LESSON 34
SALVATION OF NON-CHRISTIANS/MUSLIMS

Christian theology has always made room for the salvation of non-Christians, although with different emphasis and understanding over the ages. In the Old Testament there is one tendency to narrow salvation to the Jews only, and another "wisdom" perspective which extends salvation to all, especially on the basis of the covenant made with Noah. In the New Testament too there is the perspective of Acts and Paul which is one of proclamation, while John and the letters of Peter emphasise witness. A theology of witness concentrates on the cosmic Christ. For example, Jesus is the "Saviour of the world" (Jn 4:42), and "there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold" (Jn 10:16). "God wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim 2:4). Jesus "offered himself as a ransom for all" (1 Tim 2:6). "So, when gentiles, not having the Law, still through their own innate sense behave as the Law commands, then, even though they have no Law, they are a law for themselves. They can demonstrate the effect of the Law engraved on their hearts, to which their own conscience bears witness." (Rom 2:14-15). The explicit faith of those who say "Lord, Lord!" is not enough (Mt. 7:21), but at the last judgement Jesus, the king, will receive those who showed him kindness by doing so to his little ones without explicit knowledge of him (Mt 25:31-46). An extensive idea of salvation is also found in passages on the gift of the Spirit who breathes where he wishes (Jn 3:8) and goes ahead of the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 10:36), and in passages on the coming of the Kingdom of God.

St. Thomas Aquinas discusses the possibility of salvation of non-Christians who never heard of Christ when he asks if it is necessary to believe in the Incarnation. He answers yes, but goes on to say that those who have had no revelation of the mystery of the Incarnation can be saved by an implicit faith in this dogma when they believe in the providence of God who saves people in ways that he sees best. Such people really belong to the New Testament.

As for practical judgments, St. Francis Xavier assumed that the thousands of Asians to whom he preached would not be saved unless they accepted the Christian faith and baptism. Jesuit missionaries of the 17th century had a wider view. Nevertheless the popular view in the 18th and 19th centuries was that only Christians could be saved. Pius IX had to declare that those who follow the divine law written in their hearts will reach eternal life by divine grace. This view was reaffirmed by Vatican II: "Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience those too may achieve eternal salvation" (L.G. 16).

St. Thomas explains how that can be: "Once a person reaches the use of reason, the first thing he must think about is himself. If he opts for a good goal, he is given grace and freedom from original sin [if he is not baptized]." Otherwise he sins mortally. Knowledge of a "good goal" implies implicit faith in Christ. Vatican II explains further:

By his incarnation he, the Son of God, has in a certain way united himself with every man... All this holds true not for Christians only but also for all men of good will in whose hears 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. (G.S. 22)

The writings of the popes after the Council show an effort to balance the unique claims of Christianity with the work of the Spirit outside the Church. In his Redemptor hominis John Paul II refers to the above passage and says:

This applies to every man, since everyone is included in the mystery of Redemption, and by the grace of this mystery Christ has joined himself with everyone for all time... Every individual, from his very conception, participates in this mystery (n.13). Every man without exception was redeemed by Christ, since Christ is somehow joined to every man, with no exception, even though the person may not be conscious of it (n.14).

After the inter-religious gathering at Assisi in 1986, John Paul II applied these principles to the situation of religious pluralism:

People can often not be conscious of their radical unity of origin, destiny and place in God's plan, and while they profess different and incompatible religions they can think that their divisions are insurmountable. But in spite of that, they are included in the great and single design of God, in Jesus Christ, who "in some way is united with everyone" (G.S., 22), even if they are not conscious of it.

Again, in Redemptoris missio, John Paul II says:

Universality of salvation does not mean that it is given only to those who believe explicitly in Christ and join the Church. If salvation is meant for all, it must be offered concretely to all... The salvation of Christ is available to them through a grace which, though relating them mysteriously with the Church, does not bring them into it formally but enlightens them in a way adapted to their state of spirit and life situation (n. 10).

Turning to Islam, we saw that Muammad thought his grandfather, a follower of traditional religion, was in Hell (see Lesson 6). The Qur'ān mentions the possibility of salvation of non-Muslims: "The Believers, the Jews, the Christians and the Sābi'ans, those who believe in God and the Last Day and do good, will have their reward with their Lord. They will not have to fear or come to shame" (2:62)" Classic commentators say that this verse applies only to those who become Muslim, or that it is cancelled by 3:85: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam it will not be accepted from him, and on the Last Day he will be among the losers." Most contemporary Muslims do not believe in abrogation, and say that 2:62 is still valid, and that in 3:85 "islam" simply means "submission to God". Al-Ghazālī (d. 1111), discussing who will be saved, says:

In my opinion the Divine mercy includes a great number of lesser communities as well... Furthermore, I would say that the majority of Turks and Byzantine Christians of our time come under the divine mercy, God willing. I refer to the inhabitants of the Byzantine and Turkish regions most distant from us, whom the call has not yet reached to embrace Islam... Or they have heard since their childhood of a lying impostor, a fraud, by the name of Muhammad, who claimed to be a prophet... Once someone has been given signs of the appearance of a prophet through his miracles, no matter what his religion, if he has faith in God and in the Last Day he cannot weaken in the search. If he makes it his task to reflect and to search, if he does not give up, even should death take him away before he has reached the full truth, he will receive pardon and will benefit from the vast mercy of God.

Al-Ghazālī expressed in this text a broadness of outlook which is quite rare in Muslim tradition. The vast majority of authors are of the opinion that every Muslim will be saved, after maybe passing through a temporary hell, while those who are not Muslims, no matter how virtuous they may be, will be condemned. "It is a pity that you are not a Muslim", many Muslims say when they wish well of a Christian whom they admire. But more and more Muslims believe that every man of good will will be saved. This may come from religious indifferentism, or it could be an instinctive recognition of the truth that a sincere and good man should not be eternally damned.

In spite of liberal views about the salvation of non-Muslims, Muslims still believe in preaching their religion and they hold that anyone who is convinced that it is true and does not embrace it will be condemned. Christians hold a similar view, the more so since we believe that Jesus is the only Way, Truth and Life, who came not just to give life, but to give it to the full (Jn 10:10). So it is not right to leave people groping in a "hidden, mysterious" relationship to Jesus and his Church when it is possible to invite them into full participation in the life of the Church.

QUESTIONS

  1. Explain the Biblical basis for the salvation of non-Christians.
  2. Explain the view of Vatican II and Pope John Paul II on the salvation of non-Christians.
  3. Discuss the variety of Qur'ān interpretation on the salvation of non-Muslims.
  4. Discuss the views of al-Ghazālī on the salvation of non-Muslims.
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