No more Limbo?

[Deimos]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070420/ts_nm/pope_limbo_dc

 

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Roman Catholic Church has effectively buried the concept of limbo, the place where centuries of tradition and teaching held that babies who die without baptism went.

 

In a long-awaited document, the Church's International Theological Commission said limbo reflected an "unduly restrictive view of salvation."

 

The 41-page document was published on Friday by Origins, the documentary service of the U.S.-based Catholic News Service, which is part of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

[Lone Wolf]

I was raised a Catholic in the grade schools back in the early 50's. I got away from the Catholic church and their doctrine many years ago; however, I'm almost certain they used the "limbo" theory the same as they do "purgatory", where souls not worthy of a direct pass to heaven go until the living faithful can pray them into heaven as they are in a holding place to pay the penalty for their sins.

 

All this is totally contrary to biblical teachings, but the Catholic Church use both theories as huge money makers, with donations and prayers for the dead.

[Watusi]

I never understood the concept or the origin for it. I find it interesting that the leaders of the Church can change a fundamental belief and everyone who is a follower is expected to accept it. Perhaps I'm over-simplifying it, if so, I hope one of our Catholic friends will please tell me more about the process.

 

Hopefully those of you who are Catholic will allow me to ask you a couple of other questions...

 

How do you feel about this decision by the Catholic Church?

 

Does this mean the Catholic Church has abandoned the adherence to the concept of "original sin"?

 

How does it affect your faith, if at all?

[colonel-fan]

There may be a practical side to this decision as well:

 

...some have suggested that the possible change is an attempt by the Vatican to prevent people in developing countries with high infant mortality rates turning to Islam - Muslims believe the souls of stillborn babies go straight to paradise.

 

Vatican to review state of limbo

[ladiesbballcoach]

There may be a practical side to this decision as well:

 

...some have suggested that the possible change is an attempt by the Vatican to prevent people in developing countries with high infant mortality rates turning to Islam - Muslims believe the souls of stillborn babies go straight to paradise.

 

Vatican to review state of limbo

I don't think that makes the Vatican or Catholic Church come across in a good light at all. They changed because of pressures of society instead of Biblical teachings? Any church that would change what they believe and what they teach based on society's feelings instead of the teachings of the Bible, has to raise red flags.

[All Tell]

I don't think that makes the Vatican or Catholic Church come across in a good light at all. They changed because of pressures of society instead of Biblical teachings? Any church that would change what they believe and what they teach based on society's feelings instead of the teachings of the Bible, has to raise red flags.

You mean like the Baptist belief prior to the Civil War that slavery had a biblical basis? That changed didn't it?

[scooterbob]

Whether it be Catholics, Baptists, Mormans, Episcopalians, or any of the many others who have "modified" their beliefs, such apparently political changes make one wonder about the validity of each of them. Truths don't "adjust" to meet the times because, if they do, I would suggest we are all wasting our time.

[Watusi]

Let me repeat the most interesting question from my earlier post...

 

Does this mean the Catholic Church has abandoned the adherence to the concept of "original sin"?

 

Or am I off base on that?

[Birdsfan]

Whether it be Catholics, Baptists, Mormans, Episcopalians, or any of the many others who have "modified" their beliefs, such apparently political changes make one wonder about the validity of each of them. Truths don't "adjust" to meet the times because, if they do, I would suggest we are all wasting our time.

All religions have, and will continue to, evolve and change. This applies equally to the denominations of everyone in this thread.

[colonel-fan]

I would note that per the BBC article, limbo has never been part of official Church teaching.

[cch5432]

Whether it be Catholics, Baptists, Mormans, Episcopalians, or any of the many others who have "modified" their beliefs, such apparently political changes make one wonder about the validity of each of them. Truths don't "adjust" to meet the times because, if they do, I would suggest we are all wasting our time.

 

 

It isn't modifying a belief; they reviewed it and decided it was incorrect.

 

Anyways, limbo was more a of theological theory than an actual Catholic "fact" (for lack of a better word).

[cch5432]

I would note that per the BBC article, limbo has never been part of official Church teaching.

That is what is very important to remember here.

[cch5432]

Let me repeat the most interesting question from my earlier post...

 

Does this mean the Catholic Church has abandoned the adherence to the concept of "original sin"?

 

Or am I off base on that?

Way off base. Would a merciful God create a person and give him/her NO chance of salvation?

 

Let me put it this way, say we have a peasent farmer in China who has never heard of Jesus and never gets baptised. Regardless of his behavior, morals, values, ect., Is he doomed to Hell? Not according to the Catholic church.

[cch5432]

How do you feel about this decision by the Catholic Church?

 

 

How does it affect your faith, if at all?

 

On one hand, it is intriguing to change something that has been around for so long; but to me the benefits outweigh the questions. I am happy that the leading theologians of my faith are constantly "checking up" (once again my vocaubulary is lacking) on the ideas of the Church, rather than letting the Faith become stagnant.

[Watusi]

Way off base. Would a merciful God create a person and give him/her NO chance of salvation?

 

Let me put it this way, say we have a peasent farmer in China who has never heard of Jesus and never gets baptised. Regardless of his behavior, morals, values, ect., Is he doomed to Hell? Not according to the Catholic church.

 

Thanks for answering, cch. Admittedly, I don't understand a lot of the theology of the Catholic faith, but it interests me.

 

I always understood that the belief was that we are all born with original sin, and thus, babies had to be baptized or sprinkled to cleanse them of this so they wouldn't end up in limbo if something happened to them.

 

That may not be correct and so I'd like to know from someone who knows, what the truth is about the Catholic belief on that subject.

 

That is why I asked if this decision was affected in any way by a change in the belief about original sin.

 

Thanks in advance for any insight any of you can give me on this.