From: jhpb@sarto.budd-lake.nj.us (Joseph H. Buehler)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: extra ecclesiam nulla salus
Date: 8 Apr 92 08:03:22 GMT
Organization: none

Here is some source material on the Catholic doctrine of "no salvation
outside the Church" that was brought up in another thread.

I am only posting a few quotations.  There are dozens and dozens of
possibilities.  In particular, note that I am only quoting more recent
sources; I am omitting the Fathers of the Church.  Judging by my
sources, the original phrase "no salvation outside the Church" seems
to come from writers in the 3rd century.

    There is but one universal Church of the faithful, outside which
    there is absolutely no salvation. (Lateran Council IV, the 12th
    general council, 1215 AD)

    ...there is no entering into salvation outside the Church, just as
    in the time of the flood there was none outside the Ark, which
    denotes the Church...  (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, III
    73:3, late 13th century.  He is one of the primary Catholic
    theologians)

    [The Catholic 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," unless,
    before the end of life the same have been added to the flock...
    (Pope Eugene IV, Bull "Cantata Domino", 1442)

    The Holy, Roman, Catholic and Apostolic Church is the only true
    Church, outside the pale of which no one can be saved.  (St.
    Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, Instructions on the Commandments and
    Sacraments.  St Alphonsus is a Doctor of the Church, and one of
    its primary moral theologians; he died in 1787)

    For, it must be held by faith that outside the Apostolic Roman
    Church, no one can be saved; that this is the only ark of
    salvation; that he who shall not have entered therein will perish
    in the flood; but, on the other hand, it is necessary to hold for
    certain that they who labor in ignorance of the true religion, if
    this ignorance is invincible, are not stained by any guilt in this
    matter in the eyes of God.  (Pope Pius IX, encyclical Singulari
    Quadem, Dec. 9, 1854)

The expression "by faith" in that last quotation is significant.
It means that the pope is here calling the doctrine a dogma -- a truth
revealed by God that is part of Catholic doctrine forever.

There is an excellent article in the Catholic Encyclopedia on "Heresy"
that treats of the question we are discussing -- the necessity of
membership in the Catholic Church for salvation.

I mentioned the "in actu" / "in voto" distinction in a previous post.

Another way of looking at the same thing is the distinction of
"material heretic" vs. "formal heretic".  The terminology comes from
scholastic philosophy.  "Material" refers to the stuff from which
something is made.  Note that it need not be matter.  In the case of
heresy, the stuff that makes heresy is a denial of a truth revealed by
God.  A "material" heretic is anyone who denies a truth revealed by
God.

Note that material heretics abound; they do not necessarily lose their
souls.  Such errors are often just due to ignorance.  How many
Christians could give proper answers when questioned on Trinitarian
theology, for example?  Many such people have no attachment to
erroneous opinions.  So God won't punish them for their errors.

Statements like that of Lateran IV (above) are not talking about
material heretics.  They deal with "formal" heretics.  Formal heresy
is not inculpable.  It differs from material heresy.  Beyond and above
an error in a matter of faith, there is added a resistance to grace,
making grave sin.  Some people should believe -- God has given them
the grace to -- but they refuse to.

According to the teaching of the Catholic Church, it is formal
heretics that are *inevitably* lost.  They have received enough grace
to know the truth, but reject it.

Our Lord said, "Other sheep I have that are not of this fold."  They
are the material heretics, schismatics, etc.  They are not really
separated from the Catholic Church in desire.  It's just because of
ignorance, prejudices induced by upbringing, perhaps because of a bad
experience with a Catholic priest, etc.  They don't see clearly what
the Church is, and stay separated because of a misapprehension on
their part.  When they die, they finally see what the Roman Catholic
religion is, and joyfully embrace it.
Xref: sparky soc.religion.christian:2367 talk.religion.misc:6828