Council of Florence

[Neil_Anthony]

The Council of Florence infallibly decreed:

It 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.

Does this apply to all heretics and schismatics, or just material schismatics who are aware of their sin of heresy and/or schism?

 

[bilop]

The Council of Florence infallibly decreed:

Does this apply to all heretics and schismatics, or just material schismatics who are aware of their sin of heresy and/or schism?

Well, you can’t commit a mortal sin witout knowledge that it is a sin, so I would say one would have to know. If you hold a heretical belief, but don’t know that it is against Church teaching, it can’t be a mortal sin (unless it is a natural law issue).

The real trick here is defining who is a schismatic or heretic. The current members of the Othodox Churches are very likely not schismatics b/c they, personally, were never part of the Catholic Church. If they hold no heretical beliefs, they may be in some non-visible fashion part of the true Church. Likewise, despite their disobedience, Rome has said that the SSPX are not in schism.

Alternatively, I would say that there are a great many heretics (including bishops and priests) who are still in visible union with the Church. I would expect these people not to be saved unless they repent of their heresies and sins.

It requires a great degree of theological knowledge and subtle reasoning to interpret this doctrine correctly. It is beyond most of us, myself included.

God Bless

 

[DavidPalm]

Does this apply to all heretics and schismatics, or just material schismatics who are aware of their sin of heresy and/or schism?

Just for accuracy’s sake, I think you meant to say, “formal schismatics who are aware…”

 

[CapIV]

The language used here is very dissimilar to language that we would use today, and it takes an understanding of Catholic Theology to understand what is going on here. That said, this is the Church teaching and it is the same today, just enunciated very differently.

 

[Genesis315]

The Council is essentially quoting St. Fulgentius who said (my emphasis):

“Not only all pagans, but also all Jews and all heretics and schismatics,
who finish their lives outside the Catholic Church, will go into eternal
fire. . . . No one, howsoever much he may have given alms, even if he
sheds his blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he remains in
the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.”

No heretic who dies in final impentience can be saved–however, by definition a heretic is not just someone who believes an error, but one who chooses to do so in a spirit of obstinance. St. Augustine explains:

“Those are by no means to be accounted heretics who do not defend their false and perverse opinions with pertinacious animosity, especially when their error is not the fruit of audacious presumption but has been communicated to them by seduced and lapsed parents, and when they are seeking the truth with cautious solicitude and ready to be corrected.”

So, for example, someone born into Protestantism and baptized and who is solicitous about the truth, but dies before becoming explicitly Catholic is not a heretic.

 

[MarcoPolo]

If it helps, I’ve assembled this bit on identifying a “heretic”:

In order to be culpable of heresy, one must be aware of the trueness of the Catholic faith from which they depart doctrinally. Traditionally, you can see a good definition from Thomas Aquinas:
*The heretical tenets may be adhered to from involuntary causes: inculpable ignorance of the true creed, erroneous judgment, imperfect apprehension and comprehension of dogmas. In none of these does the will play an appreciable part, wherefore, one of the necessary conditions of sinfulness–free choice–is wanting and such heresy is merely subjective or material.*In other words, if you are honest in not understanding the Catholic faith as the true faith, you are not guilty of heresy.

Also from Catholic Answers:A person who is ready to be corrected or who is unaware that what he has been saying is against Church teaching is not a heretic.

 

[Madaglan]

The Council of Florence infallibly decreed:

Does this apply to all heretics and schismatics, or just -]material/-] [formal] schismatics who are aware of their sin of heresy and/or schism?

The Council of Florence, besides dealing with the Greek Christians, also was in opposition to the conciliarists, who were sitting in council at Basel.

I find it difficult to believe the Greek Christians, seen as schismatics by the Latin Catholics, would voluntarily sign onto a document that declares damned the Greek Christian saints and faithful of the preceding four centuries.