Does the Council of Florence Contradict Vatican II?

Some say the Catholic Church has changed her stance on salvation outside the Church (extra ecclesiam nulla salus: "outside the Church there is no salvation"). First, let me say that changing one's position and rephrasing one's position are not the same thing. The short reply to this objection is to simply state that the Church has rephrased her position which remains the same, or namely, extra ecclesiam nulla salus.

Meaning:

If you are saved, you are saved by Christ, and if by Christ, you are saved through His Body, the Church.

I would now like to consider a more specific objection and give a more detailed response. I recently happened upon a Protestant blogger making the case that the Catholic Church has contradicted herself. Particularly, his claim was that the Catholic teachings in the Second Vatican Council and the Council of Florence are incompatible. Unfortunately, schismatic Catholics in various traditional-ist sects do not help the cause of the Church, for many of them promulgate this error as well.

Ut unum sint!

[Sigh]

Let us consider some true statements:

1. There are some sins that lead to death, others that do not
2. The ones that lead to death are mortal
3. There are certain conditions which make a sin mortal
4. Therefore, if the conditions are not met, the sin is not mortal
5. The sins of schism and heresy can be mortal (from 3)
6. If the sins do not meet certain conditions (4), they are not mortal
7. Therefore, there are some who may appear to be schismatics and heretics who do not sin unto death

Specific Objection: The Council of Florence taught that there is no salvation outside of the Church. Moreover, it declares that ALL schismatics and heretics will depart into the fires of hell. Vatican II taught that God can use Protestant ecclesial communities as an instrument of salvation. These two concepts are irreconcilable.

"I see where you are going
with this, and I like it!"

Reply 1: I say that both concepts are true. To affirm the former does not of necessity negate the later. Like any sin, it is only mortal if certain conditions are met.

Reply 2: The Fathers of the Council of Florence most certainly held to this distinction. Also, we must keep in mind that all those schismatics and heretics at the time of the Council of Florence had full knowledge as to the truth of the Catholic Church. Therefore, they met the conditions of a schismatic or heretic who was committing such sin unto death. This qualification is even implied in Super Quibusdam written by Pope Clement VI, 90 years before The Council of Florence ("all who have raised themselves against the faith of the Roman Church and have died in final impenitence").

Reply 3: Today, and at the time of the Second Vatican Council, many of those who find themselves outside the "visible Catholic Church" do so "at no fault of their own" and without "full consent", but instead were born into these communities and inculcated with a type of ignorance -- invincible even -- as to the claims of the Catholic Church.

I know. I was one of them! 

"But how can Protestant communities be "instruments of salvation" if, as Pope Leo XII said in Ubi Primum: "It is impossible for the most true God, who is Truth Itself, the best, the wisest Provider, and rewarder of good men, to approve all sects who profess false teachings which are often inconsistent with one another and contradictory, and to confer eternal rewards on their members."

Because, El Presidente...

a donkey can be an instrument of salvation while also not being an instrument of salvation. What do I mean? I mean that the Protestant communities are not "instruments of salvation" in and of themselves, but only insomuch that they still retain the graces and truth subsisting fully in the Catholic Church. Remember, Pope Benedict XVI started off his pontificate with a rousing ecumenical comment just like this.

The bottom line is that God can use whatever means He wills to draw men to His Son and into His Body, the Church. I know this makes some traditional-ist Catholics uncomfortable. However, what should be more troubling is subscribing to a view of God incompatible with Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition (capital-T), the teachings of the Church, the lives of the saints, and the record of history. What I mean is that our separated brothers and sisters love Christ, and if they do not explicitly reject the Catholic Church, they can be saved. In fact, in much of the western world, "Catholics" -- Baptized, Confirmed, and Communing (though probably not Confessing) -- seem to be as invincibly ignorant of the claims of the Catholic Church as most Protestants.

So, the fact remains: If you are saved, you are saved by Christ, and if by Christ, you are saved through His Body, the Church.

extra ecclesiam nulla salus!

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DISCLAIMER: If you are reading this blog, you are probably losing the "invincible" part of your ignorance.

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