Which dogmas do we have that with certainty excludes universalism?

[avemariagratiaplena]

I do not mean common opinion, Saint revelations, or anything. what teaching specifically says that we can not have as much certainty that a human can have that all humans are saved? By this I mean: it may not be explicitly revealed in the Deposit, but with as much fallible certainty that you can have you know they’ll be saved. Similar to how you “know” rain is going to come when you see dark clouds or whatever.

Which dogma prevent this maximum human certainty in universalism? I know so-called “hopeful universalism” is allowed but it is not definite enough. I am looking for citations of Church teaching only please and no Saint revelations thank you

 

[Hodos]

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." - John 3:16-18

“He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12

 

[Julius_Caesar]

Dogmas was what the OP asked for.

 

[Julius_Caesar]

But seriously, all the anathemas in councils should prove so.

 

[Vico]

…
Which dogma prevent this maximum human certainty in universalism?
…

If one cannot be certain of the state of grace, then one cannot be certain of salvation.

[Denzinger 802]

Council of Trent, Session VI, Chap. 9.

Against the Vain Confidence of Heretics
Although it is necessary to believe that sins are neither forgiven, nor ever have been forgiven, except gratuitously by divine mercy for Christ’s sake, yet it must not be said that sins are forgiven or have been forgiven to anyone who boasts of his confidence and certainty of the forgiveness of his sins and rests on that alone, since among heretics and schismatics this vain confidence, remote from all piety [can. 12], may exist, indeed in our own troubled times does exist, and is preached against the Catholic Church with vigorous opposition. But neither is this to be asserted, that they who are truly justified without any doubt whatever should decide for themselves that they are justified, and that no one is absolved from sins and is justified, except him who believes with certainty that he is absolved and justified, and that by this faith alone are absolution and justification effected [can. 14], as if he who does not believe this is doubtful of the promises of God and of the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ. For, just as no pious person should doubt the mercy of God, the merit of Christ, and the virtue and efficacy of the sacraments, so every one, when he considers himself and his own weakness and indisposition, may entertain fear and apprehension as to his own grace [can. 13], since no one can know with the certainty of faith, which cannot be subject to error, that he has obtained the grace of God.

Canons On Justification
Can. 12. If anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ’s sake, or that it is this confidence alone by which we are justified: let him be anathema.

Can. 13. If anyone shall say that it is necessary for every man in order to obtain the remission of sins to believe for certain and without any hesitation due to his own weakness and indisposition that his sins are forgiven him: let him be anathema.

Can. 14. If anyone shall say that man is absolved from his sins and justified, because he believes for certain that he is absolved and justified, or that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified, and that by this faith alone absolution and justification are perfected: let him be anathema.

 

[Dan_Defender]

Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus.

 

[Latin]

The Latin phrase extra Ecclesiam nulla salus means : “outside the Church there is no salvation”. The 1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church explained this as “all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body.”
.
CCC 846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:

Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence 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.
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CCC 847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:

Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.
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CCC 848 “Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men.”
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God bless.

 

[Hodos]

Dogmas was what the OP asked for.

I would say Christ’s statement is a pretty definitive source of whether universalism is an acceptable belief in the Christian faith. But then again, you didn’t answer the question in this response, did you?

But seriously, all the anathemas in councils should prove so.

 

[avemariagratiaplena]

This is all true and universalist believers affirm it, that there is no salvation except by Christ, but the question is more “is there anyone not saved by Christ”?

But seriously, all the anathemas in councils should prove so.

Which ones?

If one cannot be certain of the state of grace, then one cannot be certain of salvation.

I thought of this which is why I put “maximum human certainty.” We can’t have infallible certainty that we are saved, like it says not with the certainty of faith/revealed truth, but we can have other types of certainty that we are saved. So I wonder can we have that same kind that all humans are?

The Latin phrase extra Ecclesiam nulla salus means : “outside the Church there is no salvation”. The 1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church explained this as “all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body.”

Is there anyone who positively knows that the Catholic Church was founded by grace and necessary for salvation who leaves or refuses to enter? They know this fact and then reject it entirely? I can see someone doing this for a moment but not for their whole life. There are people who through reasoning first accept it then deny it, but I’m not sure if this counts as “knowledge” or not to God since they clearly lacked understanding. But if universalism is true then yes it all comes through the Church

 

[TMC]

There is no such dogma. As you note, the Church teaches that Catholics may hope for all to be saved. Catholics may also believe that all will be saved. There is no Church dogma that says that some people must be in Hell.

 

[Julius_Caesar]

I would say Christ’s statement is a pretty definitive source of whether universalism is an acceptable belief in the Christian faith.

You should know we aren’t a Sola Scriptura Church.

 

[Julius_Caesar]

But then again, you didn’t answer the question in this response, did you?

Yes. I did. Councils have dogmatic statements.

 

[Julius_Caesar]

As you note, the Church teaches that Catholics may hope for all to be saved. Catholics may also believe that all will be saved.

Where the heck do you get THAT from?

 

[Hodos]

This is all true and universalist believers affirm it, that there is no salvation except by Christ, but the question is more “is there anyone not saved by Christ”?

What does Jesus parables on the subject in Matthew, or does Jesus revelation in Revelation 19-21 indicate? Scripture is pretty clear on this topic. Additionally, the quotes I already provided demonstrate the answer to this right there in John 3:16-21.

 

[Hodos]

You should know we aren’t a Sola Scriptura Church.

I didn’t say that you were. This however is a troubling statement given the source I was referring to (Christ’s Word). Is Christ’s Word not binding to you? If it is, then what is your beef with my response? Are you offended when scripture is used to defend Church teaching? Surely that is an odd position to take and is clearly at odds with your own faith tradition.

Yes. I did. Councils have dogmatic statements.

No you didn’t. You nitpicked me for referring to specific scripture passages that speak clearly and authoritatively to the subject, then made a sweeping reference to Councils without mention of which ones and which specific canons.

 

[TMC]

The teachings of the Catholic Church. Where does the Church teach otherwise?

 

[Vico]

There is no such dogma. As you note, the Church teaches that Catholics may hope for all to be saved. Catholics may also believe that all will be saved. There is no Church dogma that says that some people must be in Hell.

It was dogmatically stated that some are in hell now, and also there, are the fallen angels.

Tim Staples wrote: “the Church’s Magisterium has, in fact, taught that there are souls in hell now, and that there will be for all eternity. “Which human beings” we do not know without special divine revelation.”

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/are-there-souls-in-hell-right-now

Jesus was unequivocal:

And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (Matt. 25:46).

Catechism

1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire."615 The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.

Only the just were released from hades when Jesus Christ descended there. The teaching of the Catholic Church is that once there is bodily death, no repentance is possible. It is called the dogma of the particular judgment. Present in the profession of faith of Michael Palaeologus (1274), in the Bull “Benedictus Deus” of Benedict XII (1336), implied in the Union Decree of Eugene IV (1439), and in the professions of faith of Gregory XIII (1572-1585) and Benedict XIV (1740-1758).

 

[TMC]

It was dogmatically stated that some are in hell now, and also there , are the fallen angels.

Where? The Catechism makes clear that there is hope for all to be saved.

 

[runningdude]

In the Apostle’s Creed, Jesus descends into Hell.

The doctrine of mortal sin makes clear that man can go to hell if he sins with full consent. The sacrament of confession is dogmatically taught to save one from hell after committing mortal sin.

No one is destined to go to hell. We have no idea how many will. We do know Christ’s mercy is bountiful. However, Hell is a dogma, and a necessity for free will. Because Humans have free will, we simply cannot exclude the possibility of someone choosing not to repent and going to hell. Therefore, by elimination, we reject Universalism.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

It was dogmatically stated that some are in hell now, and also there , are the fallen angels.

Where? The Catechism makes clear that there is hope for all to be saved.

There is hope for an individual to be saved, not all entirely.

Catechism

1034 Jesus often speaks of “Gehenna” of “the unquenchable fire” reserved for those who to the end of their lives refuse to believe and be converted, where both soul and body can be lost. Jesus solemnly proclaims that he “will send his angels, and they will gather . . . all evil doers, and throw them into the furnace of fire,” and that he will pronounce the condemnation: “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire!”

Saint Pope John Paul II stated in Acta Apostolicae Sedis:

Eternal damnation remains a real possibility, but we are not granted, without special divine revelation, the knowledge of which human beings are effectively involved in it.

And in Crossing the Threshold of Hope, he states:

Can God, who has loved man so much, permit the man who rejects Him to be condemned to eternal torment? And yet, the words of Christ are unequivocal. In Matthew’s Gospel he speaks clearly of those who will go to eternal punishment (cf. Matt. 25:46). Who will these be? The Church has never made any pronouncement…” (pg. 185)

Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 spoke of those then living that were damned.

Indeed, having suffered and died on the wood of the cross for the salvation of the human race, he descended to the underworld, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He descended in the soul, rose in the flesh, and ascended in both. He will come at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, to render to every person according to his works, both to the reprobate and to the elect. All of them will rise with their own bodies, which they now wear, [Latin quae nunc gestant– which they are now bearing or wearing] so as to receive according to their deserts, whether these be good or bad; for the latter perpetual punishment with the devil, for the former eternal glory with Christ.