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InJesusItrust
Guest
I ask because I really like Orthodox saints and spirituality, but I believe with all my heart that the Catholic Church is true. Is there something like salvation for other Christians?
Does the Orthodox Church teach that Roman Catholics can be saved?
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runningdude
Guest
I don’t believe Orthodox teaching officially addresses or speculates about salvation outside of their interpretation of the “Catholic Church”.
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Cavaradossi
Guest
That there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church is pretty much dogma in the Orthodox Church. I’ve not seen many who flat out deny it. However, many try to synthesize this claim with the universalist tendencies of some of the Fathers (the Cappadocians, St. Maximos to a certain extent, St. Isaac the Syrian, and a few others) by nuancing what the Catholic Church is, affirming that the Catholic Church can be manifest outside of the canonical boundaries of Orthodoxy, while still maintaining that the Catholic Church is contained in its fullness within canonical Orthodox. Florovsky, for example, takes this sort of approach, by flipping the phrase on its head, interpreting it as a tautology: no salvation exists outside of the Catholic Church because the Catholic Church is only comprised of those who are saved.
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devoutchristian
Guest
So they believe sort of like we do on the matter of invincible ignorance?
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Cavaradossi
Guest
No, I don’t think it’s quite that developed. Those theologians simply affirm that the Catholic Church can exist outside of the canonical boundaries of Orthodoxy, but beyond that, you will get idiosyncratic views as to how that may be. That is why it is imperative that we (from he Orthodox perspective) seek to convert the world to Christ, because it is only in the Orthodox Church that we know with assurance to be the Ark of Salvation.
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theistgal
Guest
There is no one, definitive statement because there is no one authority in the Orthodox Churches who makes definitive statements. 
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EIF5A
Guest
Can’t they convene an Orthodox Ecumenical Council to settle things?There is no one, definitive statement because there is no one authority in the Orthodox Churches who makes definitive statements.
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Nine_Two
Guest
Yes, in theory, although it isn’t as easy as just convening it. There also has to be agreement beforehand that it is an issue that requires an ecumenical council. I don’t think there is any interest at all in this particular issue.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Not quite. We believe that God is everywhere and fillest all things, if someone, anyone, does something good, it is by the grace of God through the Holy Spirit. Certainly God can work through whomever. It will be up to God’s judgement if one who is unbaptized is saved. How that exactly works, we do not know. With God nothing is impossible, we leave everything to His mercy.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Why do we need to convene an Ecumenical Council to talk about people who are not Orthodox Christians? And what is it worth to them that bishops from a Church they do not belong to, or even to a faith they do not follow (for the non-Christians) to say whether they are saved or not? Do you care if JWs or Mormons say that you are going to hell or not?
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Nine_Two
Guest
I’ve always found it interesting that people care what groups they reject say about their salvation.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
I just came back from lunch with a buddy of mine who belongs to a Restorationist group who believes everyone who is not part of their “church” is going to hell. We’re still good friends
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dzheremi
Guest
Can’t help but think of the parallels between this line of thinking and the way many people waste time saying who’s not a Christian. It’s hard to seriously imagine a more useless exercise that actually doesn’t need to be carried out via the internet. 
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Trebor135
Guest
Such individuals may be concerned that those groups could be right and would like to determine how vital it is according to those groups that those individuals investigate their teachings and consider converting.
Such is a useful exercise because it makes it possible to determine who is in most need of evangelization. I for one prioritize talking to (“Evangelical”) Protestants and Muslims, leaving the Eastern-Oriental Orthodox divide up to our hierarches and theologians to figure out.Can’t help but think of the parallels between this line of thinking and the way many people waste time saying who’s not a Christian. It’s hard to seriously imagine a more useless exercise that actually doesn’t need to be carried out via the internet.
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Mickey
Guest
Well, well, well. The Latin Church used to state that there is no salvation outside of their interpretation of the Catholic Church. But that has all changed now…and you will get many different opinions. And YOU have a supreme infallible pontiff!There is no one, definitive statement because there is no one authority in the Orthodox Churches who makes definitive statements.
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Nicea325
Guest
I too have friends who say similiar comments. I jokingly ask:I just came back from lunch with a buddy of mine who belongs to a Restorationist group who believes everyone who is not part of their “church” is going to hell. We’re still good friends
How do you know such folks are going to Hell? Have you visited Hell lately and spoken to those who did not belong to your church?
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ConstantineTG
Guest
What we should do is just to continue to love them and have faith in God that we all will be called and converted to the true faith. We shouldn’t presume who gets to heaven or not (or goes to hell), Jesus told the Pharisees that the tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the Kingdom before they do. It might be the same case for us. We claim we’re Catholics or Orthodox, we claim ancient Christian lineage, but I’ve seen Protestants who dedicate their lives into loving their neighbors and serving the poor and needy, while many Catholics and Orthodox are content just showing up to church on Sundays. Who goes to heaven first in this group? I’m not the judge but if I’m allowed to bet, I’d put my money on the Protestant.I too have friends who same similiar comments. I jokingly ask:
How do you know such folks are going to Hell? Have you visited Hell lately and spoken to those who did not belong to your church?
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Nicea325
Guest
Oh I totally agree. I teach adult Catholics and at times they question particular Chritians faiths or communities beliefs,teachings,etc. I always tell them:
Do not worry or be concerned what other Christians are doing,saying or practicing;moreover, worry what you should be doing as a Catholic.
I also remind them that my concern is not what others are doing or not doing, but what Catholics are NOT doing or should be doing.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Yup, I told someone once, what is the worth of having fullness of the truth when we don’t make use of all of it? We may have 100%, but if we’re only using 50%, how are we any better than those who have 75% of the truth but make use of all of that 75%? I guess that was Christ’s point.
My priest told me when I was investigating Orthodoxy is that the Orthodox Church does not claim monopoly on holiness. God is everywhere and fillest all things, if He gives graces to a non-Christian to do good things,who are we to deny that? And who are we to say God cannot do that? I love the fact that many Orthodox teachers do not think twice about referencing Catholic saints. Where truth is, we should recognize it. We see other Christians as not having the fullness of truth, but that doesn’t mean they are completely deprived of it.
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Nicea325
Guest
Right on the money…exactly! One of our duties as baptized Christians (Catholic,Orthodox,Protestant,etc) is to edify the Kingdom of God here on earth,not criticize what others should have or may be lacking. Excellent statement TG…
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