One of the most misunderstood teachings of the Catholic Church isthis one:
Outside the Church there is no salvation"
(Extra ecclesiam nulla salus).
Those trying to grasp the meaning of this teaching often struggle with its formulations by various Church Fathers and Church Councils down through history.
Of course,
to understand an isolated formulation of any Church teaching,
one must study the historical context within which it was written: why it was written, what was going on in the Church at thetime,
who the intended audience was, and so on.
One must discover how the magisterium (teaching office) of the Church understands its own teaching.
If someone fails to do this and chooses, rather,
to simply treat a particular formulation as a stand-alone teaching,
he runs the risk of seriously misunderstandin g it.
In recent times,
the Church has recognized that itsteaching about the necessity of the Catholic Church for salvation has been widely misunderstood,
so it has "re-formulated" this teaching in a positive way.
Here is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church begins to address this topic:
"How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?
Reformulated positively,
it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body" (CCC 846).
In keeping with the Church’s current spirit of ecumenism, this positive reformulation comes across less harshly than previous negative formulations.
Even so, it remains quite controversial.
So, let’s see how this new formulation squares with Scripture.
Jesus, the Way
The first part of the reformulated teaching
—"all salvation comes from Christ the Head"
—is quite easy for all Christians, even non-Catholics, to understandand embrace.
It echoes Jesus’ own words recorded by John:
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me"
(Jn 14:6).
So, Christians unanimously agree on this first part.
But is this all that needs to be saidabout how one may be saved?
The Catholic Church has historically recognized the importance of explaining further the means through which salvation is offered through Christ.
When speaking of salvation, Jesus offered more details than just his words quoted above.
For example,
consider these three verses:
He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
(Mk 16:16)
[U]nless you repent you will all likewise perish.
(Lk 13:3)
[H]e who eats my flesh and drinksmy blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
(Jn 6:54)
Notice that in these three verses Jesus associated salvation with baptism, confession, and the Eucharist, respectively.
Catholics recognize that these sacraments are administered through the Church.
In fact,
in the case of the latter two,
a validly ordained priest is necessary for their administration, so the sacrament of ordination must also be associated with salvation.
A primary role of the Catholic Church in conjunction with salvation is becoming quite clear.
This brings us to the second part of the Catechism’s formulation of the doctrine being considered: ". ..
through the Church which is his Body."
With Him or Against Him
Since the sacraments are the ordinary means through which Christ offers the grace necessary for salvation,
and the Catholic Church that Christestablished is the ordinary minister of those sacraments,
it is appropriate to state that salvation comes through the Church.
This is not unlike the situation that existed prior to the establishment of the Catholic Church.
Even before it was fully revealed that he was the Messiah,
Jesus himself taught that"salvation is from the Jews" (Jn 4:22).
He pointed the woman of Samariato the body of believers existing at that time, through which salvation would be offered to all mankind:
the Jews.
In a similar fashion,
now that the Messiah has established his Church,
Jesus might say,
"salvation is from the Catholics"!
Recognizing this,
we can see why the Church, especially during times of mass exodus
(such as has happened in times when heresies have run rampant),
has been even more forceful in the way it has taught this doctrine.
Instead of simply pointing out how God offers salvation from Christ, through the Church,
the Church has warned that there is no salvation apart from Christ, outside his Church.
Since Jesus established the Catholic Church as necessary for salvation,
those who knowingly and willingly reject him or his Church cannot be saved.
We see this in Jesus’ teaching: "Hewho is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters" (Mt 12:30).
Also: "[I]f he [a sinning brother] refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector"
(Mt 18:17).
Paul warned similarly:
"As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice,
have nothing more to do with him,
knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful;
he is self-condemned"
(Ti 3:10-11)
(Extra ecclesiam nulla salus).
Those trying to grasp the meaning of this teaching often struggle with its formulations by various Church Fathers and Church Councils down through history.
Of course,
to understand an isolated formulation of any Church teaching,
one must study the historical context within which it was written: why it was written, what was going on in the Church at thetime,
who the intended audience was, and so on.
One must discover how the magisterium (teaching office) of the Church understands its own teaching.
If someone fails to do this and chooses, rather,
to simply treat a particular formulation as a stand-alone teaching,
he runs the risk of seriously misunderstandin g it.
In recent times,
the Church has recognized that itsteaching about the necessity of the Catholic Church for salvation has been widely misunderstood,
so it has "re-formulated" this teaching in a positive way.
Here is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church begins to address this topic:
"How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?
Reformulated positively,
it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body" (CCC 846).
In keeping with the Church’s current spirit of ecumenism, this positive reformulation comes across less harshly than previous negative formulations.
Even so, it remains quite controversial.
So, let’s see how this new formulation squares with Scripture.
Jesus, the Way
The first part of the reformulated teaching
—"all salvation comes from Christ the Head"
—is quite easy for all Christians, even non-Catholics, to understandand embrace.
It echoes Jesus’ own words recorded by John:
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me"
(Jn 14:6).
So, Christians unanimously agree on this first part.
But is this all that needs to be saidabout how one may be saved?
The Catholic Church has historically recognized the importance of explaining further the means through which salvation is offered through Christ.
When speaking of salvation, Jesus offered more details than just his words quoted above.
For example,
consider these three verses:
He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
(Mk 16:16)
[U]nless you repent you will all likewise perish.
(Lk 13:3)
[H]e who eats my flesh and drinksmy blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
(Jn 6:54)
Notice that in these three verses Jesus associated salvation with baptism, confession, and the Eucharist, respectively.
Catholics recognize that these sacraments are administered through the Church.
In fact,
in the case of the latter two,
a validly ordained priest is necessary for their administration, so the sacrament of ordination must also be associated with salvation.
A primary role of the Catholic Church in conjunction with salvation is becoming quite clear.
This brings us to the second part of the Catechism’s formulation of the doctrine being considered: ". ..
through the Church which is his Body."
With Him or Against Him
Since the sacraments are the ordinary means through which Christ offers the grace necessary for salvation,
and the Catholic Church that Christestablished is the ordinary minister of those sacraments,
it is appropriate to state that salvation comes through the Church.
This is not unlike the situation that existed prior to the establishment of the Catholic Church.
Even before it was fully revealed that he was the Messiah,
Jesus himself taught that"salvation is from the Jews" (Jn 4:22).
He pointed the woman of Samariato the body of believers existing at that time, through which salvation would be offered to all mankind:
the Jews.
In a similar fashion,
now that the Messiah has established his Church,
Jesus might say,
"salvation is from the Catholics"!
Recognizing this,
we can see why the Church, especially during times of mass exodus
(such as has happened in times when heresies have run rampant),
has been even more forceful in the way it has taught this doctrine.
Instead of simply pointing out how God offers salvation from Christ, through the Church,
the Church has warned that there is no salvation apart from Christ, outside his Church.
Since Jesus established the Catholic Church as necessary for salvation,
those who knowingly and willingly reject him or his Church cannot be saved.
We see this in Jesus’ teaching: "Hewho is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters" (Mt 12:30).
Also: "[I]f he [a sinning brother] refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector"
(Mt 18:17).
Paul warned similarly:
"As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice,
have nothing more to do with him,
knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful;
he is self-condemned"
(Ti 3:10-11)
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