LUMEN GENTIUM 14: FUTILE DISCUSSION ON CATHOLIC ANSWERS

There was a futile discussion on the Catholic Answers forum. The  subject was Lumen Gentium 14.

Lumen Gentium 14 like Ad Gentes 7 indicates that Catholic Faith and the baptism of water are the ordinary means of salvation. The ordinary means of salvation is not those who do not know about the Church or, those who do know and who are known to us.

LG 14 affirms the 'ordinary means of salvation'(Redemptoros Missio 55) .ALL need to enter the Church and not just those whom we think know or do not know.

Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism(124) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church.-Lumen Gentium 14

When LG 14 mentions those 'who know' it is referring to those who knew about Jesus and the necessity of the Church and who did not enter or persevere in it and who were judged by God. It does not indicate that in general we know these cases or that we can judge them.Personally we cannot.

Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved.-Lumen Gentium 14

Then when LG 14 refers to those who are saved with an implicit 'intention' it does not mean that we can judge these cases or that they are 'known exceptions' to all needing to enter the church with 'faith and baptism'. The intention is implicit for us and explicit only for God. Since it is not explicit for us it does not contradict the earlier part of LG 14 quoted above.

Catechumens who, moved by the Holy Spirit, seek with explicit intention to be incorporated into the Church are by that very intention joined with her. -Lumen Gentium 14

So LG 14 does not contradict the traditional teaching on salvation. It does not contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus or the Syllabus of Errors.

Vatican Council II ( LG 14,AG 7) is saying outside the church there is no salvation, the Churchis necessary for salvation, all need Catholic Faith and the baptism of water to go to Heaven and avoid Hell.-Lionel Andrades

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=466493