EXTRA ECCLESIAM NULLA SALUS
It is a dogma of divine faith that the Catholic Church is reqoate
for salvation. It is also perfectly certain that a man who dies as a
non-member of the Church can attain to the beatific vision. Theo-

b’

different explanations offered in modern times.
The first ir.’erpmtati·»!! v.ould state the necessity of the Chard’ur
salvation merely in function of our Lord’s command that all men shoui·:
enter the socktv which He established. If this explanation shcc-a ·(
accurate, then ‘.he proposition extra Ecclesiam nul:* sains v.ou;·: :·.
restriited to m<..ir..- "No one who is culpably outside the Catholic

3

5

Church can be s-.ivc.l.”
Actually the ( adtiaic reaching <·η ;he necessity of the C'r■’■ •rInr
salvation goes far bcyir.d the truth that a person who is out=:>:<' ”■
Chun o '.'.rough bis own iaulr is not in a position m enter iiV····.
frie iôii;-t'; ('ιϊ’,·"ο·; of the Lateran teaches that: "There is ·,·:···· -1
\er-.il < htirch of the i.iithiul. outside of which no one at all is save i.
The Decree for trie Jacobites formulate ’ by rhe Council
Ftotrn^
‘■firmly believes, prêtasses and tc.iJa.-s that rone (if tia-se .-.■■■ erf.-’i within the Cat hoi:·: Church, r.eirbtr pagans nor Jews, Irervt:·-4
hisinat-j-ÿ, i.-;n i.e^ori·,· yart.tatTS of eternal life: but tha1 the." ‘•‘·
going to go into - ne ereri!,:! .’n· •.’■hi- h is prepared ϋτ the de’· :i '·':i;
ang-ds unless they become atrac'u■ I ro jt [>,. (- u;,
,· jii;- ■·' ; ,·: r·’
the en·', 'if iik."2
i ho-sc
w->uî Ï r/M be tr*.i
Chumb necessary
salvation merely nitb t.v: ne.’essity
i '>mnt:r:.in -i’,L cx:s'<. The < ’ounciis > on the ->i:he.- han I. describe the
f'hurch as requisite fcr ail men f it ! ■■■:: ex.Tf·:·-. -hi1.· :-J
T-cria is r.’iLy ne<'.'.s=;-;ry with the
necessity of preopt. tne - !-··

Inn

OB 714,
.ίιΧ>

EXTRA ECCLESIAM SULLA SALUS

301

±e Church is the ordinary means of salvation. Like its pre«ftsur. this explanation fails afoul oi the Conciliar pronouncements
-r. the nt; essitv of the Church.. The Councils and the other organs oi
•.lie teaching which have stated the necessity of the Church insist
that in some wav everv tierson must be connected with or attached to
■Ç n.ur-’h of Jesus Christ in order to achieve salvation, lhe state·.-ii.;:, the Church is the ordinary vehicle of salvation merely takes
. ;.-.i ui the fact that men who die without being members of the
Church of Jesus Christ may be saved. The fact is unquestioned,
tis not an explanation of lhe dogma as it appears in tne pronounce·
merits of the Church.
îàe third irierpretation is much more common. It asserts that, in
.ruer ω be save··, a man must belong at ’east to the ssr.d ot the < atholic
.r r.. Thi- >. xpkination is preferable to its two predecessors in that
'1.1·:·..' count at least of the universal meaning attached to ,hc

a·· ·η rm E oicsiam nidla sdus. According to the prononeits of
L. - .".iert station no man whatsoever can be saved unless he belonts
' some
tr :*i;.'t tn the soul of the Catholic ( aurch.
n .ire sharply different ways <>f understanding what r.a ter!n
; ■!· (
means when it is used to cxpiuin the trU'i'<->'>
• ilirfuffl ;.i<da
Sicce use tbi·1 term to designate i.he ^ir<
I '= .r. ■ : the Blessed Trinitv. Those who v.omd -buà/”;,' :»
‘ /
: ’ < . .rh" or I >■ " mt rubers of the Soul of the Ciiur.h m uly would be those λ ho ’ivc the life o' sanctnym? ura·· e w hie
* ‘tnen in the '.rdweiling t.f the Holy tlbost.
As i.>r ,-.ϊ :’;■.■·>· theologians are con-’crtitil, t-l‘ axiom <■■·■'·1 ■’ ■

n,t-..m· that there is r.o salvation tor tne mai :
-tut .· û: grace. Looked ri ir. this wa; ■ t ■’ *·'· ’
.·
·■ ■■ ■..■·■ ·. - - «■ «.ty of ««tfïtaî
.■ η·.Λ"
■ . < .··;·. 11. It is difficult <c
hu*
*■ - Λΐ;
.. f..
■’ 'ii' ·. m’y ;·. uauate interpret .it'.'-’ti o‘- >·· ·’ '·Λ *
■ ·■ ·:·.. Li.'.-.'T.in -r 1 Ftor-cwe.
t... 1-, ,-ia<b·■V. must remember ' lAvvir dtai "t i- by ■·■’ m ~ *B
„r»ss:or5
qC,«. tfa en.h,.»1 <~n<y
d.vW
f .
^r.t·.··· tre-themselves the in virt. pt" ■·
- __ _
;

·’ .. h.·.·

-

.mï *

“‘"h
L-· oik church, and thus, : · Ira.· >.<r.·;· -*·

/f
•»

t

·-;

302

the insiitutior: which <>ur
founded as the neres-ury
pa!» ation.
On the other hand, when a man trie.' to explain the nece*.
Church lor salvation by stressing the connection or the ht
with the Church, he does not take· into account any immed:.
ence of the person who is to Le saved with the i ‘hurth ?> s’.
Conciliar pronouncements insist that nr· man ran be saved "
Church. The theologian irho reiies on the· corccpt
t!;e >
Church simp'y insists that nor. only the person who is save,
very life of grace itself are sometimes ί·> Le found m aon-r:s
the Church. This is perfectly correct, but it. is no adc'itiate
tion of the teaching proposed in the axiom extra Ei-ricrja'K i"
Moreover this explanation is subject to disapproval 011 ·.!’.·.’
01 terminology. If v,c take the soul of the Church to met·: ci
the Holy (.«host or the life oi grace which exists within men a4 ;
of the inhabitation of the Blessed Trinity in their souls, the·’,
the expressions "member of the soul of the Chunh” and
to the soul of the Church” are quite inadmissabk·. l;,e ■,ot the Cnurch" is nietaphoric.i·, and. ihe-e is an inexcu.-doæ r
metaphors when a ικτχηη is described as a ‘’member" et :
(«host, or as "btiùr.giniî to” the state of grim

5

■

sui ii difnru’ty exists of course when an
.ite-ι aj-too-prevaær.t notior, of the s>«j! of
explaining tne statement rr.'r.; Æ'v/esf.nî; ru:
mere could be member* of 1 society c<-.m;_..>se
ot good ■.'.III ami in the state of gr.ti-e, as th·
th

C.

rhe persons who uiiii
•sç- of th.· ( ":ur.·

of the Ch

! .!iey ii.'i :i
‘■-.r L·-rd.

ave tr

I

-Hl !-.:r, u

“ ot '·υ. ή ,ι

As j
c.'.nr

7

? the

303

EXTRA ECCLESIAM NVLLA SALL’S

- ,rif<l variations oi these expressions. It states that. in order to be
;ni.d nun ekher be a member of the C atlioiic (,hun.h or ùuen ■ «»
-- «■■..· member. Alone among the procedures used to explain the
.5<:y of the Church. this one is j>erfectly consonant with ah the
.
and Conciliar pronouncements on the subject. No man
t r can be saved without actually willing to iixc a..d tr n.e

■ • !m
he its
< iiurci;
oi perspective
jesus < nrbi.
pr<>per
then the axiom extra Ecclesiam nulla
>j’-oViiriui ar.·’ profound statement of the fact that the charity
.d-sniutely requisite for eternal life involves a sincere desire
c’! aid.in the Catholic Church which is the House of the lord.
-· c.in !/.- s.j.ii> o> i(,ve Gori with the affection of benevolence or
't’ip ".nkss he actually wishes to do what God has commanded.
ll "t v. ;hs that men should worship Him. not as scattered and
t:;<ht idu.xlo. but as members of a society which is the
.’■ra of God. No man can be said to have charity unies* -he
■->t.y
to spe-iKiiig,
enter thisitKingdom.
is not
essarv that the person irw na? chun.y
n. ly informed about the identity oi mu true t n.urcn of

J

■ · '· r-ï-t in thp Λ-ortd. Ilius it is perfectly possible that a man
■ i tr.tvr.d to live within the Sheepfold oi ( hrist and at die same
a’·! ;.f aware that the Roman Catholic Church is the society —
'■ Ire error which beclouds bis mind does not change ins vi ■■■

■ *·ν.';η.

He lives as ime possessed o* tnat tintorfni^erh-iti.-s a.o.ii
■ i _ .....-x.ro;.a! factor in tnc Catm>i:<.·

Fr;

M

unity/

He truly intends to ne no.........

m/mmd ’charity is absolu’·^ ^^‘^ïJch of Jesu

.•η: < ir. !.··:
........... ;
..
; latter t.ct ;mddots-exist apu

:!;e virtue oi i.ia·-.·
the <>ate of grace

man wito has -.hanty·

Thi

.

i:ic Roman Co rL-i.i!iv Cnurc.·:. x:.t,
e only interpreration fully •;o>'.so:.;l
■ - -.nriife :iie ί."ιΐϊΓ·± no ·
■n tilt

It accc
; <f r?
V- i. V, p.

:s (>r WI’.<> ir.tenu

wi;r.

tine
< core'

and <

THE AMERICAN ECCLESIASTICAL REVIEW

3*>4

rc'igious affiliation whatsoever cannot be saved and are going ht
everùstir.g rire unless they attach themselves t« th<: Roman (.'.·π:η:;-. L·-

fere they die.
Furthermore it explains the assertion of Pope Bor.iiacc VfiF x t;
Sanctam to the effect that outside the Catholic (.'hurrh -ti.:1·.
is neither salvation nor the remission of sins.”4 Both 'hi- i,t
vi-ion .vid the forgiveness of sins ve nuite impossible ap.r - -.
cl;.:r::y Evidently, according to lhe Magisterium of t'æ (; ,!t:·
that rhnantie factor which enters into the r»ro<ess of juiiiikV.i.,,·;
into the achievement <-,f the Beatific Vison is something whica tenJ’
inexorably to bring a man within the actual unity of the Catholic
< hur. h. That utron h vital and voluntary. ( )η die parr of tbe r^n
who is already within the communion of the i'adaiijc Chun·’;, the
<i»:orfraternitatis <iem;rids a willingness to live and die -.νίτί-:·?
,., -,
rv tgtous society. It: t.’:f· man « ho is not enrolled an'mig the ."’er.·.· .r1
of .ne Church, it produces ·ι
desire to enter and '·> rema:.·-· : ; ·;·..·
true Chunh. The man aho iris charity belongs to the < h-;r<?. .·
least by intention.
There have been, and unf.-ri i.itiie.'y ikc-e still are tenden·’·?.»\>-tgar.l tj-.,· ejrira Ecclesiam untie. s,
as a doctrine in some way offtrI(,v
to ·ή·- se oui side the Cat’ii.ac ( ■
■i.'r-'.’i. Thus Doctor Karl Adim at-;
th.s teaching as -aim.·.!
nor,-t athoiic religious communions
though not directed agam^r r-i· ■
i.'ese societies/
Unse tendencies distort the ven- nnm.irg
ma. Actually
’he teaching on the ne.x%sity ,.f :ht t’.-phc’!:'
he re»cg:i;tion
<» a divinely revealed truth, v> t-.p effer
of (·>«! ’.éâi
ourLordconimaniitx:.n
Church. In telling men tLn rjJe
ί ",ra·
«η,*
riw i

·« Givme charity.
The thesis
< atg.jhc missiolegy.

Ti-.t- Chorri·

puq> »se which her di-i.-,» p„.
acts so that m-n n:av ?
this mtsW the ceS
consists in an eff ,n
<«■·« Or
*/54<Λ
», 5 ' r'/f
«‘«..a.cjt; tX,

.. .

f

:7_
.
-1'
,
Λ‘
:
ω
v.
ή r.^·

T:w

;hc ( l ,r··
- I.:·· I - a·*sr*•:·',Ρ.’·ί.·ΐΟ:ί. N, Itswfivgy

■
-*■ «ev-w..- Γ.,

works lo bring men το believe our Lord's teaching, and to love

- ■m rhe Sl-ecptoi ί οι Jesus Christ which :s ihe Roman (.
e the man who b.is charity mu^t n'-cessarily intend to
' ■' -' i <;■. ■.·.·?.iiin the- Church. So it is ’'nt. exert from the jyiinl of
: :i· sc ·λ!ι·> Ι.ι'-ι·!:! fr-'U' tire missionary activity of the- Church,
■!’ >K;:) c upon
avion; .-·.>■.■.><’ Ε,γ!-.<ι'·ι»ι >
s<:lus :< cssenti.iily
'■ æ - ùii-.i· i.! d e exigent i<·' of .-harity.
■i;p "’^srorutry ••■.bo otters his rife to carry the faith and the Church
1 -Se ■il.-.crs v.here the < 'hur-. ’r has no; a< yet been properly e<':ib■ tie·. '.' or? to bring mve r.'"re than the "ordinary met-i.·' of -alvat! ’-i· ’ He w orks to brng men t>j Love Cod, a:■> I to offer them tbe very
■■d;;rI-1 d’eir love for God will dema:·..! ttr.it they sh-add Join.
I'· l,rtngs them the society which aionc rot·:- tutheniy and
■'
’

,

■■•'•Jri» ■ d.e d-.cTme of Christ. He gives hi.- ■ ·.■■■/£ the op.p >rtunity
’ ‘ “ ■’ ttie institution -.vbi· li '■■ur Lor i w‘.::>y -bould enter.
,f;:e Γ·.:«.·.;ο.·ι;..π· works in order that men m.iy posses- the ' nly
and eteniai happiness axai.’.ible to t-nm. CHius
is mod’.:1' ; hy lixir,e ■ harity. seeking t::egi >ry
God and the perte, t good

-en. ju
'y : he same ••■.ay he labors ». · fu’'i the evict;·.' :·«
ot;· h. those among whom hi- works. lie strt’.ts to brine
the

.

y y )γ.. a .j.. .

(fiVt. :^r ç-( j derr.auds.

, j'le Jf"[y l-'athi r's En yc'.icv .If
^7
■

t_.oy.'r:\ -upport' t.h- ti'eo-

wh···· have exp-aini J 'h» -Jogn'a =·γ> :Ιυ·
of t’ s (’>·.<■■.·
11 -‘or salvatio;·, bv staimc ib.-.t. ir nr-:'ir ;■> !.>■ ■'.-.ved ;· ·'>..'< ::~i

. /
*: πντηΐυ- ·:ί rr.e ' r
l;" '<t'” s-.ys ioie J’ijsXll.

or

υ· \·'·πν .
ήτ.
t---e '.·■:■■ .rcdhhbl i;· ■’ ddi

s cnr.i;t be ux:'-a ‘.’.".e· fi-'-ay - :■ '' ·=' this,
· -■ no'
'v
fife
its -.re <!isi:ie Spirit
-words- r ·. -. i ■■·
-■ '
t-L-ticctivc a·:! ■·:
prec .<■■ » -.ry
j ' 'ru·.·.:.·:; !.. ·;·Λ<·ο in ·..>:■ House if ik’d
.
::uc *'·. ih:* -m utio.'-’d ntterjirrted n. ·■ h'· ii first t. j ear' '
-f.cv ·■’irh e’ e v rungs of In·.mas -tapletor.’ and S".

*■

*

i.'
o 1".
--·
• - . <._.. .. .. „-f .1/ ifr-» sai Sptiwii as tar.Æs of the Church in tier,·· · ■
■
.... ..--si:· .; J.·. Ch-ir.h -or salvat'.on.
!■·. mys'ieo illo co-.i-.içio i · ■
' f *' 'i Fat tea Ct.-isus sint Exics.. . -din .-e sciBret <i
:

ουο

THE AMERICAN ECCLESIASTICAL REVIEW

Robert Bellarmine,3 the Catholic C
hurch is requisite for sal··-;,
because charity it.-eli is necessary, The shcep of Christ helm·; xi
the Sheepfold. It is the will of our Lord that they should rca?.· Lt:

to enter the Church, and that their intention should neither U ft-·
trated nor neglected. ‘'And other sheep I have that are r.-:t <■! itohi: mem also I must bring, and they shall near my vice ar. i a'
shall be one add and one shepherd.”9
JÏ asltingi w. D. C.

Joseph

C: π ford I'fa" '·

saltem euscïp;tn:i«. licet non in re semper adiuncu'· necne Ec-.ksh ;.:egenerat.'’ I Prind^oru-.K Hdei Daclrin.dium Dcni-^utr uh> h!-:''.odia:. Parj. *5“
Controversia IV, Lib. VIII. p. 514.) Stapleton taught dot then? is r.- Ί,-. .:· '
outside the Church because there is no salvation apart fn>r·' charity ar.: " admit,
outside the Church. tCi. op. di.. p. 316.)
■’ St. Robert u>ed th.· same terminology shortly after Srio-ct-w's i»'< i“7 ■·'
“Respondeo igitur, <,uo.j dicitur, extra Ecclesiam Remitter:', salvari, i-.rei-c: · "·
de iis o-j; neque re ip^v neu desiderio sunt de Ecclesia, sicut üe
'
ruur.iter toquurtur tneo,op. Quoniam autem Catecbxrr.cr.i. -1r·1’·" ‘v·Sd···'· ' *
suat in Ecta.sia. jrfco salvari possunt.” (Pe Eeclc.d.i
C·'1?
"
Ing-Mstadt rdiLon .,f the Controversies, 1586, Vol. I, cc.j. [Jod..
a John 10: 10.

Answers to Questions
THE COSTUME OF ALTAR-BOYS
Question: It is our custom to dress the ait.ir-boys ’.r. red γ.Aile
;:·/! ill black cassocks durinc Lent and .it R^'d
—"’ Xsaered

: the pure of surplis. Is there any .!*'*> ' ·. forb-riding; thic practice or requiring a;tar-t^ - ■- -k ca-w-wk and Vnen surplice?
he on;-.- icgish-.i-ju which we nave uevn
■-.■ -.•-i-tumc of a!tar-l>oys is .1 decree of uic
■■■'*■■ Ju-v
Λ.

*

■

, ., t(. find
a J-Con_
.
i œX-

stirnii- c in. the dressofsan-tu.iry b >i -l·
•iring these Jti.rMi like miniature P^

. ;

■ « w <.i red caMcta by »·
to I»
'.ames red or i tack as the c°l'’r 01 l**e * “
an(j the
iir.. ( ‘-nr
n -.w'erer.ce is for the black Ci£S0
-e i.ir th..- b»vsc a.-tivdy engage i as masters « c<
- j

Kent

■ >·■«■

■ G· iSI'EL OF THE SECOND SUNOAA IN L i'*

Ow.crf»,.· I notre that the Gospel of the Second Sunday ji.

.. ...................

‘

■ -.· -

’

/

.·■ t

ζc not rexa: ..........................

g«<x·:

•^ojb·

i t.e rr,.·.s-1- *■ v
«ΜΛ-«Βί\·β cL-vs is a hist* ric---o..
I· .-.V « .>f two successis-e «.-ys ω a
L . -..—..non m tie
... ai;UrL-;<0< .u-.·, :r.r M<" ■· ·■
Ori^TF.rdwr Sururiy
·
; Sun...A' Koriinb 4 the

!ύ . ·.··, 1;

.»^»1*1

·:

■lose of an d'.-nicht '?-’"· **
L~-0cH)atc i

rh*U.

MBS®

; ?

,ht. .<d; t,...-, n :

e

'Xbrakd, not aiU-.r a n chtdan-i