Does Catholic doctrine teach that atheists go to heaven, too?
score:19
The short answer is No.
The misconception that Pope Francis has in any way changed Church teaching or turned us into universalists was explicitly addressed by quite a few Catholic bloggers recently. In particular, Fr. Dwight Longenecker states states it like this:
Unfortunately for those who wish to paint Pope Francis as a lovable liberal, in fact, the Pope is simply affirming certain truths that any somewhat knowledgable Catholic will uphold. First, that Christ died to redeem the whole world. We can distinguish his redemptive work from the acceptance of salvation. He redeemed the whole world. However, many will reject that saving work. In affirming the universality of Christ’s redemptive work we are not universalists. To say that he redeemed the whole world is not to conclude that all will be saved.
The Catholic Church, not unlike other Christian groups, has always taught that Christ's redemption is for all. It's always taught that the "Mystical Church" extends beyond the visible Church. And while the visible Church is the "normal means" for salvation, God is not limited by those means.
To be clear, atheism is still a sin according to the Catholic Church — and always will be. But, all of us are sinners. And the best any of us can do is continually re-submit ourselves to God. The "gotcha" that the Pope may have intended to highlight is simply that God is big, transcendent, and mysterious: He doesn't operate exclusively under the name of "God."
Even within the scope of scripture and Catholic literature, God is known by a lot of names, each of which tends to arise for the purpose of meeting sinners "where they are." An atheist may be averse to "God" so-called by Christians because of our hypocrisies, not realizing that our God (Christ) and their Truth, Source, Life, or Love are alluding to the same being.
The role of the Church is not to condemn. It's to continually recognize the truthiness and goodness already in people and draw them deeper into truth. This is exemplified by Paul in Acts 17:22-34, wherein he recognizes and elaborates on a single shred of truth the Athenians confess, the idol to "an unknown god."
And it's important to remember, we're all on a truth spectrum. None of us, presumably, are living in a state of complete knowledge or complete ignorance. According to Catholic theology, it's less important where we are on the spectrum than it is in which direction we're actively trending.
Upvote:-1
A theist is someone who looks to an external God. Atheists are sometimes described as people who have no belief in a God somewhere out there in the Universe. But this also describes the teaching of many Christians. If an Atheist believes in God within them, which is the way I read the Pope's comment, and if they follow their conscience, they could be saved. A friend who was a Sister superior at the time explained that a native who knew nothing about Jesus, but who followed his conscience and lived a Godly life, could find salvation. This has been a teaching of the Church fathers of the 3rd. Cent. Today, the Church is a way for men and women to learn to follow their conscience (to trust God) and to lead a Christ-like life. It is possible to learn to trust God without going to church, but most people need the Church to support them on their journey.
Upvote:13
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says
2125 Since it rejects or denies the existence of God, atheism is a sin against the virtue of religion. 61
61: Cf Rom 1:18
Sin can be expiated, of course, so those who are currently atheists may reach heaven. But heaven will [does] contain no atheists.
In saying “But do good: we will meet one another there,” the Pope means that people will meet each other in doing good, not necessarily in heaven. That is, there is common ground in altruism.
In saying “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!” the Pope is stating a truth, expressed also in the Catechism (my emphasis):
851 Missionary motivation. It is from God's love for all men that the Church in every age receives both the obligation and the vigor of her missionary dynamism, "for the love of Christ urges us on."343 Indeed, God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth";344 that is, God wills the salvation of everyone through the knowledge of the truth. Salvation is found in the truth. Those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of truth are already on the way of salvation. But the Church, to whom this truth has been entrusted, must go out to meet their desire, so as to bring them the truth. Because she believes in God's universal plan of salvation, the Church must be missionary.
343: 2 Cor 5:14; cf. AA 6; RMiss 11.
344: 1 Tim 2:4.
But in order for atheists to be saved, they need to come to the knowledge of the truth. The Church needs to impart that knowledge (because it is the Church to whom the truth has been entrusted). Once they have knowledge of the truth, they will no longer be atheists.
The starting-point is the common ground of doing good together, and the Church may say that the innate knowledge that doing good is good is God-given; and that good acts are prompted by the Spirit. “Those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of truth are already on the way of salvation.”
Rom 1:18 — “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth.”
2 Cor 5:14 — “For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died.”
1 Tim 2:4 — “[God our Savior,] who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
More post
- 📝 Why did Israel under Moses take a longer route to Canaan?
- 📝 A little more about natural law, the rules and punishment within natural law?
- 📝 How do believers in the tripartite nature of man (body, soul and spirit) reconcile Genesis 2:7, 1 Corinthians 15:44-45 and Matthew 10:28?
- 📝 Is the nature of God the father like that of Abraham the father of Isaac?
- 📝 How does a baptismal certificate work?
- 📝 Why aren't other religions welcome to heaven as well as subject to hell?
- 📝 Can a secular government ever be a moral authority?
- 📝 What record is there of a canon of Scripture having been set at the First Ecumenical Council?
- 📝 The word "ascended" and what does it mean "No one has ascended into heaven" in John 3:13?
- 📝 Is it Biblical for a Christian to say that God is a tyrant?
- 📝 Can a declaration of nullity obtained by deception be valid?
- 📝 Are there any denominations that teach their members how to hear God's voice better, as exemplified by the Apostles in Scripture?
- 📝 How does the Snake in the Desert foreshadow the coming of Jesus?
- 📝 Was Elohim the Saviour and Redeemer of his world?
- 📝 Why is blasphemy against Mary, mother of God, bad?
- 📝 Who was who at the Crucifixion of Jesus on the Cross?
- 📝 Did the Christian practice of having a prayer before Bible study evolve during Martin Luther's time?
- 📝 Why did God create people who would reject him?
- 📝 Needing help locating a specific verse in the Bible about casting out bad influences?
- 📝 How is Sabbath a metaphor of Jesus Christ?
- 📝 Mark and Paul's view that 2nd coming would be in their lifetime
- 📝 Emanuel Swedenborg's view on Trinity
- 📝 According to baptists can a Christian be demon possessed?
- 📝 In Catholicism, how is the practice of infant communion reconciled with the rule that first reconciliation must precede first communion?
- 📝 Jansenism's views of marriage?
- 📝 Did St. Augustine warn us about interpreting the Bible in a way which harms science?
- 📝 Does traditional Calvinistic monergism include limited synergism in the doctrine of justification?
- 📝 Is the 'Jazz Mass' still able to be celebrated?
- 📝 What is the basis for Cessationism?
- 📝 According to the Catholic Church is it sinful to address someone who is transgender by their biological sex?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Does Catholic doctrine teach that atheists go to heaven, too?
- 📝 Does Catholic doctrine teach that the Incarnation would have taken place regardless of Adam's decision?
- 📝 Does Roman Catholic doctrine teach that Christ no longer has a body that possesses flesh?
- 📝 From where does the doctrine that there is no time in heaven originate?
- 📝 To what extent does mainstream Christian doctrine teach that knowing a spirit's name gives you power over it?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that it has the authority to change what is morally right and wrong?
- 📝 On what basis does the Catholic Church teach that women cannot be ordained?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that Jesus' Human Nature was created?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that some who died before Christ are still in Limbo? Why?
- 📝 Why does that Catholic Church teach that Noah's ark was "complete in one cubit"?
- 📝 Does the Catholic church teach that sin is "transmitted" by the father?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that we can choose when to use an indulgence?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that humans are superior to all other creations on Earth?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that God requires our consent to work miracles on us?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that modern churches have guardian angels?
- 📝 What does the Catholic Church teach about the communication that takes place among the Persons of the Trinity?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that we need to pray for Jesus?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that the Catholic faith is demonstrably true?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that belief in the possibility of more than 3 persons in God is heresy?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that the early death of Jesus on the Cross, had been ordained by God the Father?
- 📝 What does the Catholic church teach about fate of non-Catholic christians?
- 📝 What does the Roman Catholic church teach about those who die having never heard of Christ?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach there is only one person?
- 📝 Where does the Catholic tradition that Mary did not have pain giving birth to Jesus come from?
- 📝 Does Roman Catholic doctrine recognize a moral distinction or difference between abortion and birth control?
- 📝 Does the LDS Church teach that murder is unforgivable?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church officially claim that the Bible is insufficient without tradition?
- 📝 Does Catholicism teach that there is a just interest rate?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church have a contingency plan for the case that the pope and all cardinals are dead?
- 📝 What did Brigham Young teach regarding Blood Atonement, and is that doctrine still held today in the LDS/Mormon Church?