Supernatural Faith

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Does one need to be Catholic to have supernatural faith?
 
So a protestant cannot have Supernatural Faith…so how would a protestant have baptism of desire if Supernatural faith is required?
 
TradCatholic12 said:
So a protestant cannot have Supernatural Faith…so how would a protestant have baptism of desire if Supernatural faith is required?
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Who said a protestant can’t have supernatural faith? Supernatural faith simply makes one Catholic in belief, since God obviously does not grant people some other faith which contradicts the Catholic faith.

Invincible ignorance is required for a baptism of desire.
 
Divine faith is the desire to believe all God has revealed–not because we judge it to be reasonable, but because of the testimony of God. This includes believing in the need to repent and seek His mercy.

Even if one is mistaken as to what God has actually revealed, if that person has that desire to receive God’s revelation in faith, then that person has such faith.

The missions and evangelization have a salvific importance because one cannot have such faith if they are an atheist (even practically so) or turn to created things (like idolators)–since there is no excuse for not knowing of God (especially since He gives the helps necessary–drawing all men to Himself–to all men who seek truth). Likewise, not everyone who acknowledges God places their faith in Him.
 
I would think that since faith is a gift from God, any faith in God would be a supernatural faith.
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B
 
Faith is the theological virtue by which 1) we believe in God, 2) believe all that God has said, 3) and believe all that the Church proposes for our belief. Since faith is a “seamless garment”, it must be believed in its entirety, whole and inviolate. To deny even a single article does not mean that one has “imperfect faith” or even “partial faith”. It indicates that one has no faith. For this reason, Protestants have simple human belief, and not the gift of faith. Protestantism is a human belief system.
 
TradCatholic12 said:
Does one need to be Catholic to have supernatural faith?
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I think the short answer is that a non-Catholic with the gift of *Supernatural *Faith seeks to become a visible member of the Catholic church upon learning of the existance of the Catholic Church…

I know the normal reaction is, well what if they’re not convinced, what if they were raised Protestant or Jewish or Muslim, etc. Hindu, etc. I understand very personally the reaction - it’s a mindbender sometimes. Especially when we all probably have dear friends and family ensnared in Protestantism yet rejecting the church - yet in every perceptable way, sincere and devout and seeking to know, love and serve God.

But the crux of the matter is tht the infallible words of the First Vatican Council say that God’s grace*** is given*** to these folks so that they may accept and believe what He has revealed*.* We can’t just assume “good” Protestants get to heaven, we can’t assume invincible ignorance, we’ve got to pray for them constantly, pray that they respond to the graces God is sending these folks that they convert to the One True Church.

Here are some of the highlights from the pertinant section of the First Vatican Council - can’t post it all because of length though…click on the link to read it in full…
*****First Vatican Council, ***Chapter 3 On faith: **
  1. This faith, which is the beginning of human salvation, the catholic church professes to be a supernatural virtue, by means of which, with the grace of God inspiring and assisting us, we believe to be true what He has revealed… because of the authority of God himself, who makes the revelation and can neither deceive nor be deceived.
  2. Now, although the assent of faith is by no means a blind movement of the mind, yet no one can accept the gospel preaching in the way that is necessary for achieving salvation without the inspiration and illumination of the holy Spirit, who gives to all facility in accepting and believing the truth.
  3. And so faith in itself…is a gift of God, and its operation is a work belonging to the order of salvation, in that a person yields true obedience to God himself when he accepts and collaborates with his grace which he could have rejected.
  4. Wherefore, by divine and catholic faith all those things are to be believed which are contained in the word of God as found in scripture and tradition, and which are proposed by the church as matters to be believed as divinely revealed, whether by her solemn judgment or in her ordinary and universal magisterium.
  5. So that we could fulfil our duty of embracing the true faith and of persevering unwaveringly in it, God, through his only begotten Son,** founded the church, ****and he endowed his institution with clear notes to the end that she might be recognised by all **as the guardian and teacher of the revealed word.
  6. **To this witness is added the effective help of power from on high. For, **the kind Lord stirs up those who go astray and helps them by his grace so that they may come to the knowledge of the truth; and also confirms by his grace those whom he has translated into his admirable light, so that they may persevere in this light, not abandoning them unless he is first abandoned.
  7. Consequently, the situation of those, who by the heavenly gift of faith have embraced the catholic truth, is by no means the same as that of those who, led by human opinions, follow a false religion; for those who have accepted the faith under the guidance of the church can never have any just cause for changing this faith or for calling it into question.
    Serious stuff up there. Very serious.
Peace in Christ,

DustinsDad
 
After reading posts 9 & 10 and the CCC on faith, I agree with your answers. Yes, faith is a theological virtue (never any question here) and must be complete. What I was thinking of was the promptings of faith which lead one to full confession of the truth. These promptings are a gift from God. Of God, they are supernatural, and can either be embraced or rejected. If embraced our response is “Now, you do have the faith”.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B
 
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