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To: NYer; Petronski

NYer, Petronski, et. al,

From a catholic perspective, if a man washed ashore on a deserted island after a shipwreck and among the debris he found a Bible. Could he read it and be saved, if he never came in contact with another human before his death?


12 posted on 04/29/2008 5:58:46 PM PDT by PetroniusMaximus
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To: PetroniusMaximus

I believe the answer is yes.


16 posted on 04/29/2008 6:02:00 PM PDT by Petronski (When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth, voting for Hillary.)
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To: PetroniusMaximus

yes


17 posted on 04/29/2008 6:13:55 PM PDT by Nihil Obstat (pray for the Christians in the Holy Land)
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To: PetroniusMaximus
From a catholic perspective, if a man washed ashore on a deserted island after a shipwreck and among the debris he found a Bible. Could he read it and be saved, if he never came in contact with another human before his death?

Absolutely. The Church does not pretend to limit God - He can do whatever the heck He feels like. From the Nicene Creed, "We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins." The Church has always recognized three forms of Baptism - Water, Blood, and Spirit. Water Baptism should be clear to everyone. Baptism by Blood is a teaching whereby those who die for the Faith (Martyrs) are baptized with their death in the name of Christ. Baptism by Spirit is for those (normally catechumens) who die before receiving their Baptism by Water. Likewise, someone who lives a good life seeking Truth and acting in accordance with it can certainly be saved by the power of Christ. Check #1260

Hope that helps!

18 posted on 04/29/2008 6:22:41 PM PDT by thefrankbaum (Ad maiorem Dei gloriam)
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To: PetroniusMaximus
Could he read it and be saved,...

Suppose he was incapable of reading. Even then, it is possible that he could be saved.

24 posted on 04/29/2008 11:59:25 PM PDT by TotusTuus (Christos Voskrese!)
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To: PetroniusMaximus
From a catholic perspective, if a man washed ashore on a deserted island after a shipwreck and among the debris he found a Bible. Could he read it and be saved, if he never came in contact with another human before his death?

Sure. He could also read it and go to hell. He could also be saved if he didn't find a Bible.

When "push comes to shove", what ultimately matters is not how much doctrine he knows or understands, but whether he repents from his sins and "calls upon the Name of the Lord".

His is an extraordinary path to heaven. The ordinary path is prevenient grace, faith, repentance, Catholic baptism, and perseverance by the grace given through prayer and the sacraments until the end of life.

28 posted on 04/30/2008 8:11:18 AM PDT by Campion
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