Saturday, April 21, 2007
LIMBO OUT OF LIMBO
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 20, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI authorized the publication of a report that expresses the hope that babies who die without baptism are able to get to heaven.
The report by the International Theological Commission, published today, concluded that there are serious theological and liturgical grounds for the hope that such babies are saved and enjoy the beatific vision.
The commission says the theological hypothesis of "limbo" appeared to be based on an unduly restrictive view of salvation.
The 41-page document noted this is an "urgent pastoral problem," especially because of the large number of unbaptized babies who die as victims of abortion.
The commission's documents are not considered official expressions of the magisterium. But the commission does help the Holy See to examine important doctrinal issues.
Read the rest...
If umbaptised babies go to heaven, aborted babies must go there as well, right? Logically, a mother might take pleasure in sending her unborn baby to heaven for eternity, especially if she doesn't really want to raise the baby.
Would Peter Singer find grounds for his claim that children may be killed up to their first birthday in this decision? Not that Peter Singer cares about baptism, of course.
If unbaptised babies go to heaven, what about unbaptised one-year-olds? Three-year-olds? Seven-year-olds? Wouldn't the logical cutoff be the "Age of Reason"? In fact why bother to have a child baptised before the age of reason now that heaven has become their destination?
In fact, if there are ways to get to heaven without baptism, why bother with baptism at all? What are those extra-baptism ways to heaven? Are they open to any adults? What about retarded adults, for example? Can a person with an IQ of say 7 go to heaven without baptism?
This opens up a whole Pandora's box of questions.
