After several years of study, the Vatican's International Theological Commission said there are good reasons to hope that babies who die without being baptized go to heaven.There is no official Catholic doctrine about limbo, just hundreds of years of tradition. As the article goes on to say, Augustine held in the 4th century that unbaptized infants went to hell. But the Catholic Church softened this view and taught that it wasn't fair to believe infants were condemned to hell when they had no knowledge of sin and salvation. But, on the other hand since they were not baptized there was no straight ticket to heaven either. Hence, limbo. And a stern warning to parents to get your children immediately baptized lest bad things happen to them.
In a document published April 20, the commission said the traditional concept of limbo -- as a place where unbaptized infants spend eternity but without communion with God -- seemed to reflect an "unduly restrictive view of salvation."
The church continues to teach that, because of original sin, baptism is the ordinary way of salvation for all people and urges parents to baptize infants, the document said.
But there is greater theological awareness today that God is merciful and "wants all human beings to be saved," it said. Grace has priority over sin, and the exclusion of innocent babies from heaven does not seem to reflect Christ's special love for "the little ones," it said.
"Our conclusion is that the many factors that we have considered ... give serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision," the document said.
The anabaptist (adult baptism) Brethren tradition could never accept the idea that God would condemn an innocent child to hell. But once you were were old enough to know the difference between right and wrong then it was decision time - for baptism (or not) and hell was back on the table. Many still believe in this kind of God, of course, but I am not one of them.
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It ought to be noted that the media, as usual, got this one wrong. This theological commission has no magisterial authority and the Pope simply accepted a report. He did not endorse its teachings and has not taught that there is no such thing as Limbo. No Church teaching changed, even though the media, as usual, jumps at any opportunity to make it look as if the Church is changing. It is absolutely reprehensible coverage and proves that one should wait for documents to be taught by bishops, and NOT by secular media, who wouldn’t know anything about Limbo or Catholic doctrine if it jumped up and bit them. The media clearly has a secular and “progressive” agenda, which would love to see Church changes in other areas, such as women in the priesthood, etc. Those things won’t change either.
For further information, check out the blog, Zadok the Roman.
Since when is the Catholic News Service secular media?
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