Can Heretics Go to Heaven?

Certain ultra-traditional groups will sometimes say “Heretics” can’t go to heaven, but are they correct? After all, what is the difference between the natures of Heresy and Christianity? This a topic that has resurrected in the late years due to the increase of violence in the Middle East and the tensions between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. I here choose to explain why a Heretic might be able to enter heaven.

Point 1: Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus (No Salvation Outside the Church)

What’s the Church?

Ephesians 1:22-23

“And he hath subjected all things under his feet, and hath made him head over all the church, [23] Which is his body, and the fulness of him who is filled all in all.”

The Body of Christ is the Church, however, we can remember that Jesus established ONE Body as well “Under this Rock I Establish my Church” (Rf. St Matthew 16:18). Then now that we know what’s the Church of Christ is then let’s proceed.

Are those outside the Church damned to hell?

If you truly do not understand this doctrine, then most likely you will say, however, the correct answer is no. This is because the Grace of the Body extends to the world, for Christ died for ALL Gentiles and Jews, but of course, we are the call to accept him (Rf. 2 Corinthians 5:15).

“Be not deceived, my brethren: If anyone follows a maker of schism [i.e., is a schismatic], he does not inherit the kingdom of God; if anyone walks in strange doctrine [i.e., is a heretic], he has no part in the passion [of Christ]. Take care, then, to use one Eucharist, so that whatever you do, you do according to God: For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup in the union of his blood; one altar, as there is one bishop, with the presbytery and my fellow servants, the deacons” (Letter to the Philadelphians 3:3–4:1 [A.D. 110]).

Before you jump into the “aha No Salvation Outside the Church”, then analyze this verse from one of St Ignatius of Antioch Epistle, look clearly what he’s saying “if anyone follows a schismatic”, now let’s move ahead in time and ask St Irenaeus what’s his opinion on this topic:

““[The spiritual man] shall also judge those who give rise to schisms, who are destitute of the love of God, and who look to their own special advantage rather than to the unity of the Church; and who for trifling reasons, or any kind of reason which occurs to them, cut in pieces and divide the great and glorious body of Christ, and so far as in them lies, destroy it—men who prate of peace while they give rise to war, and do in truth strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel. For they can bring about no ‘reformation’ of enough importance to compensate for the evil arising from their schism. . . . True knowledge is that which consists in the doctrine of the apostles, and the ancient constitution of the Church throughout all the world, and the distinctive manifestation of the body of Christ according to the successions of the bishops, by which they have handed down that Church which exists in every place [i.e., the Catholic Church]” (ibid., 4:33:7–8).”

Irenaeus, he clearly shows that there is only ONE truth, and he condemns those who starts schisms, however, nowhere he actually tells us, all those who are deceived and do not wish for violence against the Body of Christ will be damned…only those who wish to stain their hands with the Blood of the Faithful will see the Wrath of God upon their Judgment Day.

Now I bring forward pieces of the Letter of the Holy Office from the Headquarters of the Holy Office from August 8, 1949, wrote to the Most Reverent Archbishop of Boston, Richard J. Cushing.

However, this dogma must be understood in that sense in which the Church herself understands it. For, it was not to private judgments that Our Savior gave for explanation those things that are contained in the deposit of faith, but to the teaching authority of the Church.

Now, in the first place, the Church teaches that in this matter there is a question of a most strict command of Jesus Christ. For He explicitly enjoined on His apostles to teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever He Himself had commanded (Matt. 28: 19-20).

Now, among the commandments of Christ, that one holds not the least place by which we are commanded to be incorporated by baptism into the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church, and to remain united to Christ and to His Vicar, through whom He Himself in a visible manner governs the Church on earth.

Therefore, no one will be saved who, knowing the Church to have been divinely established by Christ, nevertheless refuses to submit to the Church or withholds obedience from the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ on earth.

Not only did the Savior command that all nations should enter the Church, but He also decreed the Church to be a means of salvation without which no one can enter the kingdom of eternal glory.

In His infinite mercy God has willed that the effects, necessary for one to be saved, of those, helps to salvation which is directed toward man's final end, not by intrinsic necessity, but only by divine institution, can also be obtained in certain circumstances when that help are used only in desire and longing. This we see clearly stated in the Sacred Council of Trent, both in reference to the sacrament of regeneration and in reference to the sacrament of penance (<Denzinger>, no. 797, 807).

These things are clearly taught in that dogmatic letter which was issued by the Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius XII, on June 29, 1943, <On the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ> (AAS, Vol. 35, an. 1943, p. 193 ft.). For in this letter the Sovereign Pontiff clearly distinguishes between those who are actually incorporated into the Church as members and those who are united to the Church only by desire.

Discussing the members of which the Mystical Body is composed here on earth, the same august Pontiff says: "Actually, only those are to be included as members of the Church who have been baptized and profess the true faith, and who have not been so unfortunate as to separate themselves from the unity of the Body, or been excluded by legitimate authority for grave faults committed."

Toward the end of this same encyclical letter, when most affectionately inviting to unity those who do not belong to the body of the Catholic Church, he mentions those who "are related to the Mystical Body of the Redeemer by a certain unconscious yearning and desire," and these he by no means excludes from eternal salvation, but on the other hand states that they are in a condition "in which they cannot be sure of their salvation" since "they still remain deprived of those many heavenly gifts and help which can only be enjoyed in the Catholic Church" (AAS, 1. c., p. 243). With these wise words he reproves both those who exclude from eternal salvation all united to the Church only by implicit desire, and those who falsely assert that men can be saved equally well in every religion (cf. Pope Pius IX, Allocution, <Singulari quadam>, in <Denzinger>, n. 1641 ff.; also Pope Pius IX in the encyclical letter, <Quanto conficiamur moerore>, in <Denzinger>, n. 1677).

Finally, it is in no wise to be tolerated that certain Catholics shall claim for themselves the right to publish a periodical, for the purpose of spreading theological doctrines, without the permission of competent Church authority, called the "<imprimatur,>" which is prescribed by the sacred canons.

Therefore, let them who in grave peril are ranged against the Church seriously bear in mind that after "Rome has spoken" they cannot be excused even by reasons of good faith. Certainly, their bond and duty of obedience toward the Church is much graver than that of those who as yet are related to the Church "only by an unconscious desire." Let them realize that they are children of the Church, lovingly nourished by her with the milk of doctrine and the sacraments, and hence, having heard the clear voice of their Mother, they cannot be excused from culpable ignorance, and therefore to them apply without any restriction that principle: submission to the Catholic Church and to the Sovereign Pontiff is required as necessary for salvation.

(For the complete letter please click on this link: http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFFEENY.HTM)

I picked some of the most important Paragraphs out this letter. First, The Catholic Church is the Body of Christ and as it, we are in the mediation of Christ’s Graces to the World. Second, those outside the Body that wishes to know God can be as well saved, however, they are in a situation of uncertainty since they cannot enjoy the gifts of heaven (such the Sacraments). Third, the Baptism of Desire and Blood, while members who received them were not formally members of the Body, the love they had of Christ converted them into members (CCC 1257-1261), as human we are unable to truly see into the heart of others, and say “They do NOT desire to Know God and his CHURCH.”

Now, we can also look at what St. Pope John Paul II said, and he said:

We must acknowledge that, as far as human beings can know and foresee, this practical impossibility would seem destined to last a long time yet, perhaps until the work of evangelization is finally completed. Jesus himself warned that only the Father knows "the exact time" set by him for the establishment of his kingdom in the world (cf. Acts 1:7).

What I have said above, however, does not justify the relativistic position of those who maintain that a way of salvation can be found in any religion, even independently of faith in Christ the Redeemer and that interreligious dialogue must be based on this ambiguous idea. That solution to the problem of the salvation of those who do not profess the Christian creed is not in conformity with the Gospel. Rather, we must maintain that the way of salvation always passes through Christ, and, therefore, the Church and her missionaries have the task of making him known and loved in every time, place and culture. Apart from Christ "there is no salvation".

As Peter proclaimed before the Sanhedrin at the very start of the apostolic preaching: "There is no other name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12).

For those too who through no fault of their own do not know Christ and are not recognized as Christians, the divine plan has provided a way of salvation. As we read in the Council's Decree on Missionary Activity Ad gentes, we believe that "in ways known to himself, God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel" to the faith necessary for salvation (Ad gentes, n. 7).

Certainly, the condition "through no fault of their own" cannot be verified nor weighed by human evaluation, but must be left to the divine judgment alone. For this reason, the Council states in the Constitution Gaudium et Spes that in the heart of every man of good will "grace is active invisibly", and that "the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery" (Gaudium et Spes, n. (22).

(For the full document: https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP950531.htm)

Those who know no better, and not by their fault are far away of the Church might reach salvation, at last, we can see what St Jerome said:

“Heretics bring sentence upon themselves since they chose to withdraw from the Church, a withdrawal which, since they are aware of it, constitutes damnation. Between heresy and schism, there is this difference: that heresy involves perverse doctrine while schism separates one from the Church on account of disagreement with the bishop. Nevertheless, there is no schism which does not trump up a heresy to justify its departure from the Church” (Commentary on Titus 3:10–11 [A.D. 386]).

Therefore, THERE IS NOT SALVATION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH because to begin this, Christ is the head of the Church, and Salvation must pass through him, but not all those OUTSIDE the Church are damned.

Point 2: Should We Have a Dialect with Heretics?

"Protestants, Jews, and Catholics have God, morality, and religion in common. In the name of God, let us do two things: 1. Realize that an attack upon one is an attack upon all since we are all one in God; it is not tolerance we need, but charity; not forbearance but love. 2. Begin doing something about religion, and the least we can do is say our prayers; to implore God's blessings upon the world and our country; to thank Him for his blessings, and to become illumined in the fullness of His truth. There is entirely too much talk about religion and not enough action."

—Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Here we can see that he said “least we can do is say our prayers” since we belong to the Body of Christ, we do participate in the mediation of HIS Graces, and, therefore, Our prayers are more powerful than a mighty sword. Therefore, what is the point of talking to heretics, and having ecumenical dialogue with them? Well, the point is to open them to Christ, at the end, all ecumenism must lead to the truth, “For what is the truth, comes what’s right” –Father Romano Guardini, S.J. If we do not begin to talk with them, how are they truly going to discover Christ? We are instruments of Our Lord. Remember that St. Paul went into Synagogues to preach. He opened the dialogue with thousands of Jews, and many converted. It is our mission to evangelize the world, some people rather sit back while reading Facebook, and they criticize attempts that are been trying to be open for dialogue. When you build a bridge, you do not build it a second, but it takes time…please remember this!