Do people who don't know Jesus have access to Heaven?

[Meggie18]

I am extremely worried by the following question. It might be obvious to some of you, but I read a book recently that made me wonder. Do non-Christians go to heaven? For example, if someone has never really considered Jesus to be God because they weren’t taught well, or if someone is an agnostic, what happens? Do they have access to Heaven? What about the sentence: “Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven”? (I don’t exactly remember where it’s from, but I’ve often hard it).

Thank you!

Meggie

 

[Kithrus]

Yes

 

[KateKimmer]

while many on this forum will say “yes”

the truth is we don’t really know for sure.

Jesus said clearly in the bible that he is the way, the truth , the light.
He founded HIS church.

Some food for thought.

 

[CatholicGuy22]

God’s mercy is beyond our understanding. If a non-christian does go to heaven, it will be because of the merits of Christ death on the cross.

 

[Kithrus]

No we do know for a fact. Jesus died for all so how can a just God turn a good soul away?

If you read the very touching chapter called ‘the other-side of the door’ in the Last Battle by CS Lewis you will understand.

Can we say that non Catholics go to heaven just the same that not all Catholics go to heaven either.

 

[Safia]

This tract here on CA should help answer your questions!

The answer is yes, absolutely, but it’s a much tougher road – Catholics can get to Heaven in a spaceship, non-Catholics via a motorcycle. (Big difference, eh? )

 

[ballin]

No we do know for a fact. Jesus died for all so how can a just God turn a good soul away?

If you read the very touching chapter called ‘the other-side of the door’ in the Last Battle by CS Lewis you will understand.

Can we say that non Catholics go to heaven just the same that not all Catholics go to heaven either.

Jesus died for all. But they can reject their grace too just like Catholics can after their baptism.

If they do accept the grace that has been given to them and live according to it, it is possible that they will be saved.

But my personal opinion here is that if they do indeed accept the graces given to them, they would most likely end up becoming baptized and find their way to the Catholic Church anyway.

 

[JNdoum]

Jesus died for all. But they can reject their grace too just like Catholics can after their baptism.

If they do accept the grace that has been given to them and live according to it, it is possible that they will be saved.

But my personal opinion here is that if they do indeed accept the graces given to them, they would most likely end up becoming baptized and find their way to the Catholic Church anyway.

Not necessarily. For many the Catholic Church is simply not an option. I did not even know the Catholic Church existed until I converted, because I never heard anything about it. By sheer chance, I could have died without ever finding out.

 

[ballin]

Not necessarily. For many the Catholic Church is simply not an option. I did not even know the Catholic Church existed until I converted, because I never heard anything about it. By sheer chance, I could have died without ever finding out.

Well first, as I said, it was just an opinion I have. Not anything infallible that I assert.

But that being said, the fact that you indeed converted does show that Grace of God lead you to the Church, the one that you could have died without ever knowing it existed. So…

 

[ballin]

Just to play devil’s advocate on my own position, it is possible for someone to say against my statement that someone who did reject the grace to join the Catholic Church, might regret the rejection on his deathbed and therefore be forgiven. This I think is a valid objection.

Or, someone could say that God simply decided that the specific person did not require the Graces obtained with the privilege of being Catholic to live a moral life and therefore never gave them any special grace to join the church in the first place. This too seems reasonable since there were plenty of Old Testament folks who lived moral lives and waited in Limbo for Christ’s salvific grace.

So yea, in case you thought I meant my position as infallible, those objections above should show why my opinion might be wrong

 

[ConstantineTG]

I am extremely worried by the following question. It might be obvious to some of you, but I read a book recently that made me wonder. Do non-Christians go to heaven? For example, if someone has never really considered Jesus to be God because they weren’t taught well, or if someone is an agnostic, what happens? Do they have access to Heaven? What about the sentence: “Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven”? (I don’t exactly remember where it’s from, but I’ve often hard it).

Thank you!

Meggie

Why are you worried about it? It is Jesus who judges, and if He judges one for any reason to be in heaven, that is is made so.

 

[ballin]

Why are you worried about it? It is Jesus who judges, and if He judges one for any reason to be in heaven, that is is made so.

I think the person is probably concerned about a loved one and wants to do all they can to try and get them on the road to heaven.

Sometimes when the answer is not clear, the conclusion can be to just let everything be as it is. So I think the OP is doing the right thing in asking and clarifying.

 

[backerman7]

Very cool.http://www.infoocean.info/avatar4.jpg

 

[thistle]

I am extremely worried by the following question. It might be obvious to some of you, but I read a book recently that made me wonder. Do non-Christians go to heaven? For example, if someone has never really considered Jesus to be God because they weren’t taught well, or if someone is an agnostic, what happens? Do they have access to Heaven? What about the sentence: “Jesus is the only way to get to Heaven”? (I don’t exactly remember where it’s from, but I’ve often hard it).

Thank you!

Meggie

The Church clearly teaches there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. That is an infallible teaching.

Who can be saved?

The Church teaching:

• Baptism is necessary for salvation (but does not ensure it as you must die in a state of grace).
• There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.

So how can you be baptised and Catholic/deemed to be Catholic? There are 4 ways:

• Sacramental Baptism as a Catholic
• Baptism of Blood (non-Catholic dying for the Catholic Faith)
• Baptism of Desire - Explicit (e.g. a catechumen going through RCIA)
• Baptism of Desire - Implicit (invincible ignorance which means those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ, His Gospel, or His Church but still live a life according to the teachings of Christ in that ignorance)

You can debate who may or may not be included under invincible ignorance but outside the above 4 there is no salvation.

Not all Catholics go to Heaven but everyone in Heaven is Catholic.

 

[Lily0fthevalley]

I don’t remember what it’s called but it was brought up when i was in the RCIA class, you have a chance if you are in your death bed and the truth is shown to you and you can choose to reject that truth or take it. So yes i think everyone has a chance, atheists included.

 

[Meggie18]

The Church clearly teaches there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. That is an infallible teaching.

Who can be saved?

The Church teaching:

• Baptism is necessary for salvation (but does not ensure it as you must die in a state of grace).
• There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church.

So how can you be baptised and Catholic/deemed to be Catholic? There are 4 ways:

• Sacramental Baptism as a Catholic
• Baptism of Blood (non-Catholic dying for the Catholic Faith)
• Baptism of Desire - Explicit (e.g. a catechumen going through RCIA)
• Baptism of Desire - Implicit (invincible ignorance which means those who through no fault of their own do not know Christ, His Gospel, or His Church but still live a life according to the teachings of Christ in that ignorance)

You can debate who may or may not be included under invincible ignorance but outside the above 4 there is no salvation.

Not all Catholics go to Heaven but everyone in Heaven is Catholic.

This is exactly what I was afraid of. If baptism is necessary for salvation, if there is absolutely no salvation outside the Catholic Church, then there are so many people that are not in Heaven right now, right?
I understand the Baptism of Desire… but unfortunately, not everyone that is non-Catholic or non-Christian falls into that category, if I’m not mstaken.

I don’t understand why God, who is merciful and loving, doesn’t accept everybody in Heaven or in purgatory, everybody who’s Muslim, Hindu, agnostic… (that is, except for those who completely reject Him and choose hell of their own free will). I mean, it is so hard for people to find their way to the Catholic Church when they haven’t been brought up in it, or even if they have but have been misinformed or badly taught (which is my case. I re-converted a few years ago, but I wouldn’t have done it without the help of a friend!). I don’t see the love in all of this.

 

[zab]

Salvation in Christ Is Offered to All
10. The universality of salvation means that it is granted not only to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all. But it is clear that today, as in the past, many people do not have an opportunity to come to know or accept the gospel revelation or to enter the Church. The social and cultural conditions in which they live do not permit this, and frequently they have been brought up in other religious traditions. For such people salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his Sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. It enables each person to attain salvation through his or her free cooperation.
For this reason the Council, after affirming the centrality of the Paschal Mystery, went on to declare that "this applies not only to Christians but to all people of good will in whose hearts grace is secretly at work. Since Christ died for everyone, and since the ultimate calling of each of us comes from God and is therefore a universal one, we are obliged to hold that the Holy Spirit offers everyone the possibility of sharing in this Paschal Mystery in a manner known to God."19

exerpt from Redemptionis Sacramentum, encyclical of Pope John Paul II

 

[EcceAgnusDei]

exerpt from Redemptionis Sacramentum, encyclical of Pope John Paul II

This needs to be correctly interpreted in the light of 2000 years of Tradition. It would be folly to believe that Pope John Paul II is saying that everyone can be saved regardless of what they believe or what they do or who they are. But the problem is that many people do interpret it that way. If that’s the case, then why be Catholic? Why confess? Why pick up the cross and follow Christ? It’s much easier to just be a pagan or an agnostic or a worldling. We do NOT want people to think that they don’t have to change, that they don’t have to give themselves to God, that God will just say everything’s ok and everyone is saved, because that is simply not the truth as taught by Holy Mother Church for thousands of years.

It’s one thing to point out that salvation is available in some mysterious way THROUGH the Church to those who are not in formal/visible unity with the Church. It’s quote another when people go the next step and say, “therefore all are saved and we do not have to work for the conversion of souls.” The first statement is true, the second statement is false, and the logical leap from the first to the second is the mess. The problem is that so many people make that illogical leap. It’s one reason why I think we shouldn’t keep repeating the first statement without qualification or elaboration. We have a duty to let others know that they need to convert and become Catholic. The Great Commission still stands. We shouldn’t overstate the possibilities of exceptions because that all too often gives the idea that the exception is the rule, which is not the case. We should always include the rule when explaining the exceptions and make it clear that the rule is the rule.

As said above, not all Catholics go to heaven, but all who are in heaven are Catholics.

• PAX

 

[zab]

This needs to be correctly interpreted in the light of 2000 years of Tradition. It would be folly to believe that Pope John Paul II is saying that everyone can be saved regardless of what they believe or what they do or who they are. But the problem is that many people do interpret it that way. If that’s the case, then why be Catholic? Why confess? Why pick up the cross and follow Christ? It’s much easier to just be a pagan or an agnostic or a worldling. We do NOT want people to think that they don’t have to change, that they don’t have to give themselves to God, that God will just say everything’s ok and everyone is saved, because that is simply not the truth as taught by Holy Mother Church for thousands of years.

It’s one thing to point out that salvation is available in some mysterious way THROUGH the Church to those who are not in formal/visible unity with the Church. It’s quote another when people go the next step and say, “therefore all are saved and we do not have to work for the conversion of souls.” The first statement is true, the second statement is false, and the logical leap from the first to the second is the mess. The problem is that so many people make that illogical leap. It’s one reason why I think we shouldn’t keep repeating the first statement without qualification or elaboration. We have a duty to let others know that they need to convert and become Catholic. The Great Commission still stands. We shouldn’t overstate the possibilities of exceptions because that all too often gives the idea that the exception is the rule, which is not the case. We should always include the rule when explaining the exceptions and make it clear that the rule is the rule.

As said above, not all Catholics go to heaven, but all who are in heaven are Catholics.

• PAX

EcceAgnusDei, my answer was directed to a person who was struggling to understand a loving God. My quote from Redemptionis Sacramentum answered that question. And I provided the link on the highlighted part so that one could read the entire Encyclical which is quite long. Your last comment also takes a great deal of understanding. We should be careful not to give any false impressions of who are allowed to go to heaven.

 

[Rich_C]

This is exactly what I was afraid of. If baptism is necessary for salvation, if there is absolutely no salvation outside the Catholic Church, then there are so many people that are not in Heaven right now, right?
I understand the Baptism of Desire… but unfortunately, not everyone that is non-Catholic or non-Christian falls into that category, if I’m not mstaken.

I don’t understand why God, who is merciful and loving, doesn’t accept everybody in Heaven or in purgatory, everybody who’s Muslim, Hindu, agnostic… (that is, except for those who completely reject Him and choose hell of their own free will). I mean, it is so hard for people to find their way to the Catholic Church when they haven’t been brought up in it, or even if they have but have been misinformed or badly taught (which is my case. I re-converted a few years ago, but I wouldn’t have done it without the help of a friend!). I don’t see the love in all of this.

Check out the relevent section of the Baltimore Catechism, I think you’ll see there is more mercy and justice here than may have previously thought:

Q. 508. Why did Christ found the Church?

A. Christ founded the Church to teach, govern, sanctify, and save all men.

Q. 509. Are all bound to belong to the Church?

A. All are bound to belong to the Church, and he who knows the Church to be the true Church and remains out of it cannot be saved.

Q. 510. Is it ever possible for one to be saved who does not know the Catholic Church to be the true Church?

A. It is possible for one to be saved who does not know the Catholic Church to be the true Church, provided that person:

Has been validly baptized;
Firmly believes the religion he professes and practices to be the true religion, and
Dies without the guilt of mortal sin on his soul.

Q. 511. Why do we say it is only possible for a person to be saved who does not know the Catholic Church to be the true Church?

A. We say it is only possible for a person to be saved who does not know the Catholic Church to be the true Church, because the necessary conditions are not often found, especially that of dying in a state of grace without making use of the Sacrament of Penance.

Q. 512. How are such persons said to belong to the Church?

A. Such persons are said to belong to the “soul of the church”; that is, they are really members of the Church without knowing it. Those who share in its Sacraments and worship are said to belong to the body or visible part of the Church.

Q. 513. Why must the true Church be visible?

A. The true Church must be visible because its founder, Jesus Christ, commanded us under pain of condemnation to hear the Church; and He could not in justice command us to hear a Church that could not be seen and known.

Q. 514. What excuses do some give for not becoming members of the true Church?

A. The excuses some give for not becoming members of the true church are:

They do not wish to leave the religion in which they were born.
There are too many poor and ignorant people in the Catholic Church.
One religion is as good as another if we try to serve God in it, and be upright and honest in our lives.

Q. 515. How do you answer such excuses?

A. To say that we should remain in a false religion because we were born in it is as untrue as to say we should not heal our bodily diseases because we were born with them.
To say there are too many poor and ignorant in the Catholic Church is to declare that it is Christ’s Church; for He always taught the poor and ignorant and instructed His Church to continue the work.

To say that one religion is as good as another is to assert that Christ labored uselessly and taught falsely; for He came to abolish the old religion and found the new in which alone we can be saved as He Himself declared.

Q. 516. Why can there be only one true religion?

A. There can be only one true religion, because a thing cannot be false and true at the same time, and, therefore, all religions that contradict the teaching of the true Church must teach falsehood. If all religions in which men seek to serve God are equally good and true, why did Christ disturb the Jewish religion and the Apostles condemn heretics?