Pope Francis: God redeemed everyone, ‘not just Catholics’

| | 38 Comments

(RNS) Pope Francis is warning Catholics not to demonize those who are not members of the church, and he specifically defended atheists, saying that building walls against non-Catholics leads to “killing in the name of God.”

Pope Francis waves to the crowd in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini

Pope Francis waves to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini

This image available for Web and print publication. For questions, contact Sally Morrow.

“(T)his ‘closing off’ that imagines that those outside, everyone, cannot do good is a wall that leads to war and also to what some people throughout history have conceived of: killing in the name of God,” Francis said Wednesday (May 22) in remarks at the informal morning Mass that he celebrates in the chapel at the Vatican guesthouse where he lives.

“And that, simply, is blasphemy. To say that you can kill in the name of God is blasphemy.”

Francis explained that doing good is not a matter of faith: “It is a duty, it is an identity card that our Father has given to all of us, because he has made us in his image and likeness.”

To both atheists and believers, he said that “if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good.”

In a passage that may prompt a theological debate about the nature of salvation, the pontiff also declared that God “has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!”

“Even the atheists,” he said to those who might question his assertion. “Everyone!”

Wednesday’s remarks displayed the kind of plain-spokenness that has become a hallmark of Francis’ homilies and speeches, and they also developed themes that Francis frequently mentions in a pontificate that is just over two months old.

One is that the Catholic Church must be open to the world and not “self-referential, closed in on herself,” as he said last weekend at Pentecost. Another is that the church must be humble and recognize its own shortcomings, and that it should be tolerant of nonbelievers.

Francis’ homily on Wednesday was inspired by the passage in the Gospel of Mark in which the disciples tell Jesus that they tried to stop someone from driving out demons because he was not one of their party.

Jesus rebukes them saying: “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

The pope’s remarks were reported by Vatican Radio.

KRE/AMB END GIBSON

38 Comments

    • gilhcan

      That and a lot more changes. But the changes should be determined by a representative council of lay people and clergy of all dioceses working up through national councils who follow the will of the people of God!

      Reply Report abuse

      • Chris

        There is a mindset among many that the Church must become more like our governments in how they make decisions. I understand there is great good in democracy, but I think it is unnecessary for this to happen in order for the Church to change for the better. If those in the Church who have been called to serve and lead will be faithful (as I see in Pope Francis) then we should trust them to make changes as well.

        Reply Report abuse

      • Vic

        What changes are you talking about? What Pope Francis was talking about has been a basic Catholic belief for ages. Christ died to free all of humanity from sin (redemption). Whether or not those people accept Jesus and go to heaven (salvation) is different. This is not news.

        Reply Report abuse

  4. Rev Robert M Hundley

    Pope Francis came to head the church at a time in which there were many prisons & dead-ends. From the moment he became Pope he has opened the church in love toward others. Yes, there are some who are not yet where they want to be, but the feeling I have is that the Holy Catholic is again the church universal in Love & Care. Pax, RMH

    Reply Report abuse

    • gilhcan

      I just hope he has plenty of protection, trusty protection, so he doesn’t end up like John Paul I. To prove all deaths are natural, autopsies must be required of all hierarchy, even popes.

      Now, Francis needs to call another council to dissolve the monarchy of the papacy and its curia and settle for consultation with national churches in which parishioners select their own clergy and the lay people and clergy of each diocese select their own bishop.

      Reply Report abuse

  5. Paige

    “To say that you can kill in the name of God is blasphemy.”
    Pope Francis said these words almost at the exact same time a devout Muslim was beheading a British soldier in Woolwich in the middle of the street in broad daylight, and who then bragged about the murder citing from the Koran chapters 2, 9, 22. There is one ideology on this planet that mandates killing: Islam. Everyday around the world, Christians are slaughtered in the name of Allah. Will the Pope address this?

    Reply Report abuse

    • gilhcan

      I hope you’re wrong. We already went through that with the Crusades and the “Holy” Inquisition. However, affirming the take-over of U.S. nuns by bishops appointed by lackey William Levada, formerly of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, acting for the tyrannical Benedict, falls into the same category. We cannot wait much longer for Francis to show his true hand that he is in charge, not the curia. However, the idea of a monarch pope making absolute decisions is also wrong. The church needs to “democratize.”

      Reply Report abuse

      • Paige

        I cannot compare church governance decisions to the evil of Islamic jihad aspirations. I realize you’re applying the Pope’s words to your personal agenda, which you have every right to do, but I hope it’s not at the expense of facing the dangers of the well-estabished core institutions of Islamic jurisprudence that we see clearly manifested in the jihadists who attacked and killed British soldiers in the name of Allah.

        Reply Report abuse

    • Bluetree

      Islam does not condone murder, nor does it demand it, psychopaths who claim to do so in the name of Islam do. To condemn a way of being wholesale because of a gang of lunatics and possessed creatures, who are a feature within every culture is plain wrong.

      Reply Report abuse

      • Paige

        If you read the Koran and study the Hadiths, you will understand that Islam does indeed condone, mandate, justify, and command killing for Allah. I realize that bumper stickers tell us the “Islam is a religion of peace” but “peace” according to Islamic law is achieved when everyone has submitted to Islam and Sharia rule. There is no place for non-believers (non-Muslims) in the eyes of devout Muslims, Islamic scholars and imams.

        After murdering the British soldier yesterday, the bloody-handed jihadi very calmly requested to be filmed. He proceeded to explain that there are “many many suras (chapters) in the Koran” that he had followed. He quoted several of the hundreds of verses that command killing as a way to remove obstacles (non-Muslims) blocking the propagation of Islam.

        I do not condemn all Muslims. That would be wrong. Fortunately, there are Muslims who listen to their heart more than the mandates of their religion, in line with what Pope Francis also confirmed: “…doing good is not a matter of faith: It is a duty, it is an identity card that our Father has given to all of us, because he has made us in his image and likeness.”

        I condemn the violent Koran and Hadith verses and the 1400 year history of Islamic violence.

        I condemn the lack of curiosity and often outright denial re: the true nature of Islam that leads otherwise intelligent people to carelessly categorize as mentally disordered the methodical, thoughtful, obedient, devout followers of Mohammed. Applying a Western understanding of religion and standards of decency as a means for good, to Islam, is a fatal mistake.

        Reply Report abuse

    • Celeste

      If you had actually read the Koran or the Old Testament, you might feel differently. Just as any radical Muslim might find justification for killing [because of their own individual, twisted interpretation of what it says in the Koran], so any Jew or Christian can find justification for killing people who do not believe as they do. This was called the “ban” or “herem.” Check out Deut 7:1ff; 20: 1, for more information. Leviticus also has references to this practice as well.

      And, when you get ready to condemn some extremists of the Muslim faith, don’t forget the Ku Klux Klan considered themselves to be Christians.

      Reply Report abuse

    • Vic

      This is not what Francis said. Francis said that all men and women were redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice. This does not mean that they will go to heaven. Redemption is simply the freeing of humanity from sin. Nowhere does Francis say that you can enter heaven without faith. Redemption and salvation are two completely different things.

      Reply Report abuse

  8. mike wee

    francis, thats not a good way to extend olive leaves, or gaining friends from haters, you gave them empty promises – please do read the bible, you may have forgotten the most important message of christ, repent

    Reply Report abuse

    • Linda Ryan

      Jesus said far more about care for the poor and marginalized, love and looking for the kingdom of God around you than he did repentance. The most important message of Christ is that God loves us and wants us to learn to live together in peace and equality. He also said “let those who have ears hear.” They still aren’t listening, especially when repentance is the only message they preach.

      Reply Report abuse

      • Laurence Charles Ringo

        Sorry,Linda,but I’m going to have to strongly disagreed with you on this.From my perspective,both this pope and yourself are propagating sloppy exegesis at best,and gross heresy at worst! Now,I realize that sound,careful,meticulous Scriptural study has fallen out of favor in recent years,replaced by feelgood”kumbaya can’t-we-all-just-get-along”pop pseudo-theology,but there are still those of us who,like the great Apostle Paul,won’t hesitate to…”Declare unto you ALL the counsel of God”…(Acts 20:27,KJV).Arguably,THE most important verse in Scripture could be said to be John 3:16;coupled with John 3:3,5 and the Shema,that is literally the WHOLE counsel of God,Linda.No mocking,derisive,God-hating unbeliever will EVER set foot in either the existing or coming Kingdom Of God outside of these criteria;Jesus was VERY clear on that,and frankly,it is highly irresponsible,if not outright blasphemous for this pope to imply otherwise!! “Good deeds”,as wonderful as they are,DO NOT redeem lost,hell-bound sinners,that is not what Scripture teaches;ONLY the Shed Blood of Our Savior does that,and only faith and trust in HIM secures that redemption!! NO ONE is redeemed simply by reason of their existence,AND only the Blood-bought,Born Again sons and daughters of God are His children;the so-called”universal fatherhood of God”implied by this pope is NOT taught by Our Savior,or anywhere in the Word of God! Get a clue,people;knock the dust off your Bibles-NOW!!!

        Reply Report abuse

        • Vic

          You’re the one that needs to get a clue. Nowhere in this homily does Francis say that non-believers will go to heaven. Perhaps you should get your dictionary and look up what redemption actually is. All it means to be redeemed is that you are free from slavery to sin. That’s right. All Francis is saying here is that when Christ died he freed everyone from sin, including non-believers. No where does he say that non-believers will go to heaven.

          Reply Report abuse

        • Celeste

          Where did you get your theology degree because your “so called” exegesis is more than a little sloppy and needs a good tweeking. [I did receive my undergrad and graduate degrees in theology from an accredited Catholic University].

          Reply Report abuse

      • Celeste

        Linda is correct…

        Between the Old and New Testaments, there are more than 2,000 references to caring for the poor. This instruction from God to humans is given more than any other instruction.

        Also, in the Gospel of John, the very last instruction Jesus gives to his disciples before he is taken for crucifixion is to “love one another as I have loved you.”

        Reply Report abuse

  11. Joe W

    What the scripture in Mark says is that they perform these works in His Name – — And anyone who is not against us is for us….. I doubt an atheist or Muslim would perform these works in His Name and would say his is for Christ. What about where men are knocking on the door of heaven and say that they performed all these works…and Jesus said, go away I never knew you. They never did it with a heart of faith. I could see Francis using this as examples of opening the doors to all Christian faiths that follow Christ, but I do not understand His position as explained by the media at least.

    Reply Report abuse

  12. David Thompson

    God “has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!”

    Can you exchange your blood redemption for something more valuable, like a piece of artwork from the Vatican? Not all of us would agree that we need or want a blood sacrifice to represent anything to do with us. I will take a million Vatican euro coins and renounce my redemption gleefully.

    Actu

    Reply Report abuse

  21. Lucas

    CLARIFICATION, FROM GOD’S WORD, ON HOW THE UNSAVED CAN BECOME SAVED AND ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN:

    Jesus (who is both God and man) laid the groundwork for salvation by stating: “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5).

    The Catholic Church with its sacramental system (e.g., baptism, eucharist, confession, et. al. – all referenced by Jesus in scripture) is the straight and narrow to heaven (the later two sacraments sustain your faith until death) . As the Vatican stated a Christian who KNOWINGLY rejects salvation through the Catholic Church cannot be saved (unless they repent through confession).

    For those of you who are not truly saved, pray that God the Holy Trinity give you, through the Holy Spirit, the free gift of faith so that you may be born again (have the first parents’ original sin removed and your personal sin freely forgiven) by repenting of all your sins, believing that Jesus died for your sins, is all God and all man, is the second person of the Holy Trinity, that God is three persons – one God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and that Jesus rose from the dead and is coming back to judge the living and the dead.

    Also pick up and read the Bible and read a Catholic catechism and pray that the Holy Spirit guide you to an understanding of the mysteries of God, including salvation through the Catholic Church. Once you come to faith, call up a Catholic church and indicate you want to become a new Christian and be baptized; and then go to Church on all Sundays and holy days and be modest in your attire in and outside Church and avoid sin and occasions of sin. Remember the Church is full of saved sinners (and at times, as in our present times, many unsaved sinners who lack true faith). Also, pray for God’s continued grace throughout your life, especially in moments of doubt and temptation.

    Those who do not accept the innocent blood atonement of the Jesus on the Cross for their sins cannot be saved and will be judged by God the Father, instead, for all the sins they ever committed and be sent to hell. Those who reject the mercy of the Son (Jesus) choose hell because failure to accept this mercy leads to continued hatred of God and all the myriad of wicked sins that flow from this rejection of God. The reason for this negative outcome is that without being born again (having original and personal sin removed through faith and baptism) we are born in rebellion against God from our conception/birth and we need this rebellious nature removed before we can enter heaven (hence, the need to be born [again] through the water and spirit). Otherwise, those who lack faith and are unbaptized will hate God and choose hell over heaven WILLINGLY.

    However, unless you are convicted by God through the Holy Spirit (the third person of God) and then admit you are a weak sinner in need of Jesus for salvation, you will be blind, depth and dumb to the reality and gravity of your personal sin and the need for God in your life to overcome these sins. Therefore, please pray that God give you a repentant and contrite heart and that He open your minds to the reality of His existence. Because of our frail sin nature from birth, God understands our weakness for sin and this is why Jesus said He did not come to judge sinners, but rather to save them from their own condemnation before God.

    Reply Report abuse

Leave a Reply to Is Pope Francis is a heretic? No, but he does raise questions | CatInfor.com Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *