"they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it. (CCC 846, cf. Lumen Gentium 14)
I guess one question I’ve always had about this quote is: who possibly meets these conditions?
There are many who are seemingly ignorant of the truth that the Catholic Church is indeed founded by Christ as necessary for salvation. Saul was at one point among these, a persecutor of Christians. But as Scripture tells us, he did so out of ignorance. Was his ignorance invincible? Not likely, as he did eventually overcome his ignorance, right? So the ignorance that Saul had was at least
vincible, that is, at least partly his own fault, partly voluntary, and therefore, to the extent that it was partly voluntary he was also partly culpable. While there might have been a lack of knowledge, that lack of knowledge was not unconquerable. How culpable was his ignorance? It’s difficult to say, but I trust God knows perfectly what we can only guess at.
Consequently, I don’t think it is prudent for the faithful to presume that ignorance of Christ is non-culpable. In fact, we ought to presume the opposite, that they are enslaved in their sin and are in need of Gospel Truth. While we can pray, as Jesus did, that Almighty Father forgive them as they know not what they do, that doesn’t negate our solemn duty to teach the Gospel Truth as Christ Himself taught it.
Only God knows the extent of the voluntariness of human ignorance. For ignorance to be completely non-voluntary would indeed be rare in adults, perhaps only in the very “simple minded.”
Nonetheless, an “affected” ignorance that is
completely voluntary is also
completely culpable.
It seem that for the most part, ignorance is at least
partly voluntary, as it results from sloth or pride or many other dishonorable and selfish influences. We do our brethren no favor by not teaching them the true doctrines of Christ. In fact, according to St. Pius X, there is likely to be a “
great loss of souls due solely to ignorance of divine things***.***”
St. Pius X’s encyclical on Teaching Christian Doctrine
Acerbo Nimis, 1905). Thus, ignorance is not a “get out of hell free card” as some may erroneously think.
Furthermore, there are no doubt many sins which occur
apart from any consideration of a lack of knowledge, that is, with eyes wide-open, as was the case of the fall of angels. Moreover, Adam and Eve, no doubt, had the knowledge that they would die if they ate of the forbidden fruit. They ate it with eyes wide-open, not because of ignorance, but because they didn’t trust God’s word, and placed their trust in what the serpent said instead.
Cain was even given a supernatural message from God, a warning that sin is crouching at his door and that he must master sin. He was given sufficient knowledge to know right from wrong, but he freely chose wrong despite having recieved God’s warning. So it seems sin is not always due to a lack of sufficient knowledge.
Yet, only God knows whom he has predestined to be among his elect, and whom he will judge to be among the non-elect. Our job is to know Him, love Him, and serve Him–not judge who will and who will not be in heaven. What God’s final judgement for me and for others I leave entirely up to Him.
In serving the Lord, I must “
Evangelize all men” (CCC 848), without presuming that ignorance is non-culpable. We can pray and have hope that Christ lead all souls to heaven, but we may never presume it.
