Posted on 12/02/2005 7:13:17 AM PST by billorites
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Limbo -- the place where the Catholic Church teaches that babies go if they die before being baptized -- may have its days numbered.
According to Italian media reports on Tuesday, an international theological commission will advise Pope Benedict to eliminate the teaching about limbo from the Catholic catechism.
The Catholic Church teaches that babies who die before they can be baptized go to limbo, whose name comes from the Latin for "border" or "edge," because they deserve neither heaven nor hell.
Last October, seven months before he died, Pope John Paul asked the commission to come up with "a more coherent and enlightened way" of describing the fate of such innocents.
It was then headed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected Pope in April. It is now headed by his successor at the Vatican's doctrinal department, Archbishop William Levada, an American from San Francisco.
The commission, which has been meeting behind closed doors, may make its recommendation soon.
In his Divine Comedy, Dante passes limbo on his way into hell and writes: "Great grief seized on my own heart when this I heard, because some people of much worthiness I knew, who in limbo were suspended."
I've got a good idea.
He should teach this verse:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (American Standard Version)
8 For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not of works, that no man should glory.
And this one:
John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Copyright © 1901 Public Domain
1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," 64 allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.
The word "limbo" is not found in this Catechism.
SD
>God extends grace to who He wills. Their age is essentially irrelevant.<
And it is not contingent on having believing parents
Jesus said we must be as little children to enter the kingdom of Heaven, so obviously the little ones are innocent and not tainted by sin. Why wouldn't they go to Heaven? Little children who are too young to discern the difference between right and wrong are innocent in God's eyes, regardless of their parents spiritual status. There is a verse in the OT that a son does not inherit the sins of his father. To say at what age a child becomes knowledgeable enough and responsible for his/her sins is purely speculative -- I think it varies by the individual.
39 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." 40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Do you believe all humans, when born, have an entitlement to Heaven?
SD
"I am not Catholic so I have never really understood the concept of limbo though I am familiar with it. On what basis did Catholics determine there was a limbo? From the Bible?"
I think the basis for Limbo comes from the fact that we are all born with Adam and Eve's original sin, which is absolved by baptism. So the church in it's early days struggled with the question of what happens to children who die before they are baptised. As a Catholic I never understood or really agreed with the concept that God would not let an un-baptised child into Heaven.
"We've got to limbo, Jimbo!"
I would respectfully disagree with you, my FRiend. The Scriptures say that "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." All includes newborn babies.
If God chooses to save newborns, that's up to Him. If not, that's also up to Him.
Just wanted to add--to everyone here on this thread--to keep in mind that the Catholic Church existed before the New Testament was written, and therefore sometimes Catholics don't immediately rush to see what the Bible says on a topic and proclaim that the Bible=Christianity.
Protestants have a tendency to do so.
A Catholic might point out that he worships God/Christ/Holy Spirit, not the Bible.
Yes. The Bible says God is not willing that any should perish. What could a baby do that would be considered as a sin? At some point though, we become old enough to discern right from wrong and our deviations from God's will (sin) are held against us. All people will sin -- we all fall short of God's glory.
Actually, we are tainted by sin at birth. It's original sin and we inherited it courtesy of Adam and Eve. It is completely by God's grace that we are redeemed; Jesus purchased us that redemption, but we did nothing to deserve it.
But..but..but...Reuters said it! Every FReeper knows that Reuters is completely accurate!!!
That's an article of FReeper faith, isn't it? We believe in Reuters?
All people WILL sin, true. But what sin has a newborn committed? At what point will the baby/child become sinful? Do you believe the baby inherited the parent's sin?
Yes.
Is that your final answer? Humans are entitled to Heaven? If only we didn't sin, God would have to let us into Heaven? Entitled?
We are not even entitled to life on earth, even that is an inestimable gift from God. To say that we have an entitlement to Heaven, to eternal life with God is astounding.
SD
They haven't committed a sin as such, but they are born with a sin nature. That's original sin. It's a positional argument. After Adam and Eve sinned, man was separated from God. He guaranteed our redemption and eternity with Him by sending Jesus to die for our sins instead of us. We don't do anything to inherent this nature (Adam and Eve took care of that) and we don't do anything to deserve God's grace in paying the penalty for us.
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