It's rather confusing; in the Catechism, if I never heard of Jesus I could be saved, but since I have heard of Jesus and am not Catholic my salvation is in doubt. In this thread I'm being told by Catholics that they will not sit in judgment of my relationship with God, yet they will deny me the sacrament of communion in their Church because I don't have a relationship with God.
Essentially, if you are to be saved, you better be Catholic or be a lost-tribesman in the Amazon - those are your only choices!
But, in all fairness, the Evangelicals are no different. They go all over the world to convert people to Christ because they believe one is saved only through him. What differs between the Catholics and the Evangelicals is just the label. Instead of calling the "saved" Catholics, they are called Christians!
To a large extent, I would agree. But I'd also say that Evangelicals are unequivocal about this: the only way to salvation is through Jesus. Just believing in God isn't enough. You must accept Jesus as the Savior. That's what Jesus said, and it's good enough for me.
Additionally, I don't know too many evangelicals, and I don't know ANY doctrine, that says Catholics or Orthodox or other evangelical churches aren't saved because they are in a different church. We may disagree on how to worship, and some of the smaller doctrines, but your faith and your salvation are up to you and God, not some church and it's doctrines.
We're glad to call you Christian whether Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, or Lutheran! Unfortunately, one "Church" on that list doesn't see things the same way...
“”one “Church” on that list doesn’t see things the same way””
I don’t know where you getting this idea from,dear friend.
The Catholic Church recognizes protestants as Christians,we just don;t accept them being called a churches,we accept them as Christian communities. There can only be one true Church,not many.
The following is an excerpt from Blessed Pope John Paul 2 encyclical Dominus Iesus. I suggest you read the whole thing because it should help you understand the Church’s position on some of the questions you’re posting.
Excerpt...
On the other hand, the ecclesial communities which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery,61 are not Churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptized in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the Church.62 Baptism in fact tends per se toward the full development of life in Christ, through the integral profession of faith, the Eucharist, and full communion in the Church.63
“The Christian faithful are therefore not permitted to imagine that the Church of Christ is nothing more than a collection — divided, yet in some way one — of Churches and ecclesial communities; nor are they free to hold that today the Church of Christ nowhere really exists, and must be considered only as a goal which all Churches and ecclesial communities must strive to reach”.64 In fact, “the elements of this already-given Church exist, joined together in their fullness in the Catholic Church and, without this fullness, in the other communities”.65 “Therefore, these separated Churches and communities as such, though we believe they suffer from defects, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church”.66
The lack of unity among Christians is certainly a wound for the Church; not in the sense that she is deprived of her unity, but “in that it hinders the complete fulfilment of her universality in history
Well, the Catholics say that too, except they say that when that happens you become Catholic. I image they probably think Jesus was "Catholic" by definition, even though we think he was an observant Jew!
Either side is out there convincing people that they must believe something to be saved or else all hell breaks loose.
So, your side says all who are in heaven are Jesus believing Christians and the Catholic side says all those in heaven are Jesus believing Catholics. What's the difference? Both sides are selling their brand of salvation.