Christological Exclusivism

[Niccolò]

Salvete!

For one of my friend's theology classes he was to take a survey of people's opinions regarding Christ's role in salvation. Many of the people surveyed at our university, Catholics included, tended to answer in a less-than-orthodox manner (all religions are equal, some religions are right for some and wrong for others, etc.). Well, here are the ten questions he gave me (with my answers), and hopefully I could get some opinions on what it is the Church teaches on salvation. Please alert me if I have inadvertently wandered into error.

[b]1. Can people who know nothing about Christ through no fault of their own be saved? HOW?[/b]
People who know nothing about Christ through no fault of their own (Invincible Ignorance) do indeed still have the possibility of being saved. That is not to say that Invincible Ignorance guarantees salvation, but rather one in such a state has the possibility of attaining salvation. Everyone is saved through Jesus Christ, even if the one saved has no intellectual knowledge of the Savior. The normative means for salvation is through God's Church and the Sacraments, though He is not bound by His Church and may act in ways that give Grace to those outside of the Church's reach. Thus, by following the Natural Law (which is universal and written in the hearts of Men) one is accepting God's Grace and following God as fully as possible for them. In that way may one with no intellectual knowledge of Christ be saved.

[b]2. If the practice of Islam is the ordinary way of salvation for a devout Muslim and Buddhism is the ordinary way of salvation for a devout Buddhist, is either any less close to God than a devout Christian?[/b]
There is only one ordinary way of Salvation, and that is by Jesus Christ through His Church (one, holy, catholic, apostolic). Those in Invincible Ignorance who are devout Buddhists or Muslims will be much less close to God than a devout Christian, for they have no access to the Sacraments, which were instituted by Christ to act as channels of God's Grace, and they have an understanding of God which is incomplete and erroneous.

[b]3. What role, if any, do you believe Jesus Christ plays in the salvation of non-Christians?[/b]
Christ plays the essential role in the Salvation of anyone at any time. Christ did not just die for Christians, but he died for all of humanity. Thus, if any outside the visible Church are saved (those in Invincible Ignorance), they are saved the same way those completely within Christ's Church are saved, by Jesus.

[b]4. Can people who practice non-Christian religions and who are morally upright and religiously devout have a full relationship w/ God if they do not know God as revealed in Jesus Christ?[/b]
People who practice non-Christian religions devoutly and are morally upright will never have a full relationship with God while they remain outside Christ's Church. Not only do non-Christians not have a full relationship with God, but non-Catholic Christians also do not have a full relationship with God as they are not full members of Christ's Church. Non-Christians (and most non-Catholic Christians) do not have access to all the sacraments, which bring ordinary people the closest they can be to God in this life through the Eucharist. In addition, non-Christian religions have an incomplete view of God, for though they may be monotheistic, they discount the Trinity and Jesus as God, and only a complete view of God as revealed by His Son through His Church will bring one into a full relationship.

[b]5. If God is pure mystery, beyond all human understanding, can you be sure that God is known fully only in Christ?[/b]
God is not a pure mystery, though He is largely a mystery. He chose to reveal Himself to us in a manner that we could comprehend. One can either accept that God revealed Himself to Man, or one can reject His revelation.

[b]6. If Jesus is the only mediator of salvation and the ultimate and complete revelation of God, why haven't all people of all religions come to recognize this fact?[/b]
God created Man with freewill, and thus we have a choice whether to follow Jesus or not. The stain of Original Sin, however, has wounded Man's nature, and thus we are subject to urges and inclinations that can best be described as animal-like. Pride and sloth are probably the major reasons why many who have the means of accepting Jesus (unlike those in Invicible Ignorance) do not accept Him. Many are simply too lazy or do not care, and thus they will not commit to intense spiritual searching, which would lead to Christ were it not for pride and the other so-called "Capital Sins." Dealing with these Capital Sins which slow or stop conversion is completely the responsibility of the individual, for he has freewill.

[b]7. Does every non-Christian who knows and loves God have an inadequate understanding of God if this understanding is not mediated through Jesus?[/b]
Every non-Christian has in inadequate understanding of God if Jesus is not included in that understanding.

[b]8. What do you think should be the mission of the Christian church in countries that are predominantly non-Christian in their religious traditions?[/b]
The Church must evangelize to the best of its ability in non-Christian countries to spread the gospel of Christ, as Christ Himself ordered his Apostles to do.

[b]9. Is it possible for a Hindu or Muslim without knowledge of Christ to live a life more fully conformed to God's will than a Christian who does know Christ? If your answer is yes, then why is knowledge of Christ essential?[/b]
It is possible for a devout non-Christian to more fully conform his life to God's will than a Christian with knowledge of Christ, yet that Christian must be a pretty sorry Christian. Even Satan believes that Jesus Christ saved Man, though this does not make him a good Christian. It is not possible for a non-Christian to live a life more fully conformed to God's will than a truly devout Christian.

[b]10. If different paths in different religions ultimately aim to bring people to the one God, can one path really be less valid than another?[/b]
All religions other than Catholic Christianity are essentially man-made "paths"; Christianity is the "path" to God that only God made by revelation through His Son Jesus Christ. Not all religions are monotheistic, and thus they cannot aim to bring people to the one God. Those religions that are non-Christian and monotheistic have an incomplete understanding of God based on the fallible ideas of Man, and thus are less valid than Christianity, which has a complete understanding of God and are based on the God's revelation.

[Paphnutius]

A good read on this is Pope Benedict XVI document (while he was still cardinal) Dominus Jesus. Here is a link to that: [url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFUNICI.HTM"]http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFUNICI.HTM[/url]

[Don John of Austria]

looks good to me.

[Antonius]

I agree. Nothing stinks of heresy.

[MichaelFilo]

[quote]. Everyone is saved through Jesus Christ, even if the one saved has no intellectual knowledge of the Savior. The normative means for salvation is through God's Church and the Sacraments, though He is not bound by His Church and may act in ways that give Grace to those outside of the Church's reach[/quote]

Everyone is saved through Jesus Christ. He is the head and the Church is the body. God's Church is the ONLY means for salvation. Extra Ecclesiam non Salus means there is no salvation outside of the Church. Therefore, even those who are saved without physical enterance into the Catholic Church (if possible) are still saved through the Catholic Church.

God bless,
Mikey

[Don John of Austria]

[quote name='MichaelFilo' date='May 4 2005, 09:27 PM']
Everyone is saved through Jesus Christ. He is the head and the Church is the body. God's Church is the ONLY means for salvation. Extra Ecclesiam non Salus means there is no salvation outside of the Church. Therefore, even those who are saved without physical enterance into the Catholic Church (if possible) are still saved through the Catholic Church.

God bless,
Mikey [/quote]
Yeah this is correct, Ideally it should say "though He is not bound by His Sacraments". Of course everyone is saved Through Christ and through His Church, the Catholic Church.

Edited May 5, 2005 by Don John of Austria

[Semalsia]

[quote name='Niccolò']People who know nothing about Christ through no fault of their own (Invincible Ignorance) do indeed still have the possibility of being saved.[/quote]

Does stupidity count?

[Don John of Austria]

[quote name='Semalsia' date='May 6 2005, 03:30 PM'] [quote name='Niccolò']People who know nothing about Christ through no fault of their own (Invincible Ignorance) do indeed still have the possibility of being saved.[/quote]

Does stupidity count? [/quote]
Yes those who are so stupid as to be unable to accept Christ are invincibly ignorant