G
GeorgeTheWild
Guest
Considering the fact that I’m not over 2000 years old, technically I wasn’t one of the ones who walked away in John 6. It sounds like you think that as a Baptist I have walked away from Jesus’ death and resurrection as my hope for salvation. However, unless I misunderstand or things have change since the second vatican council, the Holy Roman Catholic Church doesn’t deny that separated brethren have access to salvation even if we aren’t in perfect communion with the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Though I admit I’m not well read in the documents of the second vatican council so I could easily be misinterpreting the passage below.From the link you posted:
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
“truth, without any mixture of error”…Then why do you remain among those who walked away in John:6?
Moreover, some and even very many of the significant elements and endowments which together go to build up and give life to the Church itself, can exist outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church: the written word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, and visible elements too. All of these, which come from Christ and lead back to Christ, belong by right to the one Church of Christ.
The brethren divided from us also use many liturgical actions of the Christian religion. These most certainly can truly engender a life of grace in ways that vary according to the condition of each Church or Community. These liturgical actions must be regarded as capable of giving access to the community of salvation.
It follows that the separated Churches(23) and Communities as such, though we believe them to be deficient in some respects, have been by no means deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Church.
