LUMEN GENTIUM 16 DOES NOT CONTRADICT AD GENTES 7, VATICAN COUNCIL II

On the internet forum True Catholic , Maragaret Anne writes:

Lionel, "Outside the Church there is no salvation" does NOT mean that only Catholics can be saved. It means that "all salvation comes from Christ, the Head - through the Church which is His Body" (CCC 846)

And, "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" - Lumen Gentium 16

Reply:

Margaret Anne

1. I agree that outside the Church there is no salvation in one sense does not mean that only Catholics can be saved. LG 16 refers to those in invincible ignorance and saved with a good conscience.

2.However outside the Church there is no salvation in another sense also means all people on earth need to enter the Church, with Catholic Faith and the baptism of water for salvation.(Ad Gentes  7).

N.1 is not contradicted by N.2. Explcitly every one needs to enter the Church with Catholic Faith and the baptism of water and there are no known exceptions, we do not know anyone saved implicitly in invincible ignorance or a good conscience and who are now in Heaven.

CCC 846 refers to N.1 when it says all who are saved are saved through Jesus and the Church.

CCC 846 also refers to N.2 when it says all need to enter the Church 'as through a door' and Catholic Faith and the baptism of water are needed for all for salvation (AG 7).

So N.1 also does not contradict the dogma which says all need to convert into the Church to avoid the fires of Hell.(Cantate Domino, Council of Florence).

-Lionel