SWW: Would I need your priest or your church's baptism to be ushered into the Kingdom of Heaven? <br><br>Scott: Not necessarily, and if you desired Baptism, I could perform it for you - as could anyone. If you were to die before Baptism, then Baptism of Desire may suffice.<br><br><br>Jason: SWW, it gets even better. You could have never known, never even heard about baptism, Jesus Christ, the Bible, etc., and yet you could very well be saved in Roman Catholicism by the ever expaning Baptism of Desire clause!<br><br>Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. (Lumen Gentium, Article 16 from the Documents of Vatican II)<br><br>This leads to the inevitable conclusion that the Holy Spirit Himself works through the customs and traditions of false religions in order to offer them the possibility of salvation. Pope John Paul II even goes so far as to suggest that it is the Holy Spirit who brings about these other religions in order to sow the seed of salvation through them:<br><br>Furthermore, the salvific action of Jesus Christ, with and through his Spirit, extends beyond the visible boundaries of the Church to all humanity. Speaking of the paschal mystery, in which Christ even now associates the believer to himself in a living manner in the Spirit and gives him the hope of resurrection, the Council states: "All this holds true not only for Christians but also for all men of good will in whose hearts grace is active invisibly. For since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery".<br><br>Hence, the connection is clear between the salvific mystery of the Incarnate Word and that of the Spirit, who actualizes the salvific efficacy of the Son made man in the lives of all people, called by God to a single goal, both those who historically preceded the Word made man, and those who live after his coming in history: the Spirit of the Father, bestowed abundantly by the Son, is the animator of all (cf. Jn 3:34). <br><br>Thus, the recent Magisterium of the Church has firmly and clearly recalled the truth of a single divine economy: "The Spirit's presence and activity affect not only individuals but also society and history, peoples, cultures and religions... The Risen Christ ...is now at work in human hearts through the strength of his Spirit'... Again, it is the Spirit who sows the 'seeds of the word' present in various customs and cultures, preparing them for full maturity in Christ"....Whatever the Spirit brings about in human hearts and in the history of peoples, in cultures and religions, serves as a preparation for the Gospel[/b] and can only be understood in reference to Christ, the Word who took flesh by the power of the Spirit 'so that as perfectly human he would save all human beings and sum up all things'"(Pope John Paul II, Dominus Iesus, June 16, 2000)<br><br><br>So not only is the person in the car accident, found by a Catholic, in a position to be saved by a Baptism of Desire, but the Holy Spirit might work through the ritual of some pagan on an island to make known to him in a mysterious way the paschal mystery, and if this person strives with a clear conscience to please God according to the light he has, Roman Catholicism grants that had he ever heard of Christ or the Gospel and Baptism he would have desired it and is therefore saved.<br><br>A far cry from the Ecumenical Council of Florence:<br><br>"The sacrosanct Roman Church...firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart "into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41), unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, and almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church." (Council of Florence, from Henry Denzinger, The Sources of Catholic Dogma (London: Herder, 1954), p. 230, #714).<br><br>So, SWW, you're in luck, you live after Vatican II!<br><br>The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter...Likewise we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power. Some indeed He has strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood...Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God. In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given [Jews] and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh. On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues. But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohamedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things, and as Saviour wills that all men be saved. (Lumen Gentium, Articles 15 and 16 from the Documents of Vatican II)<br><br><br>If you thought it was fun watching Catholic apologists deal with Trent's statements on merit in Justification, wait until you see how they spin these statements to agree with one another. [Linked Image]<br><br>Blessings,<br><br>Jason