Will Billy Graham go to heaven?

[Ignatius]

Assuming Billy Graham continues to profess his current beliefs without a conversion to the Catholic Faith, do you believe he will go to heaven?

I am looking for an apologetic argument for or against.

Thanks!

Actually, it is the condition of the heart which determines salvation and only The Eternal Almighty knows that.
However, assuming that all is as it appears, I would say that the Lord would would very likely send His holy angels to escort that blessed man directly to His throne.

On a side note, there was a wonderful article a couple of years in Christianity Today in which Billy Graham stated that Pope John Paul II was the greatest evangelist of the age. That’s pretty awsome considering who said it.

God Bless.

Yours in Christ.

 

[Caesar]

Well, there is no salvation outside the Church.

 

[carol_marie]

Tom:

 

[catsrus]

IMHO, yes.
But who am I?

 

[TylerAlex]

We know what’s going on in his head and in his heart? How? He may innocently hold some erroneous idea that is keeping him from the Catholic faith through no fault of his own.

Here are a few citations I found:

In a January 1997 interview with Larry King, Graham said that he has wonderful fellowship with Rome, is comfortable with the Vatican, and agrees with the Pope on almost everything.

KING: What do you think of the other [churches] … like Mormonism? Catholicism? Other faiths within the Christian concept?

GRAHAM: Oh, I think I have a wonderful fellowship with all of them.

KING: You’re comfortable with Salt Lake City. You’re comfortable with the Vatican?

GRAHAM: I am very comfortable with the Vatican. I have been to see the Pope several times. In fact, the night — the day that he was inaugurated, made Pope, I was preaching in his cathedral in Krakow. I was his guest … [and] when he was over here … in Columbia, South Carolina … he invited me on the platform to speak with him. I would give one talk, and he would give the other … but I was two-thirds of the way to China…

KING: You like this Pope?

GRAHAM: I like him very much. … He and I agree on almost everything

Here is another:

In a May 30, 1997, interview, Graham told David Frost: “I feel I belong to all the churches. I’M EQUALLY AT HOME IN AN ANGLICAN OR BAPTIST OR A BRETHREN ASSEMBLY OR A ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. … Today we have almost 100 percent Catholic support in this country. That was not true twenty years ago. And the bishops and archbishops and the Pope are our friends” (David Frost, Billy Graham in Conversation, pp. 68, 143).

One more as well:

In his interview with Robert Schuller in May 1997, Graham again said that he believes people in other religions can be saved without consciously believing in Jesus Christ.

SCHULLER: Tell me, what do you think is the future of Christianity?

GRAHAM: Well, Christianity and being a true believer–you know, I think there’s the Body of Christ. This comes from all the Christian groups around the world, outside the Christian groups. I think everybody that loves Christ, or knows Christ, whether they’re conscious of it or not, they’re members of the Body of Christ. And I don’t think that we’re going to see a great sweeping revival, that will turn the whole world to Christ at any time. I think James answered that, the Apostle James in the first council in Jerusalem, when he said that God’s purpose for this age is to call out a people for His name. And that’s what God is doing today, He’s calling people out of the world for His name, WHETHER THEY COME FROM THE MUSLIM WORLD, OR THE BUDDHIST WORLD, OR THE CHRISTIAN WORLD OR THE NON-BELIEVING WORLD, THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST BECAUSE THEY’VE BEEN CALLED BY GOD. THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THE NAME OF JESUS but they know in their hearts that they need something that they don’t have, and they turn to the only light that they have, and I think that they are saved, and that they’re going to be with us in heaven.

 

[JWilson]

If only the saint-ed are going to heaven is the Vatican not deciding Mother Theresa is in heaven by saint-ing her?How do they know she’s gone to heaven or do they not know???Just wondering.Billy Graham,Pope John Paul,Mother Theresa and whoever else…God is the judge of their hearts.Not one man can say for certain who’s going and who’s not, period.

 

[TylerAlex]

Please correct me if I’m wrong here, you’re not asking specifically about Mr. Graham are you? You mean any seeming good Christian who loves his Lord Jesus the Christ?
It seems, from an initial impression, that you misunderstand the Catholic Church teaching about salvation outside of the Catholic Church. Is that what you want to know?
You need to remember there are different meanings to the word “Catholic Church”
QUOTE]

Tom:

I am asking specifically about Billy Graham… and also it would have applications to other well meaning, Christian (non- Catholic) people, whether they are as charismatic as Billy or not.

I made no claim to this argument one way or the other… therefore, I cannot have a misunderstanding. I am only trying to find the truth from people that know far better than I.

 

[TylerAlex]

Tom;1809906:

Please correct me if I’m wrong here, you’re not asking specifically about Mr. Graham are you? You mean any seeming good Christian who loves his Lord Jesus the Christ?
It seems, from an initial impression, that you misunderstand the Catholic Church teaching about salvation outside of the Catholic Church. Is that what you want to know?
You need to remember there are different meanings to the word “Catholic Church”
QUOTE]

Tom:

I am asking specifically about Billy Graham… and also it would have applications to other people, whether they are as charismatic as Billy or not.

I made no claim to this argument one way or the other… therefore, I cannot have a misunderstanding. I am only trying to find the truth from people that know far better than I.

 

[DeFide]

Here are a few citations I found:

… and agrees with the Pope on **almost **everything.
…

It’s what’s excluded in that “almost” that may be the barrier to his entry to the Barque of Peter. And then, that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the question of his culpability for said barrier.

You’ll have to wait for the next life to find out.

 

[JWilson]

Billy Graham has never and will never tell you that anyone who doesn’t follow Jesus is saved.Obviously you have never spent anytime getting to know what his ministry is about and what his beliefs are.You only wish to tear down people by posting lies.Billy has never said that all the other religions of the world are saved and going to see heaven.You make a poor Catholic and I question your intentions as well.If your going to pick on Billy you may as well attack all protestants.If I were to pick on the pope you would feel the same.I wouldn’t do such a thing.There are many great catholics and you’re not one of them.

 

[DeFide]

If only the saint-ed are going to heaven

The Church does not teach that only canonized saints are in Heaven.

is the Vatican not deciding Mother Theresa is in heaven by saint-ing her?How do they know she’s gone to heaven or do they not know???

While Mother Theresa hasn’t yet been canonized, canonized saints are recognized as being in heaven from the holiness of their life as well as signs from God in the way of miracles to confirm what many suspect. Without these miracles, the canonization does not go through.

 

[TylerAlex]

Billy Graham has never and will never tell you that anyone who doesn’t follow Jesus is saved.Obviously you have never spent anytime getting to know what his ministry is about and what his beliefs are.You only wish to tear down people by posting lies.Billy has never said that all the other religions of the world are saved and going to see heaven.You make a poor Catholic and I question your intentions as well.If your going to pick on Billy you may as well attack all protestants.If I were to pick on the pope you would feel the same.I wouldn’t do such a thing.There are many great catholics and you’re not one of them.

My apologies if I made any insinuations and never meant to offend. If I posted any lies, I will take them down and edit my post. You are free to correct me.

I asked an honest question to something that has been troubling me. I never attacked anyone on this board, and now I am listed as someone who is not a great catholic. I am trying to understand my own faith and salvation as a Catholic… and I have been troubled by what the Catechism states on salvation.

You obviously have all the answers.

 

[DeFide]

Billy Graham has never and will never tell you that anyone who doesn’t follow Jesus is saved.Obviously you have never spent anytime getting to know what his ministry is about and what his beliefs are.You only wish to tear down people by posting lies.Billy has never said that all the other religions of the world are saved and going to see heaven.You make a poor Catholic and I question your intentions as well.If your going to pick on Billy you may as well attack all protestants.If I were to pick on the pope you would feel the same.I wouldn’t do such a thing.There are many great catholics and you’re not one of them.

JWilson, who are you responding to here?

 

[JWilson]

Tyler,
As far as you’re concerned anyone outside the Catholic church teaching is going to hell so that goes for evangelicals.Hold on to your Catholic teaching as you wish but from out of your mouth does not resound the teaching of Jesus.You have missed it and I truly hope and pray you find it.Why not start a new thread,'Are all protestants going to hell?'You didn’t but instead picked on a very well known protestant figure.

 

[Integritus]

True, none of us can determine whether someone is bound to Hell or not, and the Catholic Church does teach non-Catholics can go to Heaven if by no fault of their own they have not received the message of salvation through Christ through His Church. Yet, this is the exception and not the rule.

Now it seems almost everyboy, including Catholics for some odd reason, are now teaching the exception as the rule to non-Catholics. And therefore, we have non-Catholic Christians as well as non-Christians who feel no obligation to convert to the Catholic Church because they feel they are “safe” (in their error) even though many of them are greatly exposed or surrounded by the True Holy Mother Church and its doctrines and teachings.

Billy Graham is clearly teaching an altered message of the Catholic Church, even though he is a man very capable of hearing and probably surrounded by the Catholic Teaching (as he lives well-off in the U.S. which has a large Catholic population and he extensively travels through Catholic continents and countries, even meeting with top Catholic clergy). One might even wisely suspect he has already received and understood the Catholic position. Yet, he continues to preach his altered teaching, even among Catholic peoples. This is what makes me fear for his soul.

Again, I myself cannot judge anyone. God is the Judge of eternal life. Only He knows whether Graham has a pure heart or whose heart has willingly rejected the Catholic Teaching. True also, I myself may not see Heaven by my own conscience as a Catholic, while Graham may go to Heaven by his own conscience. (Purgatory is also a destination for anyone of us and probably a likely one for many). Though we must remember our consciousness does not supercede truth. Therefore, this doesn’t nullify The Holy Church as possessing the deposit of truth and being the way for men to know God and receive His favor. This is His will, His Divine plan for our salvation.

 

[JWilson]

Tyler,

I don’t have all the answers but if i were to post a thread that said’ will Pope John Paul Go To Heaven"?How would that hit you?It’s a very unfair question and offensive to protestants.I respect catholics and only expect the same back of you.

 

[TylerAlex]

Tyler,
As far as you’re concerned anyone outside the Catholic church teaching is going to hell so that goes for evangelicals.Hold on to your Catholic teaching as you wish but from out of your mouth does not resound the teaching of Jesus.You have missed it and I truly hope and pray you find it.Why not start a new thread,'Are all protestants going to hell?'You didn’t but instead picked on a very well known protestant figure.

I never stated a claim to this argument. I only came for answers. Honetly, I sure hope Billy goes to heaven and many other well meaning Christians (including friends, family members, and others)… but I am not sure if the Catholic Faith teaches that.

I learned today that if I commit a mortal sin and die before I confess it to a priest… my salvation as a Catholic is in jeopardy. That scares me terribly.

Please do not attack me personally.

 

[DeFide]

…
I learned today that if I commit a mortal sin and die before I confess it to a priest… my salvation as a Catholic is in jeopardy. That scares me terribly.
.

Have you seen this?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=14932

 

[Integritus]

True, none of us can determine whether someone is bound to Hell or not, and the Catholic Church does teach non-Catholics can go to Heaven if by no fault of their own they have not received the message of salvation through Christ through His Church. Yet, this is the exception and not the rule.

Now it seems almost everyboy, including Catholics for some odd reason, are now teaching the exception as the rule to non-Catholics. And therefore, we have non-Catholic Christians as well as non-Christians who feel no obligation to convert to the Catholic Church because they feel they are “safe” (in their error) even though many of them are greatly exposed or surrounded by the True Holy Mother Church and its doctrines and teachings.

Billy Graham is clearly teaching an altered message of the Catholic Church, even though he is a man very capable of hearing and probably surrounded by the Catholic Teaching (as he lives well-off in the U.S. which has a large Catholic population and he extensively travels through Catholic continents and countries, even meeting with top Catholic clergy). One might even wisely suspect he has already received and understood the Catholic position. Yet, he continues to preach his altered teaching, even among Catholic peoples. This is what makes me fear for his soul.

Again, I myself cannot judge anyone. God is the Judge of eternal life. Only He knows whether Graham has a pure heart or whose heart has willingly rejected the Catholic Teaching. True also, I myself may not see Heaven by my own conscience as a Catholic, while Graham may go to Heaven by his own conscience. (Purgatory is also a destination for anyone of us and probably a likely one for many). Though we must remember our consciousness does not supercede truth. Therefore, this doesn’t nullify The Holy Church as possessing the deposit of truth and being the way for men to know God and receive His favor. This is His will, His Divine plan for our salvation.

 

[JWilson]

Your Title is rather offensive and attacks protestants.You could have worded it much differently than you did.I’m not attacking you but the question of whether Billy going to heaven or not is a very unfair question.I am only trying to defend him just as you would the pope or a saint.