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Are You in the Only Church that Can Save Souls?

Here is defined the Holy Doctrine that formerly drove missionaries to the furthest ends of the earth to save souls. Who believes this anymore?

Pope Eugene IV in the Council of Florence (ex cathedra): "[The most Holy Roman Church] firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart `into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matt. 25:41), unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church."

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Comments (2)

obm :

Yes, but according to modern theology, all men are inside the Church except those who claim, "Outside the Church there is no salvation".

Just kidding ;)

It's hard to miss the point of that proclamation. It isn't subtle or ambiguous. In Vatican II, words no longer meant what they were defined to mean. For example, the word "certain" means "definite or sure". In the language of V2 it meant "undefined or unspecified".

Give me the old, clear, unambiguous style.

Matthew 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Cyprian Author Profile Page:

Are you sure that it's clear? Isn't it compatible with saying that someone outside the Church, if he had perfect charity, could be saved?

Just kidding!

Some folks think you can say both. Some folks are able to swallow contradictory ideas without batting an eye.

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