Does the Catechism say Muslims can get into Heaven?

[coolcatholicguy]

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”

Does this mean Muslims can get into Heaven?

 

[Ahimsa]

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”

Does this mean Muslims can get into Heaven?

Of course. But if a Muslim does enter into Heaven, it is only because of the Catholic Church.

 

[frindro]

Of course. But if a Muslim does enter into Heaven, it is only because of the Catholic Church.

Actually, if a Muslim gets into Heaven, I think it is because of God.

I understand what you are saying - it was not by practicing Islam that any Muslims were saved.

 

[Contarini]

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”

Does this mean Muslims can get into Heaven?

Why on earth wouldn’t it?

Could you rest easy in your bed at night believing that millions of Muslims were going to hell?

If you think all Muslims are going to hell, then why on earth aren’t you out there trying to convert them right now?

Edwin

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

It doesn’t seem as if the OP is hoping they go to hell or resting easy. I think he/she is simply asking a question that I’ve heard asked in here before. The catechism is vague on these things regarding non-Christian religions and it goes out of its way to praise the virtues of Judaism and Islam in particular. Invinsible ignorance is not addressed in relation to their salvation, only the similarities and virtues common with Catholicism are pointed out in the catechism. I think it’s dangerous when we get into a situation where we condemn an entire religion, as you seem to point out, but it’s equally dangerous to presume that Christ doesn’t need to be preached to the ends of the earth and that a simple statement of admiration toward Muslims in the catechism is somehow salvific or a shoe in for Islam to be a vehicle of salvation to the Muslims.

Why on earth wouldn’t it?

Could you rest easy in your bed at night believing that millions of Muslims were going to hell?

If you think all Muslims are going to hell, then why on earth aren’t you out there trying to convert them right now?

Edwin

 

[StrawberryJam]

Why on earth wouldn’t it?

Could you rest easy in your bed at night believing that millions of Muslims were going to hell?

If you think all Muslims are going to hell, then why on earth aren’t you out there trying to convert them right now?

Edwin

Thank goodness for some sane thoughts here. I just saw another thread in this sub forum that basically asks the same thing about Jewish believers.

Why are Muslims or Jews such a concern when they both share the belief in the Abrahamic God? Does the little 12 year old girl or boy growing up in Israel who has known nothing else in their life really have to go to the Abrahamic God’s sheol/gehenna/eternal hell because they never had a “personal relationship with Jesus” or a knowledge of the Catholic Church?

Why would any christian think Muslims will be punished for being Muslims?

Many of them are born and raised such, never having any reason to consider any other way of thinking.

 

[Soldier_X]

Thank goodness for some sane thoughts here. I just saw another thread in this sub forum that basically asks the same thing about Jewish believers.

Why are Muslims or Jews such a concern when they both share the belief in the Abrahamic God? Does the little 12 year old girl or boy growing up in Israel who has known nothing else in their life really have to go to the Abrahamic God’s sheol/gehenna/eternal hell because they never had a “personal relationship with Jesus” or a knowledge of the Catholic Church?

Why would any christian think Muslims will be punished for being Muslims?

Many of them are born and raised such, never having any reason to consider any other way of thinking.

If I may venture a guess …Since most Protestants grow up with a Sola Scriptura mindset, they read much in the Bible about faithful remnants and narrow vs. broad ways and so forth. It is rather hard to find anything in the Bible that speaks well of other religions. Many Christians do use this as an evangelism and missions motivation. They don’t know how God deals with “those who never heard,” but they do see that God has provided a way (rather than ways) of salvation and they have concern for those who have not heard the Gospel.

That’s the mindset, anyway. I have some friends who are Methodist missionaries and that’s how they explained it to me.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I’m surprised you feel the need to ask the rhetorical question? Jews and Muslims do not have Christ Jesus, the Saviour of the World? Through Christ alone do we find God the Father. Jesus tells us He is the way, the mediator, our intercessor and Hebrews tells us He is our great high priest? He is the Lamb of God, the forgiver of sins, and through Christ alone can we find salvation according to the Scriptures. A Muslim or Jewish brother or sister knows a shadow of the Godhead, the Abrahamic side, but not the Saviour through which we are saved. They reject the third person of the Trinity as Saviour so they know but a part of God, lacking the most crucial component. Are they doomed? Only God knows their fate, but it would be absurd and outrageous for a convicted Christian to not want to share Christ with these good people and hope for their salvation, giving them every possible chance to find heaven, peace, and eternal life? How can we be happy with the status quo of where these people stand—without Jesus Christ? Why is Christ with us if all we need is faith in the God of Abraham and the Law? Why be Christian? And what makes Christianity worth joining? If there is no sense of urgency in fullfilling the Great Commission given directly to us by Jesus, what’s the point of professing Christianity? Political correctness and assumptions cannot trump the Great Commission

Thank goodness for some sane thoughts here. I just saw another thread in this sub forum that basically asks the same thing about Jewish believers.

Why are Muslims or Jews such a concern when they both share the belief in the Abrahamic God? Does the little 12 year old girl or boy growing up in Israel who has known nothing else in their life really have to go to the Abrahamic God’s sheol/gehenna/eternal hell because they never had a “personal relationship with Jesus” or a knowledge of the Catholic Church?

Why would any christian think Muslims will be punished for being Muslims?

Many of them are born and raised such, never having any reason to consider any other way of thinking.

 

[FantomScholar]

Why are Muslims or Jews such a concern when they both share the belief in the Abrahamic God? Does the little 12 year old girl or boy growing up in Israel who has known nothing else in their life really have to go to the Abrahamic God’s sheol/gehenna/eternal hell because they never had a “personal relationship with Jesus” or a knowledge of the Catholic Church?

These are emotional appeals, however, and ultimately have no bearing as to what Jesus and the Apostles say about the subject. Whatever our opinions are on the fate of non-Christians, they must not be driven by emotion and speculation, but by the clear revelation of God. It is good to have a heart for the lost, and to pray that they may be saved by God as only He is able to.

Faith in a god is never enough. The faith is only as saving as its object. The god of Islam is not the God of the New Testament. It is not the God of Abraham, either. The God of Abraham is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Allah is not.

To the best of our knowledge, the Scriptures teach that explicit faith in Christ is necessary for man to be reconciled to God and be resurrected on the Last Day. This is as much as we can possibly know about the subject.