenical emphasis of all Christian brothers and sisters. A good background for Phillip’s question.
I’m a fan of the important common tenets of our Catholic faith and those of Mainline, Evangelical, Fundamentalist, and our Orthodox cousins. The root of our Catholic preaching and witness inevitably leads to divisions when we forget our “first love” as the letters to the disparate churches in Revelation 2 describes them.
Greetings Joseph,
What are your thoughts with "there's no salvation outside of the Church," and what some Evangelicals are calling Catholicism as a system of justification they call "Sola Ecclesia." ? Or Catholics believe that salvation comes from the Church--not Christ?
Regarding salus extra Ecclesiam non est or extra Ecclesiam nulla salus, so to speak, my thoughts are that one should never underestimate the power of God’s love and mercy, and the many ways in which we are ultimately and fully saved through the Grace of God. This is best encapsulated in Lumen Gentium, a dogmatic Constitution on the Church that emerged from Vatican II.
As noted in my post this morning, one of the reasons we study the Church is precisely to understand its teachings. And Lumen Gentium 16 teaches this:
“Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God. In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh. On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues. *But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator.* In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things, and as Saviour wills that all men be saved. *Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.* Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life.“
I’d recommend Unitatis Redintegratio from Vatican II as a pillar document on this discussion. It raises the ecumenical emphasis of all Christian brothers and sisters. A good background for Phillip’s question.
I’m a fan of the important common tenets of our Catholic faith and those of Mainline, Evangelical, Fundamentalist, and our Orthodox cousins. The root of our Catholic preaching and witness inevitably leads to divisions when we forget our “first love” as the letters to the disparate churches in Revelation 2 describes them.