In Latin, an important use of the accusative case is with prepositions. Prepositions and the nouns or pronouns they go with show direction toward, time, the means by which something is done, where and when something is done, purpose, and various other kinds of directions.
As an adverb, the word "extra" in Latin is properly translated into English as "outside." However, the same word in the maxim Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus is a preposition which takes the accusative case. It is, therefore, more accurately translated into English as "without." Consequently, the maxim Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus is more accurately translated into English as "Without the Church there is no salvation."
Why is this so important? Because, for the Feeneyites, the maxim means that an individual who is not formally a practicing Catholic cannot be saved. The Church has condemned this interpretation (cf. Denzinger-Schonmetzer, 3870-3873).
As Pope John Paul II explains:
"The Council speaks of membership in the Church for Christians and of being related to the Church for non-Christian believers in God, for people of good will (cf. Lumen Gentium 15-16). Both these dimensions are important for salvation, and each one possesses varying levels. People are saved through the Church, they are saved in the Church, but they always are saved by the grace of Christ. Besides formal membership in the Church, the sphere of salvation can also include other forms of relation to the Church. Paul VI expressed this same teaching in his first encyclical, Ecclesiam Suam, when he spoke of the various circles of the dialogue of salvation (cf. Ecclesiam Suam 101-117), which are the same as those indicated by the Council as the spheres of membership in and of relation to the Church. This is the authentic meaning of the well-known statement 'Outside the Church there is no salvation.'" (Crossing the Threshold of Hope, pp. 140-141).
6 comments:
Paul, your efforts at exposing the Saint Benedict Center's theology of hate are now beginning to pay off. Now that the SPLC has listed the Saint Benedict Center as an anti-Semitic hate group, the organization is finished.
It is important, if we are to have a dialogue with others in our society who aren't Catholic, to do two things: to define what Catholicism IS and what it is NOT.
Your Blog does that quite admirably.
Keep it up.
I just posted this at the Keene Sentinel blog:
For years I have admired Paul Melanson's ability to cut through nonsense and to critically analyze individuals and movements who engage in double-speak. As a Catholic philosopher, the man doesn't miss much. Yesterday, he shared another observation with me. Back in January, Mr. De Lalla - an SBC supporter - wrote this:
Eugene R. De Lalla
1/5/2007 7:22:26 AM
"DeAnna Martin has made some good points. Funny, how liberals and the anti-Catholics (and let's face it, that's what is going on here!) seem to "tolerate" the bizarre and their own twisted views, but when it comes to SBC -- a Catholic organization in good standing with Rome (surprise!) catering to ALL those of good will, the true intolerance surfaces. The phony issue "expansion" at the "expense" of additional taxes to the town coffers, is just that -- phony. I am not a resident of Richmond, but I have attended the SBC for nearly 9 years now. My Faith life has blossomed into what it is supposed to be: to honor and pay glory to God Almighty. The folks at SBC are top-notch. I urge the SBC to never give an inch!"
Mr. De Lalla referred to the SBC as a "Catholic organization in good standing with Rome." And other SBC supporters have stated that the SBC is in union with the Diocese of Manchester - although the Diocese says otherwise.
But here is Mr. Melanson's observation. SBC supporters, and I believe Mrs. Villarrubia is one of them, have referred to the SBC as an "independent monastery." But independent from what or whom? Either the SBC is "in good standing with Rome" and the Diocese of Manchester or it is not. If it is, why doesn't the organization have the indult for the Latin Mass and why is it that the Bishop hasn't given the organization his permission to operate within the Diocese?
Every individual and movement which engages in lies will eventually be exposed as a fraud. That time has arrived for the SBC.
My first exposure to SBC was via the internet and I was impressed with their charism and traditionalism. I subscribed to their periodical "From the Housetops" and for the most part the articles are dead on Orthodox Catholic. Only over the years I became increasingly uncomfortable with the book selling section and this declaration of "no one outside the Roman Catholic Church can be saved" Then there was something on how persecuted Feeney was by the Church - another red flag.
More recently there was an article on Limbo, how it was absolutely necessary for it to exist and there was definately a "hostile tone" toward the Church. Very slowly, and oh so subtlely you get a "we are more Catholic than the Pope. We adhere to the TRUTH while all others, including the Roman Catholic Church have left the Truth" So dangerous!
Keep up the good work Paul!
sanctus belle: thankfully you recognize the SBC for what they really are: dangerous. If you and the other readers of Paul's blogspot really want to see a member of this hate group in action, go www.sentinelsource.com and register to pull up their archives. Search for Eugene R. De Lalla, a SBC follower, and read his many letters to the editor. Of particular note is one printed in the 10/18/06 issue of the Keene Sentinel. Please share this and any other letters of his with as many people as possible. We must expose SBC. The mere fact that people like this even think this way is upsetting enough. But, they are proud of their intolerance and publicly spew venomous remarks about anyone who is not exactly like them. It is chilling and reminds me of the Aryan Nation.
What makes matters worse, is Mr. DeLalla is moving to Richmond from the neighboring town of Troy. Can you imagine? There are already enough intolerant residents. Does Richmond need even one more?
Please pray for us. Please try to help us.
Thank you Sanctus Belle. Someone who is in support of the Saint Benedict Center left a rather disturbing comment at this Blog today which said that I should be silenced forever.
Pray for these people. And pray for me.
Paul: I hope you reported this to the proper authorities. Did you save this email? If, so, would you please send it to a blogspot www.sbcwatch.blogspot.com. Thank you and please know you are in my thoughts.
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