Victoria Moorwood reported in USA Today that in a January 29 interview with Fox News, Vance said: “There’s this old school—and I think it’s a very Christian concept, by the way—that you love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then, after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world. 

“A lot of the far left has completely inverted that. They seem to hate the citizens of their own country and care more about people outside their own borders.” 

In his letter to the US bishops, Pope Francis wrote, “Jesus Christ, loving everyone with a universal love, educates us in the permanent recognition of the dignity of every human being, without exception.” He later noted that he had been following closely “the major crisis that is taking place in the United States with the initiation of a program of mass deportations.” 

Referencing his 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship), Pope Francis continued, “The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25–37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.” The text of the pope’s letter can be found in the 2025 papal letters section at Vatican.va. 

Yes, there is a hierarchy of love, but it begins not with loving your family but first with loving God—and by extension—all those people made in the divine image and likeness. I’m afraid that Vance’s understanding of ordo amoris would nullify not only the good Samaritan parable but also Jesus’ story about those who are condemned for not feeding the hungry (Mt 25:42–46) and the rich man’s indifference to the sufferings of Lazarus (Lk 16:20–25). It would also justify the Pharisee’s contempt for the tax collector praying at the back of the Temple (Lk 18:9–14). 

Augustine’s City of God sharply contrasts God’s values (completely normal in heaven) with the values unfortunately commonly accepted then and now in the earthly city. Would Augustine recognize Vance’s interpretation of ordo amoris? I strongly doubt it. They could perhaps discuss it at the eternal banquet. 

How Did the Rosary Develop? 

I have read different explanations about the origin of the rosary. What’s yours? 

The Hebrew Bible has 150 psalms. Some Christians began to pray 150 Our Fathers, later switching to 150 Hail Marys, organized into the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries. In 2002, St. John Paul II added the luminous mysteries (Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan, the wedding feast of Cana, proclamation of the kingdom of God, the Transfiguration, and the institution of the Eucharist). Because the rosary is a form of private prayer (no matter how many people join in at the same time), such adaptation is perfectly legitimate. 

Which Direction Should a Church Face? 

Why do Catholics no longer face east when celebrating the Eucharist? Who authorized that change and why? 

Unfortunately, people sometimes oversimplify history. In fact, not all Catholic churches have ever been built on an east/west axis. Rome’s Vatican basilica, built in the fourth century by Emperor Constantine and then torn down and rebuilt under several popes in the 15th and 16th centuries, is on a slight southwest/northeast axis. 

At a morning canonization, Mass is celebrated in St. Peter’s Square. The extraordinary ministers of the holy Communion, bishops, and cardinals sit on the altar’s left side with their backs to the rising sun. Diplomats or other official guests sit on the right side, facing the rising sun. I have been on the left side at such a Mass. 

Also, Rome’s Christian catacombs of Priscilla, Domitilla and Marcellinus, and Peter all include frescoes depicting the celebration of the Eucharist. In them a presider and other ministers face viewers and presumably other Christians present at the same celebration. 

The Missal of the Council of Trent allowed Masses ad orientem (to the east) or else facing the people. After Vatican II, many altars attached to a wall were moved forward, or a freestanding altar was placed between the back wall and the people, enabling the presider to face the congregation, which had been impossible in most churches. An Internet search for “Mass ad orientem” and “history” yields a lengthy and interesting article on this subject. 

The practice in some Roman Catholic churches to face ad orientem is not the ancient and universal custom that many of its promoters think it is. 

Muslim mosques have a niche (mihrab) indicating the direction of Mecca’s Kaaba (their holiest shrine), and that is the direction that Muslims face when praying. 

Will God Wipe Out the Human Family? 

The way things are going today, I have to ask: Will God destroy the human family? 

No, but we may wipe ourselves out. After Noah and the ark survived the flood, Noah offered a sacrifice to God. Genesis 8:21b tells us that the Lord said in his heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of human beings, since the desires of the human heart are evil from youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living being, as I have done.” 

Being of mostly Irish descent, I will answer your question with another one: Why did God allow Cain to murder his brother, Abel? Isn’t the answer to both that God gave human beings freedom, a key part of being created “in the image and likeness of God”? 

Doesn’t your question suggest that God lives in time exactly as we do (past/present/future: chronological time)? Such time is a human invention that we cannot simply project onto God, thereby limiting God. 

Although it is difficult to understand, all time is simultaneously present to God (also known as kairos time). Humans necessarily live in chronological time. Granted, Scripture often speaks as though God operates in chronological time—for example, God’s instruction to Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gn 2:16–17). 

Some people use their freedom generously and benefit others. Other people, however, abuse their freedom terribly. That explains most of the news we receive via TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. When we cooperate generously with God’s grace, we will always be stretched in the direction of what God considers normal. 

Is Group Prayer Better? 

I’m having a heavy heart about prayer. It seems God listens only if we have a large group praying for a particular intention. Does the prayer of one person matter? I know there’s strength in a group. Does Jesus listen only to group prayer? That can’t be true. 

Group prayer is recommended but is not required. Individual prayer is fine. 

Please remember, however, that we do not pray to change God’s mind. Let’s call Plan A what would happen if I/we do not pray for some person or intention. Let’s call Plan B what we would prefer to happen. We do not pray because we think that our Plan B is better than God’s Plan A. 

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he began, “Our Father.” We should always pray in that spirit—not as though we are giving God new information or stressing the urgency of something that God might have overlooked. 

Individually or as a group, we pray to open ourselves to God’s grace and to deal with whatever happens. That includes being ready to offer whatever assistance we can if our prayer seemingly goes unanswered. 

Helping an Addicted Person 

I want to help a coworker who is struggling with a gambling addiction. How can I help her? What are the Catholic Church’s views on gambling? 

Gamblers’ Anonymous (GamblersAnonymous.org) is a 12-step group whose members admit that gambling has made their lives unmanageable. Members gather for mutual support on their daily journey to recovery. An Internet search may reveal such a group close to where your coworker lives. The more humbly you suggest this group, the more likely your coworker will accept it. 

Facing an addiction is a one-time decision that must be supported by countless daily decisions. There are similar groups for other addictions, each of which can be addressed effectively only if the addicted person stops lying to herself or himself about the effects of that addiction and then takes steps toward long-term recovery. 

All gambling isn’t necessarily evil, especially if people impose on themselves limits regarding the time, money, and energy used for it. For some people, for example, bingo is more a social activity than a way to make money. For others, though, it might be an addiction. 

Must I Continue Chemotherapy? 

I have just completed my first round of chemotherapy and am not sure if I am willing to engage in a second round. Do I have a moral obligation to do that? Am I, in effect, committing suicide if I refuse to do so? 

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, or extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is a refusal of ‘over-zealous’ treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decision should be made by the patient if he [or she] is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected” (2278). 

The text continues: “Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a patient cannot be legitimately interrupted. The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity even if death is not willed as an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable. Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity. As such it should be encouraged” (2279). 

Can Homosexuals Be Knights of Columbus Members? 

Is it morally acceptable for a homosexual to become a member of the Knights of Columbus? I do not feel homosexuality is morally acceptable in God’s eyes; too many things that are morally wrong are becoming socially acceptable. This world is backward, and we are blind to what is coming.

Doesn’t the term homosexual refer first to an orientation and only later to specific actions? The Catholic Church recognizes that genuine homosexuality is not truly a free choice. That does not, however, mean that engaging in homosexual acts is morally OK. There is free choice involved there. 

Thus, a celibate, homosexual person can be a Knight of Columbus, Communion distributor, or belong to any other organization linked to the Catholic Church. 

Yes, our world is in bad shape, but reducing its problems to homosexuality as an orientation is too simple to be true. 

The date of Easter has a long history. In A Concise Dictionary of Theology, Jesuit Fathers Gerald O’Collins and Edward Farrugia write, “Initially it [Easter] seems to have been celebrated every Sunday while Jewish Christians still kept the Jewish Passover” (2000 revised and expanded edition, Paulist Press). 

They continue: “This was bound to create friction, since the Christian message proclaimed that Israel’s deliverance from Egypt had been fulfilled and superseded by Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor 5:7). The practice of setting aside one special day each year to celebrate the resurrection led to controversy between Christians of Asia Minor, who kept the feast on whichever day the Jewish Passover (14 Nisan) fell and were called Quartodecimans (Latin for ‘followers of the 14th’), and other Christian communities that celebrated on the following Sunday. 

“Such controversies continue. The Orthodox, even when they have accepted the Gregorian reform of the Julian calendar, still follow the Julian calendar for the date of Easter.” However, your question remains: How is the date of Easter now determined? When did that system begin? Easter among Western Christians is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. 

At the First Council of Nicaea (325), the Church in Alexandria, Egypt, shared its designation of March 21 as the date of the spring equinox. Over several centuries, the present system was adopted in the Christian West. The Catholic Church adopted the revised Gregorian calendar in 1582. Most Protestant nations had done the same by 1845. All these calculations were made north of the equator; south of that line the seasons are reversed, placing Easter there in their season of autumn. 

In any case, our savior Jesus Christ embraces all peoples, times, and regions! 

Combining Parishes 

Many Catholic dioceses are in the process of readjusting parish groupings because of fewer priests and declining Mass attendance, allowing some churches to be used only for special occasions. My diocese presently has only four seminarians, and the number of priests over 80 continues to increase. These parish adjustments force many people to travel greater distances with fewer Mass times available at their destination. Where is all this going? 

Yes, many dioceses and archdioceses are in the process of creating “families of parishes” to meet the sacramental needs of their members. Whereas the Latin Church once permitted priests to celebrate three Masses only on All Souls’ Day and on Christmas, it has become increasingly common for many priests to celebrate three Masses on a Saturday afternoon, evening, or on Sunday. Also, those priests must drive the same distances that those attending weekend Masses do. 

I cannot foretell the future, but because the Eucharist remains the source and summit of the Christian life (Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 11),  I am confident that the Church will make some change that will keep the Mass central to Catholic worship and life. 

Is It OK to Keep Searching? 

Although I was baptized Catholic, I was never confirmed or made my first Communion because my parents did not accept all of Catholic teaching. I have now approached the Catholic faith as an adult and have a great respect for it. However, I cannot say that I believe everything a Catholic ought to believe. 

I am not as skeptical as I was years ago, but I would like to know if I am allowed to keep searching and make up my mind about the Church. My worry is that because I was baptized as a Catholic, I might not be allowed to keep searching and would have to force myself to believe and follow the Church, possibly sinning by doing so. I would prefer greater freedom about what to believe. 

Baptism represents the start of a person’s growth in faith. Some life experiences make it easier to believe, and other events may raise questions and provide obstacles that you must face. “Faith seeking understanding” is the classic definition of theology. 

Given your uneven exposure to the Catholic faith, you might assume that Catholics believe some things that, in fact, they do not. To resolve your relationship with the Catholic Church, you will need more information, but first and foremost you will need to experience Catholic worship regularly at Mass with other Catholics. That should help you answer some of your questions and reconsider what until now has been an obstacle to identifying yourself as a Roman Catholic. 

If you have any Catholic friends, you might ask if you can accompany them to Sunday Mass. That should help you realize that you could find a home there—or that your objections are too serious to permit that. 

On Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil (April 19 this year), most parishes will celebrate the Baptism of several adults or the reception into the Catholic Church of people baptized in other Christian communities. This follows months of instruction and discussion about what members of the Catholic Church believe, how they worship, and how they live out their Baptism. 

Are Ghosts Real? 

Some Christians believe that ghosts are real while others deny that. Has the Catholic Church taken a position on this? 

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretations of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers” (2116). 

Any messages received in dreams or ghostly appearances need to be interpreted within biblical teaching. 

No, you haven’t missed a specific passage on this subject. You are, however, correct in saying Jesus rejected the ideas that one human being can own another in the same way that someone can own land, a house, food, or clothing. 

The Bible was written for people and societies that assumed that slavery was inevitable, a fact of life usually caused by nonpayment of debt or defeat in war. Thus, the Hebrews were told to allow their slaves to rest on the Sabbath (Dt 5:14). For example, several New Testament passages assume that some Christians owned slaves: “Obey your human masters” (Eph 6:5a and Col 3:22); masters should be regarded “as worthy of full respect” (1 Tm 6:1); and slaves should accept the authority of their masters “with all reverence” (1 Pt 2:18). 

Christians were to remember that they and their slaves have the same “Master in heaven” (Eph 6:9). Baptism confers a radical equality (Gal 3:28). In God’s eyes, however, that equality existed even before someone was baptized. 

St. Paul wrote to his convert Philemon that he should treat Onesimus—a runaway slave whom Paul baptized and who carried this letter back to Philemon—with dignity. Paul wrote this letter to urge Philemon, a Christian, to receive Onesimus back and now treat him as a brother in Christ. Baptism did not cancel the legal status of Onesimus as a slave, but it certainly did not justify applying the death penalty to runaway slaves—as Roman law then permitted. 

Over the years, some Christians regarded slavery as a consequence of sin and, thus, inevitable. Sometimes it was seen as temporary (until a debt could be paid off) but usually was permanent. Often it was justified on the claim that enslaved people were not truly human. 

William Wilberforce, a devout Anglican and member of Parliament, failed for 20 years to outlaw the international slave trade before he succeeded in 1807. The law, however, required the national government to compensate slave owners for their lost “property.” 

Not surprisingly, many 19th-century Christian slave owners in this country made it illegal to teach their slaves to read or even to be baptized. Too much familiarity with Scripture could be dangerous! 

John L. McKenzie concludes the entry about slavery in his Dictionary of the Bible with these words: “Historically, Christianity has been the only effective destroyer of slavery.” 

Finding Suitable Godparents 

Because of canon law, my son and daughter-in-law are having difficulty finding good godparents for their 4-month-old son. Can they enlist a proxy? Can they have their son baptized in the Episcopal Church? 

Although canon law does not explicitly state if a baptismal sponsor by proxy can be enlisted, it does not prohibit it either. However, the Canon Law Society of America states, “Although the canon [i.e., 872] says nothing about a sponsor’s presence through a proxy, this silence is not to be understood as barring the use of a proxy to stand in for an absent sponsor [at Baptism]” (A New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, page 1061).” By the way, having a male and a female sponsor is customary, but the Catholic Church requires only one sponsor who is Catholic (Code of Canon Law, 873). A second sponsor can be someone baptized in another Christian denomination. 

Is there perhaps some other issue at work here? Don’t your son and daughter-in-law know any Catholics who will accept the responsibility of helping them bring this boy up Catholic? 

What are their intentions for the religious education of this child? Where he is baptized should reflect those intentions. 

Why Is the Bible Biased Against Women? 

In 1 Corinthians 14:34–35, St. Paul writes: “Women should be silent in the churches, for they are not allowed to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home.” 

Also, in 1 Timothy 2:11–15, we read: “A woman must receive instruction silently and under complete control. I do no permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. Further, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. But she will be saved through motherhood, provided women persevere in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” 

Why do women have so small a role in God’s plan? Why is all the blame for Adam and Eve’s fall placed on Eve? Why are people baptized into Christ as “priest, prophet, and king?” Why not priestesses, prophetesses, and queens? After all, in the Old Testament, Deborah was one of the prophets! 

These passages clearly reflect the dominant patriarchal culture in which the New Testament arose. Not every aspect of that—or any—culture perfectly reflects God’s intention for the human family. For example, this column’s first question and answer address the issue of slavery among Jews and, later, Christians. Any Scripture passage needs to be read in context: The quotes above from Ephesians and Galatians are as much inspired as the ones from 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy. “Even the devil can quote Scripture,” wrote William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice. In fact, in Matthew’s Gospel, the tempter accurately quotes Deuteronomy three times, only to have each interpretation later rejected by Jesus (4:1–11). 

The quotation above from 1 Timothy assumes that all women will marry and have children, that this will be their path to salvation. Jesus is the only path to salvation for all males and females. When a woman praised Mary for being Jesus’ mother, he responded that she was more blessed for hearing the word of God and following it (Lk 11:27), something that all Christian men and women can do. 

Some gentiles criticized early Christianity as a religion of women and slaves, society’s two most marginalized groups. Though Christians were sensitive to the accusation that they were socially disruptive (called by some people “enemies of the human race”), they preached a Gospel that was all-inclusive, even if some of its members were slow to admit that. 

Quick Q&As 

Is self-defense a sin? 

No, but it must be proportionate to the danger involved. For example, if an unarmed stranger knocks on your door at home, you would not be justified in automatically shooting him or her through the door. You might not even be justified in shooting that individual at all. A “stand-your-ground” law in your state presumes that you have assessed the danger reasonably and have acted accordingly. 

Why can’t baptized Catholics be baptized again in another Christian Church? 

Baptism is an unrepeatable sacrament even if a person no longer affiliates with the same Christian community as when she or he was baptized. 

The word purgatory is not there, but the idea of some purification after death certainly is. After a battle against a pagan army, when the soldiers of Judas Maccabeus went to bury their fallen comrades, they discovered that several of them had worn in battle amulets invoking the idols of Jamnia. Judas took up a collection to pay for expiatory sacrifices to be offered in the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Mc 12:38–43a). 

His action is praised there: “In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin” (vv. 43b–46). 

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the first of three paragraphs reads: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (1030). 

Purgatory is not a short-term version of hell, but rather a “cleansing fire” enabling everyone at the eternal banquet finally to accept God as totally enough, “all and in all” (Col 3:11). Already in the first century AD, Christians were encouraged to pray for their deceased brothers and sisters. 

In The Muppets TV show, two old men (Statler and Hilton) sat in a theater balcony, always criticizing everything the other characters were doing onstage. In this life, some people consider God’s ways too difficult, thinking their ways are much more realistic. Everyone at the eternal banquet will have left criticism behind, forever grateful for their place and their companions. 

Why Do Protestants Have Fewer Old Testament Books? 

I’ve noticed that Catholic Bibles have seven books (1 and 2 Maccabees, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Baruch, and Sirach) that are not in Protestant Bibles. Why is that? 

Some Christians have described these books as “deuterocanonical” (literally “second canon”), not considering them divinely inspired in the same way that other Old Testament books are. Also, a few passages in the books of Esther and Daniel do not appear in Protestant Bibles. These texts are collectively called “apocrypha,” writings that are not part of the accepted canon of sacred books. 

The Jewish Scriptures do not contain these seven books because when the rabbis finalized their list around 100 CE, they lacked Hebrew texts for these books and refused to accept their Greek texts as divinely inspired. 

Most Christians had agreed by the year 400 about which books belong to the Old Testament, though Roman Catholics did not formally adopt their list until 1546, during the Council of Trent. 

In 1534, when Martin Luther published his translation of the Bible into German, he used the Jewish list of Old Testament books. That meant excluding 2 Maccabees (passage quoted in the previous question) partly to refute Catholics who felt that it justified the practice of indulgences, which Luther and other Protestants rejected. Luther had already translated the New Testament into German in 1522. 

The New American Bible, New Revised Standard (Catholic edition), and others that list “apocrypha” have those seven books. The Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Orthodox Catholic Churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East accept the longer list of Old Testament books. 

How Will God Punish Me? 

I have loved my husband of 45 years, but, because of my faith, for some time I have not shared his bedroom although I have been his primary caregiver. What punishment will God send on me? What prayers can I say and penances can I do because of my past actions? 

From what you have written, I’m not sure that God has any punishment in store for you. You are clearly dealing with some lingering guilt, but you also show some sense of repentance, and you have taken care of him for years. 

Please do not underestimate the repentance you have already shown. Continue to live ever more truthfully about your relationship with God, your husband, yourself—and everyone else. A paralyzing fear will keep you from living in the freedom that God wants you to enjoy. 

What Should I Tell My Daughter? 

My husband recently died. Our 25-year-old daughter had prayed for his healing and now feels that her prayers were wasted. She remains angry and feels distant from God. What can I tell her? 

First, my condolences for each of you as you grieve in different ways. Now, was this the first major death that your daughter has ever experienced? Did she ever witness how your husband grieved the loss of a beloved relative, a close friend, or a wonderful neighbor? If she has not yet witnessed how he dealt with such deaths, your daughter may not realize that her father experienced major losses and, more importantly, how he chose to deal with them. 

You might point out, “Those losses could have turned your father into a bitter man, but he refused to let that happen.” Sharing his experiences with her may help her avoid the bitterness she now experiences. 

If grief turns someone’s unanswered prayers into a bitter person, the original prayer reflected a serious problem. God is still good in any case. Is there some charitable work that your husband promoted and that your daughter could now do? 

As Christians, we are called to share the love and message of Jesus Christ with others. This sacred duty encompasses spreading His teachings of love, grace, and forgiveness and conveying the truth about what the Bible says regarding non-believers. So what happens to non-believers according to the bible exactly? According to Scripture, this involves discussing topics like salvation, eternal life, and the consequences of rejecting faith in Christ. While it is often a difficult and sensitive topic to address, it remains vital in our comprehension of salvation and God’s overarching plan for humanity. We can foster deeper connections by approaching these conversations with compassion and understanding and encourage meaningful reflection on one’s spiritual journey.

Do You Have To Be Christian To Go to Heaven?

Can non-Christians go to heaven? Understand that to answer this, Whoever is in heaven is indeed there because of the saving passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That does not mean, however, that everyone in heaven had an explicit faith in Jesus before arriving there or was even baptized. What Jesus has won for everyone is the possibility of salvation. Those who are saved do not get to heaven by their own power, but only through the grace and mercy of God.

Salvation and the Mystery of God’s Grace

The saying “Outside the Church there is no salvation” is credited to St. Cyprian (third century). More than 150 years later, St. Augustine wrote that the Church has some people whom God does not have, and God has some people whom the Church does not have. Father Leonard Feeney, SJ, was excommunicated in 1953 for his overly strict interpretation of St. Cyprian’s saying. He was later reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church, which continues to reject his position on this issue.

Jesus Is The Only Way to Heaven?

At Vatican II, a document on Catholicism’s relation to Judaism eventually became the “Decree on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions” (approved October 28, 1965). After addressing how Hinduism and Buddhism address deep human needs, the bishops wrote: “So, too, other religions which are found throughout the world, attempt in different ways to overcome the restlessness of people’s hearts by outlining a program of life covering doctrine, moral precepts, and sacred rites.

“The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions. It has a high regard for the manner of life and conduct, the precepts and doctrines which, although differing in many ways from its own teaching, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men and women. Yet it proclaims and is duty bound to proclaim without fail, Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 1:6). In him, in whom God reconciled all things to himself (2 Cor 5:18-19), people find the fullness of their religious life” (2).

Can Atheists or Non-Christians Go to Heaven?

After acknowledging Muslims who worship one God, venerate Jesus as a prophet, honor Mary, and are devoted to prayer, almsgiving, and fasting (3), the decree describes Catholicism’s debt to and unique relationship with Jewish people, specifically rejecting the claim that they are cursed for the part some Jews played with the Romans in Jesus’ death (4). This can help answer questions like, can an atheist go to heaven, and will atheists go to heaven?

The Final Judgment: What Does the Bible Say?

According to Vatican II’s “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World,” Christians have been configured to the death of Christ but go forward in hope to the resurrection. The text immediately adds: “All this holds true not only for Christians but also for all people of goodwill in whose hearts grace is active invisibly. For since Christ died for everyone, and since all 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” (22).

Born Again: What It Means for Salvation

The concept of being “born again” is at the core of Christian belief. This phrase comes from Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, where He tells him that one must be born again to see the kingdom of God. Being born again refers to a spiritual rebirth, where one’s old self and sinful nature are replaced with a new life in Christ. It symbolizes a transformation and commitment to following Jesus wholeheartedly. This idea has significant implications for salvation and the destiny of non-believers. Those who have been born again through faith in Jesus will inherit eternal life in heaven, as promised by God. However, those who reject this belief or choose not to follow Jesus may not experience this rebirth and will face eternal separation from God. This is a sobering reminder of the importance of sharing the message of Christ with others, as their salvation ultimately depends on it. In fact, in the born-again Christian religion, the concept of being born again is so integral that it is often seen as a necessary step toward salvation and eternal life.

FAQs

What happens to unbelievers according to the Bible?
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection are the basis of salvation for those in heaven. It doesn’t necessarily require explicit faith in Jesus before death. God’s judgment on individual souls, believers or not, is ultimately God’s to decide.

What does God do to non-believers?
God’s judgment is based on His infinite wisdom and love. The Church teaches that grace is active invisibly in people of goodwill, regardless of their explicit faith, as all are invited to divine destiny.

How does the Bible say to deal with non-believers?
The Bible encourages Christians to live in kindness, sharing Christ’s love and truth. Vatican II emphasized respect for the truth and holiness found in other religions, acknowledging that all people may seek to live righteously.

Do non-believers go to heaven in Christianity?
While Christianity proclaims salvation through Jesus, the Church teaches that God’s mercy may reach non-believers, as salvation can be offered in ways only God understands.

What is the punishment of non-believers in the Bible?
The Bible speaks of final judgment but does not detail how God judges non-believers. The Church entrusts God’s judgment and mercy, understanding that human perspectives cannot fully determine the eternal state of souls.

Does God dwell in unbelievers?
The Church believes God’s grace works in mysterious ways, often reaching those who may not know Him explicitly. This grace may be present in those who act with goodwill and openness to truth.

Will God save unbelievers?
Catholic teaching allows for hope that God may offer salvation to those who lived righteous lives, as grace could work invisibly in all people, calling them toward divine fulfillment.

How does God view unbelievers?
God, as an all-loving being, sees each person’s heart. The Church recognizes that other religions contain truths that reflect God’s light, and God’s judgment encompasses His love and mercy.

Does God forgive non-believers?
The Church teaches that God’s mercy extends widely, offering forgiveness to all open to grace. God alone knows each person’s path and provides grace in ways beyond human understanding.

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