What if someone dies in a state of anathema?

[RaisedCatholic]

I watched a video on Catholic Answers Live that stated “anathema” does not mean “damned” (even though the footnotes on Galatians 1 in my great-grandmother’s New Catholic Version defines it that way). What happens to a person who dies in a state of anathema? Do they go to Purgatory or Hell? Is it different if they died as a Catholic, ex-Catholic, or non-Christian? Resources would be appreciated. Thanks and God bless!

 

[lil_user]

What happens to a person who dies in a state of anathema?

Correct me if I am wrong. Under the usual conditions (grave matter for sure, but is there full knowledge and deliberate consent?) the sin is mortal and usual consequences (damnation) apply.

If I read this correctly, once upon a time it meant excommunication, later it meant a more serious and solemn excommunication, and even later it disappeared from Canon Law (so the error essentially is a sin but doesn’t carry an attached excommunication).

More specifically:

When an ecumenical council applies this phrase to a doctrinal matter, then the matter is settled infallibly.

Thus, when Trent and other ecumenical councils employed anathema sit in regard to doctrinal matters, not only was a judicial penalty prescribed but a doctrinal definition was also made. Today, the judicial penalty may be gone, but the doctrinal definition remains. Everything that was infallibly decided by these councils is still infallibly settled.

This has consequences under current canon law. Those things that are both divinely revealed by God and proposed as such by the Church cannot be obdurately denied or doubted without the offense of heresy (CIC [1983] 751). Heresy does carry a penalty of automatic ( latae sententiae ) excommunication (can. 1041, 2º)

Of course then, schism and apostasy fall within the same realm of sin. But there remains a question of culpability on which we are not at liberty to opine. We can only judge the action. God will judge us.

 

[po18guy]

I think you need to speak with a canon lawyer, as your question is extremely technical and nuanced.

 

[1ke]

I watched a video on Catholic Answers Live that stated “anathema” does not mean “damned” (even though the footnotes on Galatians 1 in my great-grandmother’s New Catholic Version defines it that way).

The word anathema in Greek has several nuanced meanings such as accursed and excommunicated. And of course, translation is not perfect.

The old style formula for decrying heretics was “those that say… let him be anathema”. That meant excommunicated until they rejected their heretical teachings/ideas.

What happens to a person who dies in a state of anathema?

That’s up to God and whether they are in a state of grace or not at the time they die.

Do they go to Purgatory or Hell?

We don’t know and can’t say.

Is it different if they died as a Catholic, ex-Catholic, or non-Christian?

Only a Catholic can be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

 

[thistle]

I watched a video on Catholic Answers Live that stated “anathema” does not mean “damned” (even though the footnotes on Galatians 1 in my great-grandmother’s New Catholic Version defines it that way). What happens to a person who dies in a state of anathema? Do they go to Purgatory or Hell? Is it different if they died as a Catholic, ex-Catholic, or non-Christian? Resources would be appreciated. Thanks and God bless!

Anathemas do not exist today.

Read the whole Catholic Answers article below:

Anathema | Catholic Answers Magazine