Thursday, December 1, 2011

Catechism and Muslims salvation

I have heard many anti-Catholics say that the Catechism says "Muslims are saved!" Then they "prove" it with this CCC quote

841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."

I always wonder how this says Muslims are saved! All it does say is that the "plan of salvation" includes the Muslims. That just means God wants to save Muslims too, in fact God wants EVERYONE to be saved. The only people that should object to this are Calvinists because of their limited atonement doctrine.  This does NOT mean Muslims are saved or will be saved, it just means God WANTS everyone to be saved, the issue of Muslims actually being saved is not the issue of this paragraph at all.

The Catechism shortly after this paragraph states God wills all men be saved:
Missionary motivation. It is from God's love for all men that the Church in every age receives both the obligation and the vigor of her missionary dynamism, "for the love of Christ urges us on."343 Indeed, God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth";344 that is, God wills the salvation of everyone through the knowledge of the truth. Salvation is found in the truth. Those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of truth are already on the way of salvation. But the Church, to whom this truth has been entrusted, must go out to meet their desire, so as to bring them the truth. Because she believes in God's universal plan of salvation, the Church must be missionary. --Catechism of the Catholic Church 851
Notice the term "plan of salvation" is used here for EVERYONE too? Does this mean everyone is saved? Certainly not, otherwise evangelism is pointless. The only ones I can imagine that would object to the term "plan of salvation" would be Calvinists who believe God only wants a few people saved.

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