Funny how just last week we heard that Chavez died in the bosom of the Catholic Church, being given a funeral mass presided over by a cardinal, and this week Catholics are saying that he's in Hell, unforgiven. Well, one major RC apologist believes that even atheists can be saved: “It’s also possible for a person to die in God’s friendship even if the person didn’t consciously know God during life. Someone could, through no fault of their own, be unaware of God or not have ever been given sufficient evidence that they concluded God is true, through no fault of their own, and if they otherwise cooperated with his grace, then God won’t hold their ignorance of him against them. So, it’s possible for an atheist to be saved, it’s still through Jesus Christ and through God’s grace, but they can still die not knowing God and still be on their way to heaven as long as they otherwise cooperated with his grace.” http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2013/03/jimmy-akin-on-why-atheist-may-be-in.html
Boniface 8, among others, would disagree than even Prots can be saved, while Akins seems to presume that cooperating with God's grace does not lead to an actual revelation of Christ by which one may trust in Him to save them, as a damned + destitute sinner. Which Acts 10 is one example of.
For it is certain that they cannot be saved by their works, and if souls hypothetically could be saved without even hearing the gospel, they would at least have to forsake their vain gods and faith and trust in the mercy of God in Christ who has somehow been revealed to them.
Well, one major RC apologist believes that even atheists can be saved: “It’s also possible for a person to die in God’s friendship even if the person didn’t consciously know God during life. Someone could, through no fault of their own, be unaware of God or not have ever been given sufficient evidence that they concluded God is true, through no fault of their own, and if they otherwise cooperated with his grace, then God won’t hold their ignorance of him against them. So, it’s possible for an atheist to be saved, it’s still through Jesus Christ and through God’s grace, but they can still die not knowing God and still be on their way to heaven as long as they otherwise cooperated with his grace" I'll see your "major RC apologist" and raise you a full-on cardinal:
Who, then, can be saved?Catholics can be saved if they believe the Word of God as taught by the Church and if they obey the commandments.
Other Christians can be saved if they submit their lives to Christ and join the community where they think he wills to be found.
Jews can be saved if they look forward in hope to the Messiah and try to ascertain whether God’s promise has been fulfilled.
Adherents of other religions can be saved if, with the help of grace, they sincerely seek God and strive to do his will.
Even atheists can be saved if they worship God under some other name and place their lives at the service of truth and justice.
God’s saving grace, channeled through Christ the one Mediator, leaves no one unassisted. But that same grace brings obligations to all who receive it. They must not receive the grace of God in vain. Much will be demanded of those to whom much is given.
-- concluding paragraph (formatting mine), from the thread Who Can Be Saved?
article by Cardinal Avery Dulles