Quote:
Originally Posted by Tennyson
However, the possibility of salvation is open to Jews and ignorant savages who have never understood the Catholic faith.
("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" (Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, 16).)
Lutherans believe, correctly, that the superstitions of savages or Muslims cannot lead to salvation. Also, all other Christians will be saved.
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There is nothing wrong with the possibility that those who never heard of Jesus Christ could be saved by some mysterious God's plan, of which we are not aware. Because man, having been created on the image of God, has always possibility to come to salvation. Because God doesn't leave anyone without choice, it is highly probable that even those who haven't heard of Jesus Christ can come to salvation, which is in accordance with God's mercy and justice. Catholic Church has always maintained that position and it has nothing to do with the Second Vatican Council. Of course, it is not through those superstitions that those people would be saved, but only and exclusively through Jesus Christ, albeit unknowingly (these things were called "invincible ignorance" and "baptism of desire"). But of course, anybody who ever heard of Jesus Christ and failed to accept Him, has absolutely no excuse.
As regards Jews, there are some heretical leanings in the modern Church that Jews don't need to be baptized and can attain salvation solely through belonging to the supposedly "elect people". But such views haven't been accepted into the
Magisterium.
It is rather Protestants who indulge in self-righteousness and that only a small group of elects will be saved, it is rather them who embrace Jewish mentality of chosenitism and self-righteousness.
As for savages, the views expressed by certain members of this forum, who have taken up as usernames certain English poets, rather qualify them as savages than many savages from, say, Polynesia.
