There is no salvation outside the Church Christ founded. That Church is the Catholic Church (and the Orthodox but that discussion is outside this debate.)
Anyone who is validly baptized is baptized into the Church. Therefore they can attain salvation. I know how Catholics who lose the state of Grace they receive in baptism by mortal sin can be returned to a state of Grace. That is through sacramental confession. I do not know how non-Catholics who fall from the state of grace through mortal sin can return to a state of grace outside of the means Christ instituted in scripture, i.e., sacrental confession. I do know that those who die not in a state of grace cannot attain heaven so I do fear for the salvation of those outside the Catholic (and Orthodox) communion who commit grave sin.
To characterize basic Catholic belief as offensive is nothing new. What is new is a Catholic pope who is willing to once again state that outside the Church there is no salvation. We’ve lived with false ecumenism so long that non Catholics are shocked and offended now when they hear true ecumenism. In other words the problem isn’t that the pope said what he said, the problem is that what he said has been said so rarely these past 50 years due to false ecumenism.
Thanks for your straight-forward and direct response. It is offensive, indefensible and bizarre but it is what it is. I knew that was the position and just wanted to see if a Catholic would own up to it. Thanks. It is there for all to see ... without all the lofty doublespeak.
“There is no salvation outside the Church Christ founded. That Church is the Catholic Church (and the Orthodox but that discussion is outside this debate.)
Anyone who is validly baptized is baptized into the Church. Therefore they can attain salvation. I know how Catholics who lose the state of Grace they receive in baptism by mortal sin can be returned to a state of Grace. That is through sacramental confession. I do not know how non-Catholics who fall from the state of grace through mortal sin can return to a state of grace outside of the means Christ instituted in scripture, i.e., sacrental confession. I do know that those who die not in a state of grace cannot attain heaven so I do fear for the salvation of those outside the Catholic (and Orthodox) communion who commit grave sin.
To characterize basic Catholic belief as offensive is nothing new. What is new is a Catholic pope who is willing to once again state that outside the Church there is no salvation. We’ve lived with false ecumenism so long that non Catholics are shocked and offended now when they hear true ecumenism. In other words the problem isn’t that the pope said what he said, the problem is that what he said has been said so rarely these past 50 years due to false ecumenism.”
AMEN!!! You speak the Truth! May this Pope continue to speak courageously!
This is pure ignorance of scripture...And it is so ignorant, hundreds of millions of Christians have found Jesus Christ in spite of the Catholic religion...Countless former Catholics as well have searched and found the truth of the scriptures...
Christians are not under the bondage of any religion, including yours...