Ancient heresies under modern guises have seeped into the Catholic Church, leading the Vatican to denounce them with the first major document on salvation since 2000.
The Vatican sent a letter to bishops worldwide clarifying the Christian salvation concept and confronting modern versions of Pelagianism heresies — the belief an individual can attain salvation through their own will and effort — and Gnosticism, which entails salvation being an inner process that requires withdrawal and seclusion from relationships and the world, Crux Now reported. The four page letter, entitled Placuit Deo or “Pleasing to God,” is the first major statement on salvation the Vatican has issued since Dominus Iesus in 2000, which drew criticism from Protestants who interpreted it as Protestant churches not being true cathedrals.
The letter does not directly address the issues raised over Dominus Iesus, rather it pontificates Pope Francis’ objections to what he sees as neo-Pelagianism, which he says denies man’s dependence on God and neo-Gnosticism — Francis says the latter denies the Christian duty to care for the poor and steward creation.
“Insofar as Gnosticism and Pelagianism represent perennial dangers for misunderstanding Biblical faith, it is possible to find similarities between the ancient heresies and the modern tendencies just described,” the letter shows.
The letter goes on to state the teaching of salvation in Christ directly refutes the ideas Pelagianism promotes and Gnosticism.
“Faith in Christ teaches, rejecting all claims of self-realization, that [human aspirations] can be fulfilled completely only if God himself makes it possible,” the letter states.
“It is clear that the salvation Jesus brought in his person does not occur only in an interior manner,” the document adds.
The document also asserts both heresies promote the idea an individual can find salvation outside of the institution of the church, which the Catholic church says is fallacy.
“The place where we receive the salvation brought by Jesus is the Church, the community of those who have been incorporated into this new kind of relationship begun by Christ. In her, we touch the flesh of Jesus, especially in our poorest and most suffering brothers and sisters,” the letter reads.
The letter rejects the idea the church is a solely human institution, arguing it is inseparable from Christ and serves as the place where all people “can find the Savior and Salvation.”
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As for the issue of whether the Vatican considers Protestant cathedrals to be part of that church, Italian Archbishop and Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Prefect Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer said the letter was not intended to elaborate on that.
“This document does not wish to directly enter in discussion on the issues regarding Dominus Dei,” Ferrer said, according to Crux, adding, “There are many elements of other Christian and ecclesial communities that lead toward salvation.”
“Even though the document does not delve into this issue, it doesn’t mean that the teaching of the Church on this issue has changed. It remains the way it was, though analyzed in greater depth,” Ferrer added.
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