Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Nostra Aetate does say that the Church is the' new people of God'. Catholics are the Chosen People.They have the Promised Jewish Messiah, the Eternal Covenant and the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass

Nostra Aetate does say that the Church is the' new people of God'. Catholics are the Chosen People.They have the Promised Jewish Messiah, the Eternal Covenant and the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. 

Nostra Aetate does not say that non Catholics are saved in general in their religion or that they do no need to convert. If it did, it would contradict Ad Gentes 7, which says all need Catholics Faith and the baptism of water for salvation.

 How can there by a theology of religions with the Jews when the Church teaches that they are all oriented to Hell unless they convert into the Catholic Church ?. This is a reference to the Letter of the Holy Office 1949 issued by Pope Pius XII to the Archbishop of Boston. The tension there was with the Jews.The Letter referred to 'the dogma', the 'infalllible teaching'. The dogma says specifically that Jews need to convert to avoid the fires of Hell.(Cantate Domino, Council of Florence 1441).

International Theological Commission (ITC)-Christianity and the World Religions 1997

100. Faced with the historical, epistemological or theological oversimplification of the relationship between Christianity and the other religions in the pluralist theology, it is necessary to take as our point of departure the different vision of the religions in the declaration Nostra Aetateof Vatican Council II. It describes what the religions of the world have in common, to wit, the attempt "to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each [religion] in its own manner, by proposing 'ways', comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites" (no. 2), but without denying differences that are equally fundamental: The different forms of Buddhism show man ways through which he perceives the meaning of being by recognizing the radical insufficiency of this contingent world; in the richness of the myths of Hinduism, in its ascetical practices and deep meditations is expressed the trusting search of a refuge in God. With Islam, the Church has more in common, since it recognizes that its followers "adore the one God ... the Creator of heaven and earth" (NA 3).

Lionel: There are good and holy things in other religions but the religions are not paths to salvation. All their members, with no known exception, need to convert into the Catholic Church to avoid Hell.(AG 7,LG 14).We may have much in common with Catholics as Catholics. However if there are Catholics in mortal sin at the time of death they are oriented to Hell.

Buddhists and Hindus need to convert for salvation and Muslims who adore the one God are oriented to Hell.(AG 7,LG 14).God is one. There is one Creator for all- but Hell exists.

ITC
Recognizing in total clarity what separates us, we cannot, nonetheless, ignore common elements in history and in doctrine. Christianity is united with Judaism in its origin and in their rich common heritage. The history of the covenant with Israel, the confession of the one and only God who reveals himself in that history, the hope in God who comes and in his future kingdom—all this is common to Jews and Christians (cf NA 4). A Christian theology of the religions must be able to express theologically the common elements and the differences between its own faith and the convictions of different religious groups.

Lionel: How can there by a theology of religions with the Jews when the Church teaches that they are all oriented to Hell unless they convert into the Catholic Church. This is a reference to the Letter of the Holy Office 1949 issued by Pope Pius XII to the Archbishop of Boston. The tension there was with the Jews.The Letter referred to 'the dogma', the 'infalllible teaching'. The dogma says specifically that Jews need to convert to avoid the fires of Hell.(Cantate Domino, Council of Florence 1441).

Nostra Aetate does not say that non Catholics are saved in general in their religion or that they do no need to convert. If it did, it would contradict Ad gentes 7, which says all need Catholics Faith and the baptism of water for salvation.

Nostra Aetate does say that the Church is the' new people of God'. Catholics are the Chosen People.They have the Promised Jewish Messiah, the eternal covenant and the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass.

ITC
The council situates the task in a tension between two aspects: On the one hand, it contemplates the unity of the human race based on a common origin (NA 1). For this reason, anchored in the theology of creation, "the Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions" (NA 2). But on the other hand, the same Church insists on the necessity to announce the truth which is Christ himself: "Indeed, she [the Church] proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ 'the way, the truth, and the life' (Jn 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself (2 Cor 5:18—19)" (NA 2).

Lionel: The Church proclaims Christ within the Catholic Church only.The Catholic Church only is the Mystical Body of Christ and not the other churches and denominations. There can be elements of sanctification outside the Church's visible boundaries but this would be known only to God.Only God can judge we cannot assume that everything is good and holy in other religions.Other religions have 'deficiencies, errors and superstition' too,says Dominus Iesus. Dominus Iesus and the Notification on Fr.Jacques Dupuis reject the theology of religions.

Lionel Andrades

1.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_cti_1997_cristianesimo-religioni_en.html



Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The International Theological Commission's position paper Christianity and the World Religions 1997 has an objective factual error and is approved by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger : invincible ignorance is not an exception to the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2012/03/international-theological-commissions.html#links

Monday, March 26, 2012
INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION ASSUMES ‘SEEDS OF THE WORD’ (VATICAN COUNCIL II ) IN OTHER RELIGIONS ARE KNOWN TO US AND THIS IS AN EXPLICIT EXCEPTION TO THE DOGMA EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2012/03/international-theological-commission.html#links

VATICAN'S INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION MAKES AN ERROR IN ITS POSITION PAPER CHRISTIANITY AND THE WORLD RELIGIONS
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2012/03/vaticans-international-theological.html#links