Nonbelievers Too Can Be Saved, Says Pope

Zenit News Agency ^ | November 30, 2005

[NYer]

Refers to St. Augustine's Commentary on Psalm 136(137)

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 30, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith, says Benedict XVI.

The Pope made this affirmation today at the general audience, commenting on a meditation written by St. Augustine (354-430).

On a rainy morning in Rome, the Holy Father's meditation, addressed to more than 23,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square, concentrated on the suffering of the Jewish people in the Babylonian exile, expressed dramatically in Psalm 136(137).

The Pontiff referred to Augustine's commentary on this composition of the Jewish people, noting that this "Father of the Church introduces a surprising element of great timeliness."

Augustine "knows that also among the inhabitants of Babylon there are people who are committed to peace and the good of the community, despite the fact that they do not share the biblical faith, that they do not know the hope of the Eternal City to which we aspire," Benedict XVI stated.

"They have a spark of desire for the unknown, for the greatest, for the transcendent, for a genuine redemption," explained the Pope, quoting Augustine.

This spark

"And he says that among the persecutors, among the nonbelievers, there are people with this spark, with a kind of faith, of hope, in the measure that is possible for them in the circumstances in which they live," the Holy Father continued.

"With this faith in an unknown reality, they are really on the way to the authentic Jerusalem, to Christ," he clarified.

Continuing with his quotes from Augustine, the Pope added that "God will not allow them to perish with Babylon, having predestined them to be citizens of Jerusalem, on the condition, however, that, living in Babylon, they do not seek pride, outdated pomp and arrogance."

The Bishop of Rome concluded by inviting those present to pray to the Lord "that he will awaken in all of us this desire, this openness to God, and that those who do not know God may also be touched by his love, so that all of us journey together toward the definitive City and that the light of this City might also shine in our time and in our world."

[magisterium]

I don't follow you. Where did I say that God is not omniscient?

[gscc]

Published on 2000-AUG-6 by Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It was released on SEP-5. The document had been ratified and confirmed by the Pope John Paul II on JUN-16 "with sure knowledge and by his apostolic authority."

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

DECLARATION
"DOMINUS IESUS"
ON THE UNICITY AND SALVIFIC UNIVERSALITY 
OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE CHURCH

8. The hypothesis of the inspired value of the sacred writings of other religions is also put forward. Certainly, it must be recognized that there are some elements in these texts which may be de facto instruments by which countless people throughout the centuries have been and still are able today to nourish and maintain their life-relationship with God. Thus, as noted above, the Second Vatican Council, in considering the customs, precepts, and teachings of the other religions, teaches that “although differing in many ways from her own teaching, these nevertheless often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men”.23

The Church's tradition, however, reserves the designation of inspired texts to the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, since these are inspired by the Holy Spirit.24 Taking up this tradition, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation of the Second Vatican Council states: “For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 20:31; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:19-21; 3:15-16), they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself”.25 These books “firmly, faithfully, and without error, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures”.26

Nevertheless, God, who desires to call all peoples to himself in Christ and to communicate to them the fullness of his revelation and love, “does not fail to make himself present in many ways, not only to individuals, but also to entire peoples through their spiritual riches, of which their religions are the main and essential expression even when they contain ‘gaps, insufficiencies and errors'”.27 Therefore, the sacred books of other religions, which in actual fact direct and nourish the existence of their followers, receive from the mystery of Christ the elements of goodness and grace which they contain.

(23) Second Vatican Council, Declaration Nostra aetate, 2; cf. Second Vatican Council, Decree Ad gentes, 9, where it speaks of the elements of good present “in the particular customs and cultures of peoples”; Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, 16, where it mentions the elements of good and of truth present among non-Christians, which can be considered a preparation for the reception of the Gospel.

(24) Cf. Council of Trent, Decretum de libris sacris et de traditionibus recipiendis: DS 1501; First Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Dei Filius, cap. 2: DS 3006.

(25) Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Dei verbum, 11.

(26) Ibid.

(27) John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, 55; cf. 56 and Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, 53.

 

[P-Marlowe]

Therefore, the sacred books of other religions, which in actual fact direct and nourish the existence of their followers, receive from the mystery of Christ the elements of goodness and grace which they contain.

Well, that explains the Koranic kiss, eh?

I wonder if the Satanic Bible would contain any of these "elements of goodness and grace" spoken of by Ratzinger and friends?

[magisterium]

I'm sorry. I can't tell if your post is meant to support mine or refute it. I don't know you enough to know whose "camp" you're in. So apologies in advance.

If you're augmenting what I said, I thank you. If not, and this is meant to refute what I said, how does it do so?

The statement in the last paragraph: "Nevertheless, God, who desires to call all peoples to himself in Christ and to communicate to them the fullness of his revelation and love, “does not fail to make himself present in many ways, not only to individuals, but also to entire peoples through their spiritual riches, of which their religions are the main and essential expression even when they contain ‘gaps, insufficiencies and errors'," points out that there are positives to other Christian denominations and even other religions, but there are "gaps, insufficiencies and errors." This does nothing to imply that the Catholic Church no longer considers itself the fullness of the Faith or the one, True Church of Christ.

Neither does anything in footnote 23.

[gscc]

Just trying to clarify. You left out: "Therefore, the sacred books of other religions, which in actual fact direct and nourish the existence of their followers, receive from the mystery of Christ the elements of goodness and grace which they contain."

[raygun]

Nothing to see here, just move along.

The pope said before an audience of Muslims in Brussels, Belgium,

Christians and Moslems, we meet one another in faith in the one God...[and] strive to put into practice...the teaching of our respective holy books.¹

Meeting with Muslim leaders in West Africa in 1993, the pope "called on Christians, Muslims and animists...to respect one another's religious beliefs..."²

Speaking to Shintoists and Buddists in Tokyo in 1981, the pope commended the wisdom of their ancient religions which inspired them "to see a divine presence in each human being...[As Christ's Vicar] I express my joy that God has distributed these [religious] gifts among you" ³

In Togo in 1985, the pope exulted that he had "prayed for the first time with animists"⁴ During a 1984 visit to New Guinea, the pope presidcd over an outdoor "New Mass" for the natives. It involved "dancers who pranced to the alter for the offertory procession, throwing up clouds of orange and yellow smoke, a pagan custom to ward off evil spirits...[while] an 18-year-old college studen read a passage of Scripture wearing her traditional clothes [nude above the waist]." A New York times article was cited in describing the event:

the Roman Catholic Church's efforts to make its services more universal by integrating into its ritual and litergy elements of the cultures of the peoples to whom Western missionaries brought their religion⁵

Catholic World had an entire issue affirming the New Age movement, without a single condemnation or correction.⁶ Thousands of priests and nums practice yoga and other forms of Hindu or Buddist mysticism.

In 1986, at Assisi, Italy, a meeting of 130 leaders of the world's 12 major religions that included snake and fire worshipers, spiritists, animists, North American witch doctors, Buddists, Muslims, and Hindus, along with "Christians" and Catholics (the latter two being cited separately), prayed together for world peas. The pope declared that all were "praying to the same God" and allowed his good friend the Dalai Lama - who claims to be God personally and the 14th reincarnation of the original Dalai Lama - to replace the cross with the Buddha on the alter of St. Peters church in Assisi and for him and his monks to perfrom their Buddist worship there.

To inaugurate the Dalai Lama's U.S. tour, he was feted at New York's St. Patrick Cathedral. Cardinal Cooke who hosted the event, proclaimed that all the worlds religions are essentially the same. The Dalai Lama was given a standing ovation by an overflowing crowd⁷

Spurred on by the pope, "Interfaith Councils" have sprung up across the U.S. The procedure of one of these meetings was described as:

Swami Bhaskarananda, a Hindu, chanted a prayer to God...Ismail Ahmed, a Muslim, recited a short prayer to God...as they stood in front of an alter adorned with pictures of Sri Ramakrishna, Jesus Christ and Buddha. ⁸

The entire May/June 1990 issue of Catholic World was devoted to Buddism. The articles were all sympathetic, and included favorable quotes from the pope. One article was titled: "Buddha Revered as a Christian Saint."

¹Abbe Daniel Le Roux, Peter Lovest Thou Me? (Australia: Instauratio Press, 1989), p.140

²National Catholic Reporter, Feb 19, 1993, p.11

³Le Roux, op. cit., pp 144-45

⁴Le Croix, Aug 23, 1985

⁵The Roman Catholic, June-July 1984, p.32 ⁶The Catholic World: The New Age, a Challenge to Christianity, May/Jun 1989

⁷Newsweek, Sep 17, 1979, p. 115

⁸Carol M. Ostrom, "Trust is key, interfaith group agrees," Seattle Times (Seattle, WA), March 11, 1987

[magisterium]

Okay. Thanks. An assertion that such contain grains of truth or partial truths, as implied here, doesn't amount to an endorsement. That was my point.

[gscc]

" An assertion that such contain grains of truth or partial truths, as implied here, doesn't amount to an endorsement. That was my point."

 He didn't say "grains of truth" he said elements of goodness and grace received from Christ.

[bonfire]

"How will anyone, other than an RCC, move from purgatory to heaven?"

When the RCC decides purgatory is ONLY theological speculation one may CHOOSE to believe in but not official church doctrine :)

[P-Marlowe]

An assertion that such contain grains of truth or partial truths, as implied here, doesn't amount to an endorsement. That was my point.

Therefore, the sacred books of other religions, which in actual fact direct and nourish the existence of their followers, receive from the mystery of Christ the elements of goodness and grace which they contain.

That sure sounds like an endorsement to me. Clearly the Pope is not condemning the religious books of other religions for the blasphemy and idolatry that they contain, but is instead praising them because they "in actual fact direct and nourish the esistence of their followers."

I assume that the Koran that the Pope kissed is among the books that he believed "in actual fact direct and nourish the existence of their followers".

That would appear to explain why he was so willing to publicly bow and kiss it.

[suzyjaruki]

Oh. Thanks for the clarification. :)

[gscc]

They have certainly come a long way since:

v      Pope Innocent III: "There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which no one at all is saved." Fourth Lateran Council, 1215.

v      Pope Boniface VIII: "We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff." From his Bull Unam Sanctam, 1302.

v      Pope Eugene IV: "The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless before death they are joined with Her; and that so important is the unity of this ecclesiastical body that only those remaining within this unity can profit by the sacraments of the Church unto salvation, and they alone can receive an eternal recompense for their fasts, their almsgivings, their other works of Christian piety and the duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remain within the bosom and the unity of the Catholic Church." From his Bull Cantate Domino, 1441.)

[magisterium]

My own paraphrase. What else does "elements" mean in the sentence but mere partial truth? Even St. Paul acknowledged the very imperfect, very partial understanding of truth exhibited by the Athenians in Act 17:22-23. What he said about their religiousity or their temple to "an Unknown God" was hardly an endorsement of their beliefs, but was an acknowledgment that they had a smidgen of truth.

Any portion of truth understood by the pagans is still, however impefect, a manifestation of the natural law written on all hearts. The pagans must feel around as if blind, but as they say, even the blind squirrel uncovers the nut once in a while.

On many threads, there is a need to understand what is meant by "harmonization." It is true in understanding seemingly contradictory passages in Scripture; it is true here. It's really not too hard to understand. While, in one breath, the Catholic Church perceives itself as the vessel of the fullness of God's revelation, it can say, in the next breath, that EVERY religion has at least some element of truth to it, even if that element is restricted to acknowledging that some sort of God exists. The statements are not mutually exclusive.

It even can be stated between Catholics and other Christian bodies, to varying degrees. Clearly, from the Catholic POV, the Orthodox share an overwhelming proportion of their faith with us, the High Church Anglicans somewhat less, the Lutherans somewhat less, and so forth, all the way down to those we consider not to be true Christians, as in the Unitarians, Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses (because, among other things, they do not accept the divinity of Christ), who nevertheless have some connection with Christianity. ALL of these, with varying degrees of imperfection, have elements of the truth in their doctrines. And, descending further into modern Judaism, Islam, and all of the other "isms," the statement is STILL true. ALL religions have some element of truth in them, though, naturally, the further removed from Christianity (well, allright, Catholicism ;-D), the more tenuous and diminished that smidgen of truth becomes.

Do Protestants deny that ALL non-Christian religions are 100% in error? I hope not. Though I would be the first to suppose that many are 99% in error! All religions have at least elements of the Decalogue in them, even if the elements are not directly derived from it. Nearly all (Buddhism being the major exception) acknowledge deity somehow. These are truths. But they are not grounded in the Truth. Big difference. But the nuance is important to our discussion here. It's not as black-and-white as some would have it. THAT is proper to the original point of the thread, not that all non-Christian religions are "OK" as far as the Catholic Church is concerned, and therefore it doesn't matter what religion a person holds to.

[magisterium]

OOPS! Last paragraph: "Do Protestants deny..." should be "Do Protestants say..."

[gscc]

My question is where is all this leading? "Raygun" posted a long list of Papal interfaith services. This thread began with "Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith, says Benedict XVI."

[HarleyD]

Is it any wonder Protestants are confused about the position of Catholics? You state the Catholic Church considers itself the one and only true Church. I happen to agree with you on this. Based upon Catholic doctrine the only conclusion one can come to is that they feel they are the one and only Church. Yet everytime I mention this I receive numerous posts stating I wrong and that under Vatican II people can be saved outside of the Church. (If you want references I can show you a whole bunch of posts to me yesterday) Then you have the Pope saying Jews and Muslims are God's children as well and we all share the same heritage. It enough to make a grown Protestant scream.

[jo kus]

Ah, yes, I almost forgot about the hyperbole...

Thanks

[HarleyD]

Nothing to see here, just move along.

Amazingly some do not see.