Fr Flader answers question on the theological status of “Limbo of children”

[AlNg]

The dogma hasn’t changed, just the acknowledgement that God can act in extraordinary ways to remove original sin from the unbaptized infant prior to death, such that they don’t die in original sin.

This seems to be a catchall solution. If a person dies in mortal sin, he will go to hell. Yes, but God can act in extraordinary ways to remove the mortal sin from his soul in view of the good he has done during his lifetime so that the person does not die in mortal sin.

 

[Wesrock]

Wesrock:

The dogma hasn’t changed, just the acknowledgement that God can act in extraordinary ways to remove original sin from the unbaptized infant prior to death, such that they don’t die in original sin.

This seems to be a catchall solution. If a person dies in mortal sin, he will go to hell. Yes, but God can act in extraordinary ways to remove the mortal sin from his soul in view of the good he has done during his lifetime so that the person does not die in mortal sin.

It was dying in original sin only we spoke of. And “doing good” doesn’t merit saving grace. The sacraments were given to man for ordinary purposes. They aren’t binding on God.

 

[AlNg]

And “doing good” doesn’t merit saving grace.

How do you know that God would not act in extraordinary ways to reward someone who has done good as Jesus himself indicates in Matthew 25?

 

[1Lord1Faith]

There is nothing in Scripture or in the Church Fathers on the necessity of Baptism and all humankind being dead to sin by the actions of one man and needing supernatural grace merited by another to be saved?

Yes, there is plenty that says what the norm is for a person of reason. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. There is nothing in scripture or tradition that says that infants do not receive the beatific vision, if there was there would have never been a need for the Church to “hope” that they do.

It seems obvious to me that the norms of salvation outlined in scripture are for people of reason or sinners. There is no indication that those norms apply to infants.

No one is due salvation or known to be born already justified by God except for a handful of revealed cases.

Everyone is due justice. God desires that everyone be saved because everyone has a soul that was given to them by God. Are you convinced that God is going to set these innocent souls aside because they didn’t have the ritual done and didn’t have the ability to reason?

“Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament.”

“Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery."

“Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus’ tenderness toward children which caused him to say: “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,” allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism.”

I don’t see the word hope, in the above quote, to be apt in the context that it is used. It seems fairly certain that God’s mercy and justice is sufficient for me to believe unbaptized infants go to heaven - in lieu of having it spelled out to us. I understand though that the Church does not enjoy such liberty when teaching, hence their language.

 

[Dan_Defender]

As for limbo… I am perfectly happy expressing the hope for them receiving the beatific vision as is stated in the catechism. But I don’t have (or agree with) a total aversion to the idea of limbo as taught by St. Thomas Aquinas and other Church Fathers throughout history. We do not have absolute surety in this area.

I would add that St Thomas Aquinas himself said it best: ‘God is not bound by the visible sacraments’.

 

[Isearch]

Everyone is due justice. God desires that everyone be saved because everyone has a soul that was given to them by God. Are you convinced that God is going to set these innocent souls aside because they didn’t have the ritual done and didn’t have the ability to reason?

The Beatific Vision is owed to no one. God could have created Adam & Eve in their natural state (ie without supernatural grace) and, even if they rejected committing a mortal sin throughout their mortal lives in their natural state, He would still be just to reward them only eternal natural happiness in Limbo.

 

[JanR]

As part of our Catechism classes in the 1950s and early 60s, the Sisters taught that unbaptized babies would spend eternity in Limbo. That’s the one “teaching” I had the most trouble with. It seemed like a form of punishment when the baby was by no means at fault, and I couldn’t see God doing that. The Sisters failed to explain that Limbo was a state of complete natural happiness. It was rather described as a sort of nowhere land.

Either way, I’m glad it’s not an official Church teaching. I would still have trouble with it, today, if it were.

Infants cannot make choices, especially ones as deep and profound as to whether or not to choose God. I would think God would exempt little babies from culpability of any sort if they die in infancy, even with original sin on their souls. I think God would grant them a dispensation for that, since they are incapable, at that age, of knowing about original sin or of deliberate intent regarding it.

Just my opinion, though, as we really can’t presume to know the mind of God. Limbo for infants just seems incompatible with His perfect love.