“Anathematized” actually means “accursed”, and is, and always has been used for those excommunicated from the Church. Since Rome regards itself as the only “True Church” with salvation dependent on membership in it.... than the doctrines of the Council of Trent should hold for it, namely that anyone anathematized, or excommunicated from her is, by definition, on the way to Hell. Up until a generation or so ago, this is exactly what Roman Catholicism still taught—and it is entirely consistent with her history. That the Magisterium teaches this no longer, doesn’t change the (real, not revisionist) history of this teaching, nor the meaning of the words.
“Heretic” also refers to someone not just in error, but who has comprimised and ESSENTIAL belief of the faith. Without all the essentials one is also in serious risk of Hell, by definition. This too was taught of Protestants until recently—and is the meaning of the word.
So Roman Catholic brethren, what say ye? What are we Protestants, anathematized and heretics—and thereby hell bound? Or just defective and separated brethren?
You are hell bound, generally speaking, yes, by the fact of your being separated brethren. Excommunication is no small matter, but you cannot excommunicate someone who never held a claim of communion — someone who is not separated brother. I am not making light of it, I am simply pointing out that the real problem here is not words but beliefs.
"For the Son of man became man so that we might become God. The only begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods." (page 116, #460)
That right there tells us pretty much all we need to know about Rome. Rome believes the church turns men into gods by infusing righteousness into them and turning them into perfect creatures. Voila! A god.
Therefore perhaps it's not such a stretch to believe Mary was "sinless" and Mary is the "co-redeemer" and a "pope is infallible" and a priest is "another Christ."
Whereas the Bible instructs and the Reformation restated that all men are fallen and the only thing that saves anyone is Christ's righteousness mercifully imputed to the believer by grace through faith.
So it's probably easy for Rome to curse Protestants because Protestants are outside the RCC and do not believe they become a god in any way. Christ indwells us, but He remains always Christ and we remain always the creature, 100% guilty but 100% acquitted of our sins by Christ's rightousness through His atoning work on the cross.
Our differences really seem profound some days.
Do you believe the Catholic Church has the power to send you to hell?