Dispelling the Myths Behind

extra ecclesiam nulla salus

Annie Paish

The Roots of Salvation

(Mark 16:16)

(John 3:17)

Early Church Fathers

ST. JUSTIN MARTYR (PEOPLE WHO LIVED

BEFORE CHRIST)

ST. IGNATIUSAND ST. CYPRIAN(HERESY AND SCHISM)

Virtue Mosaic Law Logos

guilty of being outside the church

“even martyrdom cannot purge away the guilt of schism”

“no one can claim the martyr’s name who has broken off his love”

St. Cyprian Continued

Outside of the Church there is no salvation: extra ecclesiam nulla salus

CONTEXT: fourth century when the Christians were no longer persecuted under Rome

Therefore, this exclusive judgement of salvation was not in regards to those who had never experienced Christ, but those who had chosen to deny the truth

St. Augustine

very dark view on who could enter into the Kingdom of Heaven

No salvation for those who had rejected the gospel AND for those who had not heard it

REASON: Original Sin

St. Thomas Aquinas

God would send some sort of an angel or revelation for the person who had never come

into contact with the teachings of Christ

“being subject to the Roman Pontiff is of necessity for

salvation.”

• salvation was possible for those who lived before the time of Christ

• changing views on those who had never been preached the gospel

Unam sanctum

POPE BONIFACE VIII HEINRICH KLEE

issued the bull Unam sanctum (1302)

Declared that the only way to salvation was through being a subject of the Pope

those who know that the Church is the true way to salvation, and still choose to deny and reject this, will not be granted salvation

Pope Pius IX

“well known is the Catholic teaching that no one can be saved outside the Catholic Church”

Invincible ignorance

ecclesiam nulla salus = only to those who are culpably outside of the Church

VS

Pope Pius XII and Mystici corporis

“to gain eternal salvation it is not always required that a person be

incorporated in reality as a member of the Church, but it is required that he belong to it at

least in desire and longing.”

Vatican II

Lumen Gentium Church of Christ is not referred to as the

Roman Catholic Church; instead, the council teaches that the Church

“subsists in the Catholic Church” (LG 8)

There are “elements of sanctification and of truth [which] are found outside

of its visible structure” (LG 8)

Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the

Church as a preparation for the Gospel” (LG 16)

Gaudium et spes

“since Christ died for all men, and since the ultimate vocation of man is in fact one, and divine, we ought to believe that the Holy Spirit in a

manner known only to God offers to every man the possibility of being

associated with this paschal mystery” (GS 22)

Nostra Aetate

Hinduism

Buddhism

Islam

Judaism

Karl Rahner and “Anonymous Christians”

the universality of God’s salvific will

he holds that non-Christians who live good lives that compose (unknowingly to them) of God’s grace, may be called anonymous Christians

Questions?