Posted on 01/16/2006 11:59:31 PM PST by NYer
ROME, JAN. 16, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Is faith necessary for salvation?
Ilaria Morali, a professor of theology at the Gregorian University, and a specialist in the subject of grace, responds to this question in Part 2 of this interview with ZENIT.
The interview took place with an eye toward understanding better Benedict XVI's address at the general audience of Nov. 30, during which he spoke about the possibility of salvation for non-Christians.
Part 1 of this interview appeared Sunday.
Q: Since the Second Vatican Council, what has been the Catholic view of nonbelievers?
Morali: The question offers me the occasion to touch upon one of the aspects the Pope has commented upon regarding the "spark" harbored by those who do not have biblical faith.
Vatican II places among the latter both people belonging to other religions as well as people who are specifically nonbelievers. They are two profoundly different groups, but united by the fact that they do not have the faith of Christ. The former cultivate some form of religious belief; the latter affirm that they do not have faith.
In No. 16 of the dogmatic constitution "Lumen Gentium," the Council, recalling the principle of the universal saving will of God, affirmed that those who seek God with sincerity, and make an effort under the influence of grace to do his will with works, known by the dictate of conscience, may obtain eternal salvation.
This affirmation reflects indirectly the teaching of Pius IX, but it emphasizes an aspect not considered until now: that of grace. The search for the good, the determination and the will to carry it out are effects of the action of grace.
Moreover, the Council added, almost to stress this principle, "Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life."
According to the Council, no effort can take place "without grace." That means that God is also close to those who do not know him. This same teaching is found in the pastoral constitution "Gaudium et Spes," where in No. 22 the Council acknowledges that grace works in the hearts of all men of good will.
The people to whom the Holy Father refers are, in a certain sense, the same as those of whom the Council spoke. However, some one might object that the Council, in No. 7 of the decree "Ad Gentes" on missionary activity, underlines the principle of the necessity of faith for salvation, in addition to the need of baptism and of the Church.
It might also be underlined that in this number Vatican II affirms that "those cannot be saved, who though aware that God, through Jesus Christ founded the Church as something necessary, still do not wish to enter into it, or to persevere in it."
According to Catholic doctrine, faith of course, is necessary for salvation. This principle, sanctioned in the Letter to the Hebrews 11:6 has been accepted by the Christian tradition since its beginning. And here, in this context, it is proposed again in a clear way.
Q: And who does not have a complete faith?
Morali: Christian tradition itself acknowledges that not all have received the gift of the fullness of faith and that there can also be very imperfect forms of faith.
In the chapter on faith, the Roman Catechism, which was composed after the Council of Trent, acknowledges that there are different degrees of faith: There are those who have a great faith and others who have a fragile faith.
It takes this teaching from the Gospel, in reference to the many words that Jesus Christ pronounced on the faith of his disciples, of the people with whom he met.
However, we cannot pause on this first part of the Council's reflection proposed in No. 7 of the decree "Ad Gentes" on the necessity of faith, but we must also read what follows: "Though God in ways known to himself can lead those inculpably ignorant of the Gospel to find that faith without which it is impossible to please him, yet a necessity lies upon the Church, and at the same time a sacred duty, to preach the Gospel."
This means that God has his ways to lead men to faith and we certainly cannot penetrate in the inscrutable divine action in the hearts of men. In its complexity, the teaching of "Ad Gentes" helps us to understand two principles.
First, that it is not possible to be saved without faith. As history teaches us, men have certainly existed and will exist who consciously deny God, staining themselves with atrocious faults. They will have to answer before God for having exiled and excluded him from their lives, converting that of others into a hell. It is an inescapable fact that there is no salvation for these.
Second, there are many more people who, even stating that they are not believers, will obtain eternal salvation. These are people who give Christians an extraordinary example of generosity and rectitude. If I accept the conciliar teaching, then, for me, who am a believer, the good that they do is already the effect of grace that works in a hidden way in them and I must pray that this grace will one day give them the possibility of being led to an explicit faith.
Moreover, I must admit that in this invisible work of grace, God leads them to faith in an absolutely mysterious way.
Q: Is it necessary to let grace act on its own in those people in whom it acts in a hidden way?
Morali: That does not mean that, as a Christian, I must not do everything possible so that this grace that acts in a hidden way in these people of good will might attain to fullness, though it might not always achieve this. My witness and my prayer are a support to the divine work, but God has his times and his designs.
Speaking again of the "spark" of which the Pope spoke in his address, I would like to recall an affirmation of Tertullian: "alma naturaliter Christiana" [the soul is naturally Christian]. He said this referring to people who lacked education in the faith, but who experienced inklings of faith.
Tertullian's expression has entered the reflection on faith of those who seem not to have faith, as it reflects the longing, in the depth of every man, to know God.
This longing is inscribed in a person's heart and, as Henri de Lubac would say, is the proof that we are created in the image of God and that this image is as an indelible sign. Man longs for Jesus Christ because he bears the image of God in his heart, and the image of God is Jesus Christ.
Tertullian also says that "fiunt no nascuntur christiani," which means: "Christians are not born, but made." It means that this longing needs to be corresponded by knowledge of God and this knowledge only Jesus Christ can give.
The longing of the heart for fullness is not enough; one must come to this fullness in fact. Thus is understood the importance of the evangelizing work of the Church, called to lead men to that fullness that is realized with baptism and perfected throughout a Christian's life.
Matthew 21:31
"Amen I say to you, that the publicans and the harlots shall go into the kingdom of God before you."
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40 KJV)
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. (Matthew 21:32 KJV)
Define "believth on him." Is it primarily the intellectual assent given to a set of propositions, or is it something else?
SD
And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son
and believeth on Him...
It seems the qualification is that God's will in this case refers to those who "seeth" the Son (as well as believing in Him), should have eternal life. This verse says nothing about ONLY those who see and believe in Him having eternal life, but that all who DO see and DO BELIEVE may have eternal life. The verse does not GUARANTEE eternal life even to those who see and believe. God wills that every soul may have eternal life. If God WILLED for every man, woman, and child to believe in His Son, then every man, woman, and child from the beginning of time would be aware of the Trinity, which is simply not true, UNLESS every man, woman, and child, regardless of origin, upbringing, religion, etc., will receive grace at the moment of death to "see" and "believe" in Jesus Christ. Thus, the harlots and publicans who are entering heaven before you and I are those who, despite knowing not Christ, receive His grace at death. We (you and I) already have that grace. Thus, "to whom much is given, much is expected".
Again...
Matthew 23:13
"But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter."
Additionally, this grace offered to those who know nothing of Christ can be rejected just as you and I can reject His grace at our own last breath.
I would say P-M should define "believeth on Him" just as soon as you define "cooperate". You and Rutles4Ever would reject the basic belief that God gives grace and man does something.
Under your scenario God gives grace but man doesn't have to do anything. He doesn't even have to believe in Christ. YIKES!!! What a doctrine.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:27-29 KJV)
You have difficulty understanding what "cooperate" means? It means "work with." Further refinements will be offered as you require.
You and Rutles4Ever would reject the basic belief that God gives grace and man does something.
Would we?
Under your scenario God gives grace but man doesn't have to do anything. He doesn't even have to believe in Christ.
I quote the sentence following your favorite sentence:
Second, there are many more people who, even stating that they are not believers, will obtain eternal salvation. These are people who give Christians an extraordinary example of generosity and rectitude.
I don't define "giving Christians an extraordinary example of generosity and rectitude" to mean he "doesn't have to do anything."
Is this really that difficult to understand?
Further:
the good that they do is already the effect of grace that works in a hidden way in them and I must pray that this grace will one day give them the possibility of being led to an explicit faith.
Again, "the good that they do" in being "extraordinary examples" for us is not "doesn't have to do anything."
Perhaps you remain confused on the central isssue needlessly. The idea is not that everyone ignorant of Christ is automatically saved. It is that some of these may be saved through the working of God's grace, though intellectual facts about Jesus may not be known to one's mind.
Can you see the difference? Don't you believe God is sovereign and He can save whom He pleases?
SD
Are you subscribing to the necessity of "works" all of a sudden?
Are you saying that by believing in Christ you no longer have free will? Is Christ saying that He has usurped your ability to reject Him? If this be the case, why did God give man free will at all? We could have avoided the fall of Adam entirely.
Free will isn't free if the possibility doesn't exist to reject Christ up to and including your last dying breath. Conversely, man will have no free will in heaven, since our heavenly existence will be perfectly united to God's will.
It's maddening that they revere God's Sovereignity over all other aspects, but will now deny that He can save people who are ignorant of the facts and name of Jesus though no fault of their own.
SD
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So you're saying that man has no free will since it's not in the KJV? Unbelievable.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
(Matthew 28:19 KJV)
They believe the greater miracle but deny the lesser. What an impotent god they follow.
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? (Romans 9:19 KJV)
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