What does the Catholic Church believe about other religions?

[MseSwanSFECU]

One of my teachers said once something along the lines of: All world religions recognize some spiritual truth, and are not necessarily wrong, but that Christianity is the most complete form of faith.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Also, if you know, what is the Church's stance on people of other religions going to Hell, etc.

Thanks!


(please only answer if you know what you are talking about, and your answer is relevant to the question. Please do not rant about how you don't like the Pope because he wants sex to be sacred, or that we worship idols, etc. I only want relevant answers and I might have to be a jerk to those who don't comply.)

 

[Marysia]

those that do not accept the gift from God -- aka Jesus Christ - do not have salvation in HIS heaven.

 

[yohanestoro]

The Catholic Church admits there are rays of goodness in the other beliefs but she proclaims out loud that Jesus is the Son of God who came to save us humans through His salvation on the cross....

 

[sisyphus]

Catholicism teaches people of other religions now have the possibility of going to heaven even after hearing about christianity. A few centuries ago if you belonged to a different sect within the same religion as catholicism (ie. a protestant church) you'd end up in hell. I think it's a bit hillarious how religious leaders change their views, but better that than being stuck in the intolerant past.

 

[Wolfeblayde]

The Catholic Church teaches that Protestants have a measure of the truth, but they are hampered in their spiritual walk by the lack of apostolic succession and the spiritual authority that it provides. They are still Christians, however, and can certainly go to Heaven. The Church also believes that if non-Christians have never heard the Gospel through no fault of their own, they may still be saved through the mercy of God in ways known only to Him.

And in any event, the ultimate fate of all souls is in God's hands and is not a matter for human speculation. Those who have committed mortal sin and rejected Christ are in serious danger of hellfire, but even so, no one still living can definitively say that any person has gone to Hell.

 

[almkemmy]

When i was a little Catholic the word was they all had tickets to hell and all you needed to do to get one was to go into their church

 

[cashelmara]

Read Fr. Joseph's answer

 

[almkemmy]

When i was a little Catholic the word was they all had tickets to hell and all you needed to do to get one was to go into their church

 

[cristoiglesia]

The invisible Church are those who have faith in our Lord but one cannot discern who are a part of His invisible Church. However, Jesus and the disciples founded a visible Church and we see the formation of that Church in the book of Acts. This Church is the Catholic Church and is the self-same Church that Jesus prayed that we would all be one within. Otherwise as professed Christians and not being obedient to His Church would place us outside of His will, blessings, promises and grace; if not fully but in great measure. Those outside of His will would be those that some describe as "playing" at Christianity and not following Jesus.


There are some outside of the visible Church which some call a "remnant" that are not be on the path to the narrow gate but may be saved by God's mercy. These are those who seek God but are deceived into being outside of His visible Church by no fault of their own. While not a part of the visible Church they can be considered a part of the invisible Church. So, Jesus and the disciples formed a visible Church as we see after Pentecost recorded in the book of Acts and it could be said that there are those known only to God who are a part of that visible Church against their will or knowledge that will be received in Glory to be a part of the Church Triumphant. But, as one can see in Scripture this is not the ordinary way to be saved through His Church but as an extraordinary example of His mercy.


The gates of hell will never prevail against His visible Church because of the protection of the Church by the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost. The Church is other worldly and heavenly in its nature and is endowed with its holiness and veracity from its founder Jesus. Jesus gave His promises to His visible Church so that the world could see the testimony of His Church as the pillar and ground of the truth and a shining city on a hill (Mat 5:14) It is the will of God that all should be saved by and through His Church as it is the Church that was commissioned to spread the Gospel throughout the world both corporeally and individually. The Church is a refuge and the Ark from the sins and temptations of the world. It is heaven on earth where Christ dwells in the Tabernacles and is worshipped. So if the visible Church ceased to exist it would make Jesus a liar and a pretender as the Messiah and Savior of the world because all of His promises would be proven false.


Unity requires that there be a knowledge and physical manifestation of that unity. That is the Catholic Church which is the visible Church. The invisible Church does not represent unity because it is known only to God which may be unified in faith but not in purpose.


The purpose of the Church is its testimony in spreading the "good news" to the world. That requires a visible unity. The world will never know if those who are in the invisible Church are preserved but the visible Church will always be the witness to the world that it remains after empires and governments have fallen, political ideologies have been born and died and false and counterfeit religions have come and gone. It is a testimony that Jesus is God of the Trinity and that His will be done on earth as well as in heaven regardless of the snares of Satan and His lies against humanity.


In Christ
Fr. Joseph

 

[cashelmara]

Read Fr. Joseph's answer

 

[ElokaD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0kJHQpvgB8