Salvation for all people of goodwill
Opinion
The recent journey of Pope Francis to Asia and Oceania was widely reported, mostly in a positive way. Remarks he made about the religions of the world were particularly noticed.
These apparently unscripted comments included: ‘all religions are a path to God’; and they are ‘like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all’.
I found them refreshingly clear and, in a world that seems increasingly divided, helpful. But there have been reports that some Catholics are concerned Pope Francis was straying from traditional Catholic teaching. I suspect others were pleased the Catholic Church has finally changed its position!
The Pope’s views are in fact consistent with the teachings of Vatican II and subsequent developments in the Church.
For much of the Church’s history other religions were judged very harshly: ‘there is no salvation outside the church’.
But over time it was increasingly thought a person’s longing and desire for God, even if they were not a member of the Church, might lead to their salvation.
Vatican II was both more expansive and generous. It defined the Church as a universal sacrament of salvation, and the ordinary means of salvation. At the same time, it affirmed that salvation is possible ‘for all people of goodwill in whose hearts grace is active invisibly’. Regarding other faiths, ‘the Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions’. And it urged Catholics to enter into ‘discussion and collaboration with members of other religions’.
Pope Francis is clearly speaking in the spirit of Vatican II. But I think he may also be influenced by Pope St John Paul II’s addresses and writings. Where the Council spoke quite generally about the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world, St John Paul identified many ‘places’ where the Spirit is active: in the lives of religious believers and their traditions; in every authentic prayer, even those to an unknown God; in human values and virtues; in the spiritual riches of the world’s religious traditions; in the dialogue and encounter between members of religious traditions.
It is also important to acknowledge the context of Pope Francis’ comments. He wasn’t writing a formal letter to Catholics or preaching in St Peter’s Square. He was speaking at an interreligious meeting with young people in Singapore, a country with at least five different faiths.
In other words, he was engaging in interreligious dialogue. As he noted in that conversation, dialogue that begins with ‘my religion is superior to yours’ will not be fruitful. It needs to start with an openness to others and their different ways of living, thinking and speaking.
Importantly, here and throughout his journey, Pope Francis reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to interreligious dialogue that can help eliminate prejudices and create a climate of mutual respect and trust. This is certainly needed in our world today.
– Stephen Downs is chair of the Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission
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