Religion

2-part Definition  Religion is  the virtue that leads us to give God his just due  and the collection of truths and duties which arise from our dependence upon God  Once we have acknowledged God’s existence and know that we are absolutely dependent on him, we then respond in gratitude for the gift of existence.

There are many religions…  Because religion is first and foremost a human response to the gift of existence there are some elements of truth in all religions.  Nevertheless, all religions are not equal.  Indifferentism: the idea that one religion is as good as another  This view is rejected by the Church  The Church has taught and continues to teach that “outside the church there is no salvation”. ¶846

St. Thomas Aquinas Model Question  Objections  On the contrary…  I answer that…  Reply to objections

Question: Whether outside of the Church there is no salvation? Objections: 1. It would seem…

On the contrary… If we hold the opposite truth, that there is salvation outside of the Church, what is the point of being connected to the Church?

I answer that…¶846  “Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body.”  “…the Church…is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church.”  “He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.”

I answer that…¶  “This affirmation is not aimed at those who through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church: Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation.”  “Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men.”

I answer that… Acts of the Mind Church: Outside: Salvation: John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is God, therefore, he can do God stuff.

Reply to the Objections…  Read pages in the Fundamentals of Faith and pages in the Pocket Handbook

Question: Whether outside of the Church there is no salvation? Objections: 3 rd Hour 1. It would seem…that if someone is never taught/exposed to the Church then they shouldn’t be denied salvation. 2. …all non-Christians are going to hell. 3. …this contradicts God’s mercy and understanding. 4. …this is an arrogant/elitist thing to believe. 5. …all religions believe this. Who’s to say who’s right? 6. …that before the Church was established people were not saved. 7. …that this is forcing love out of fear.

Question: Whether outside of the Church there is no salvation? Objections: 6 th Hour 1. It would seem…that is very mean/harsh and contradicts God’s loving/forgiving nature 2. …if you don’t go to Church you’re in trouble. 3. …really good people who simply don’t know (weren’t taught/exposed) are now going to hell. 4. …that this is a very arrogant thing to say. 5. …that before Christ all people went to hell. 6. …that all religions claim this. Who’s to say who’s right or wrong? 7. …scandals within the Church would jeopardize people’s salvation.

Question: Whether outside of the Church there is no salvation? Objections: 7 th Hour 1. It would seem…this is very arrogant to say. 2. …this is unfair because what about the people who don’t know/weren’t exposed? 3. …that all religions believe this. Who’s to say who’s right or wrong? 4. …that everyone who is not baptized (Catholic) is going to hell. 5. …that before Christ people went to hell. 6. …that this contradicts God’s omnipotence, mercy, etc. 7. …that baptism is then a free ticket to heaven and you don’t have to work much after baptism.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. -John 14:6  Jesus = Truth  Jesus = the Church  “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” –Acts 9:4  No salvation outside of the church is really saying no salvation apart from Christ, no salvation apart from the Truth.  All religions contain some element of Truth and are therefore connected to Jesus and to the Church.

Two ways to think of “no salvation outside of the church”

Why only 1 Church?  There is only 1 Church because there is only 1 Christ and he is the 1 Truth.  Even if there were multiple Churches, Christs, and Truths (multiple ways to salvation), Jesus would have been the biggest violator of this by saying he is the way.  Church is established by God not by man.  Church is about his coming to us, not our efforts to get to Him.  God chose 1 way to come to us.

One last thought…  If you truly believe that all religions are equal (indifferentism) then you are therefore obligated to defend the reasonableness of all of the teachings of all of the faiths.  Do you have the ability to defend the reasonableness of two faiths that say contradictory things? While you may have the desire, the ability will most likely trip you up.

Ranking of Religions 1. Catholicism 1. Orthodoxy 2. Protestantism 3. Traditional Judaism 4. Islam 5. Hinduism 6. Buddhism 7. Modern Judaism, Unitarianism, Confucianism, Modernism, secular humanism 8. Idolarity 9. Satanism

There are many religions…  Because religion is first and foremost a human response to the gift of existence there are some elements of truth in all religions.  Nevertheless, all religions are not equal.  Indifferentism: the idea that one religion is as good as another  This view is rejected by the Church  The Church has taught and continues to teach that there is “no salvation outside of the church”.