Most people reading the headline, "Pope Gets Rid of Limbo" are probably thinking, "What a killjoy! We really liked that game." They have in mind, of course, the game invented in Trinidad in which people shimmy their way to an ever-lowering pole and then try and propel their bodies, facing up and legs first, under the bar. It's a lot of fun to watch, especially when there are girls doing it, and alcohol is involved.
This type of limbo has not been outlawed by Pope Benedict, although I am sure he is ambivalent about it. Rather, the Pope has approved a theological commission's recommendation that the Catholic Church get rid of it's longstanding concept of limbo--a place, mentioned nowhere in the Bible, where babies go if they die before being baptized. Limbo has never been a formal doctrine of the Catholic Church, but it was considered sufficiently standard to be included in pre-communion lessons in Catholic schools around the world.
I was scornful of the idea when I first learned it in Catholic cathechism. But over the years I saw that it makes a kind of sense. The Christian idea is that we humans are born with original sin, what Immanuel Kant called the "crooked timber of humanity." This warped disposition is part of our nature, and therefore Catholics held that even newborns have it, and how can anyone who has an unrepented sinful nature go to heaven? Hell seemed like too harsh an alternative for little ones who had done nothing wrong, and so the Catholic Church invented limbo.
Think of limbo as a place which has no suffering, or if there is suffering, it is very mild. One of my Dartmouth professors explained it as a place where one-year-olds were gently pelted with marshmallows which they were nevertheless permitted to eat.
But today we live in a strange era in which infants are killed even before they are officially born. Thanks to Roe v. Wade and other abortion laws, being born is itself getting to be quite an achievement! And certainly it seems cruel and unreasonable to consign an unborn child, whose life has been snuffed out even before it began, to anything less than heaven. Even marshmallow pelting seems unfair under these circumstances.
And so from now on Catholicism will teach that unbaptized infants--born and unborn--go straight to heaven. I like this idea better, although I'm going to have to throw out my old cathechism book.
Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 33)
61. Father Stephanos, you DO know that the Bible says that those who TEACH the Word of God will be judged more severly at the Judgement? Almost everything you wrote in your comment is misleading. Christ never said that you have to be baptised to enter Heaven, as proved by the thief on the cross. Catholics also pray to Mary and other "saints" for blessings, when they themselves are dead humans with no authority. You cannonize leaders after they are dead because they have supposedly performed some sort of miracle after they have died that warrants them the title of saint. Catholics put IDOLS of Mary and other "saints" in their homes to pray to. Catholics believe that confession to another human (a Father) and repeating a few lines are enough to absolve them of their sin. And the Bible says that no one shall be called Father exceps our Father who is in Heaven, yet instead of calling yourselves pastors, you call yourselves "Father". I am pentecostal and have been tought straight from the Bible with nothing being taken out of context. Even though Catholics use the KJV (which is ONE translation of the Bible namely the hardest one to sit and read because of the old English but still a good version), they have twisted it to fit in with their TRADITION. You remind me of the pharisees who valued their tradition more over the salvation of their people. You will be judged by God, that is a fact. Whether you are found to have led many astray is up to God, but you should focus more on the WORD and not your church's traditions.
Karrie at 12:08PM on Apr 21st 2007
62. Baptism is only a sign of commitment to the faith. It does not determine whether or not you are going to heaven or hell. These children (who have no knowledge of right/wrong/heaven/hell since they are usually babies) don't even make the decision for themselves. So basically their parents are saving them by having them baptized. When in reality Jesus Christ is the one who saves people, not the parents baptizing their child which is just an ACT of faith
Samantha at 12:12PM on Apr 21st 2007
63. Amen, Julie, great job at giving a clear and true explanation.
This whole thing being presented as "news", has got to be scewed and out of context. The "CHURCH" never taught that there was a limbo.
Re:Infant Baptism. Peter baptized the first gentiles, see Acts 11:1-8. He baptised Cornelius' entire household, which must certainly have had some children and babies within it.
The KJV of the Bible was translated from the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible. That was not until 1604 and it had when it was translated all the books that still remain in the "Catholic" Bible.
I am always very sadly surprised at the hate and distain aimed at the Catholic Church, especialy by X Catholic's . If the Apostles had all walked away because of Judas' sin, would we have any Christians
today? Of course we would, and of course they didn't.
Jesus prayer was that we be one fold and one shepard. Please love one another.
Read Jesus Prayer, John 17:1-26
God Bless!
Nancy
Nancy at 1:08PM on Apr 22nd 2007
64. I love things like this. How WE as humans decide things for GOD. On the other hand I find it amusing that it took 2000 years for the followers of Jesus, who spoke of God's unending love for humanity, to realize that God is not limited to or by the sacraments. Sacraments are there to help us but not to limit God in any way!!
Jean at 12:21PM on Apr 21st 2007
65. Even protestants "interpreted" the Holy Writ. Ancient world traditions were unfamiliar to translators and obscured the meaning of the Word, which preachers, etc. then filled in. And, people do use even the sacred to advance their own agenda, to their own advantage - people in all areas of life, even atheists...could this be that bent nature of man, that nature that though ours is not a 'good thing' to be accepted simply because its not ours by choice. God says we do have a choice to be better than what was given to us by default.
Personal relationship with God, a life lived in faith, guided by the Word and Spirit, hopefully in healthy community, these are the keys and not necessarily overiding theological disertations and self-serving pronouncements. Jesus saved, is saving, will save and not our own self-righteous attempts at measuring up to God's or man's standards. God guides His own and judges His own.
Eva at 12:22PM on Apr 21st 2007
66. After doing a lot of research on the Roman Catholic church, the heiarchy uses fear as their main weapon. If this were not true, why are so many Catholics afraid to leave their "church" even after they know the truth. Sounds too much like a cult to me.
It also never ceases to amaze me how so many can question the Bibe(KJV) when they have never read it. That's like me critiquing a book I've never read.
Jean at 12:24PM on Apr 21st 2007
67. All religions lie and they are all dangerous because they are given credibility and power.
JL at 12:27PM on Apr 21st 2007
68. Hell is mentioned in Matthew 25:41 : "Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil" This is the Gospel. In Revelations 21:27 it says that nothing unclean will be allowed to enter into heaven. 1 Corinthians 3:15 "if someone's work is burned...the person will be saved , but only as through fire." These are some teachings that reveal the concept of purgatory -- a cleansing before a soul can reach the beatific vision of heaven. When man was created we were supposed to be grace-filled and given preternatural gifts like immortality -- until we were disobedient to God. That is the state into which we are born. Can anyone say that they are born with the preternatural gift of immortality? God's love saves us. God's mercy is infinite. God knows how to cleanse little babies who haven't committed any wrong on their own, and in his infinite mercy we must have hope that they will reach heaven. This is what I believe our Pope is saying.
Rose at 12:27PM on Apr 21st 2007
69. I traveled for a year in Laos where there were christians (thanks to the mindless drubbing of Swedish Protestants) as well as animists. So who the fuck goes to heavan, you obsessed freaky lunatic?
dwemmy at 1:16PM on Apr 21st 2007
70. I believe that infants and children are innocent before God until they are able to understand right from wrong. While children do wrong things, they are not accountable until they are baptized around the age of eight.
Dave at 12:34PM on Apr 21st 2007
71. How do you know there is a heaven? Could someone please describe it to me in detail? Please, no lunatic ramblings...
dwemmy at 1:15PM on Apr 21st 2007
72. Interestingly enough, the Catholoc Catechism states that hell is a state of mind where you are separate from God. Pope JP talked about that.
memphis at 12:41PM on Apr 21st 2007
73. Once again the Catholic church has proved how
two faced and self-rightious they are!!! Who the
hell do they think they are allways deciding who
is going to HEAVEN and who wont,thought that was
GODS job and the Catholic sure as hell isn't GOD!!
Once again they change thiere veiws to suit thier
cultish views.
Joe at 12:36PM on Apr 21st 2007
74. I am sorry but the concept of babies going to hell without being baptised is about as believable as Islam saying if your a suicide bomber you will go to heaven and have 15 virgins and eat grapes for ever,,,like a previous line said and i have believed forever, it is just a fine way to control the masses, and to make sure all make an offering to the plate at church
jeff at 2:09PM on Apr 21st 2007
75.
In my opinion, the threat of eternal damnation by God's will is only a pretext for humans to judge other humans in his name. I have had enough of them condemn me to the lake of fire for not believing to know a lot of those who believe in hell do not leave the judgement up to God. Or at least, they assume to know what his judgement will be for various acts and decide they can speak for him.
Other than that, I have few problems with Christians, I don't mind being preached to about the fulfilling aspects of it one bit. It's just the persecution I don't like.
Peter at 12:41PM on Apr 21st 2007