The purpose of the Church is to guide and facilitate everyone in their plan and path to salvation. It is predicated upon forgiveness and redemption.
Both sin and salvation are of the moment and are conscious choices. Each of us can be forgiven for any sin at any time by God, made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Only God knows what is in our hearts.
The priest can ind the Church, but not God. Even the act of Excommunication is implemented such that it is an explicit choice by the one excommunicated and the Church does not suggest a loss of salvation or an interference between the excommunicated and God.
Ok, thanks.
This then naturally brings us to the Council of Trent. The Anathemas that were declared there... do they bind God?
Must God curse the Reformers and all who vow fealty to the Westminster Confession for their doctrinal differences with the Catholic Magisterium?
Are those Anathemas binding on God? If not, then why were they pronounced and why have they not been rescinded? Did the Council of Trent have the authority from God to make those pronouncements?