Losing Limbo?

4/24/2007
News reports present misleading information about a newly-released document

The International Theological Commission (ITC) has, with Pope Benedict XVI’s permission, released the results of their study on "The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized." The study examines the question of what happens to the souls of infants who die without having received the Sacrament of Baptism.

Many news reports on the ITC study contain information that is misleading at best and false at worst. Below are answers to common questions that will help readers to sift the wheat from the chaff as they read and listen to the news or discuss the topic with family, friends, or coworkers.

The International Theological Commission (ITC) comprises thirty members, appointed by the Pope, who are eminent in scholarship, prudence, and fidelity to the Magisterium. The ITC works closely with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), and the prefect of the CDF is the president of the ITC.

The primary purpose of the ITC is to study important doctrinal issues and to offer the results of its study to the Magisterium, especially to the CDF (Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Encyclopedia, Revised Edition).

No. The ITC is primarily advisory rather than authoritative. Thus, the ITC study "The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized" does not change the doctrine of the Church.

In October 2004, Pope John Paul II asked that the ITC study the matter in depth. The present document, published April 20, 2007, is the result of that study.

Limbo is a hypothesis developed by theologians over many years to explain the destiny of those who die without Baptism yet who have not committed actual sin. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that limbo is a place of perfect natural happiness, but without the supernatural vision of God (the "beatific vision"), to which no creature has a natural right.

Limbo has never been a formally defined doctrine of the faith, but rather is a theological opinion used to harmonize (a) the necessity of Baptism; (b) God’s universal salvific will (cf. 1 Tim. 2:4); and (c) the fact that such children are without actual sin.

The ITC study makes its biggest media splash regarding its comments on limbo: The document says that the theological concept of limbo seems to be based on an "unduly restrictive view of salvation."

CUF’s FAITH FACT "Where Do We Go from Here?: The Concept of Limbo" addresses this very question. The following are a few points to keep in mind.

• We are conceived and born in a state of sin and separation from God (cf. Catechism, no. 404). This state of sin and separation is called "original sin."
• Jesus taught that we must be baptized in order to enter heaven (Jn. 3:5). He instructs His apostles to proclaim the Gospel to all the nations and to baptize them (Catechism, no. 1257, cf. Mt. 28:19). Based on Jesus’ clear teaching, the Church has always emphasized the need to be reborn as a child of God through Baptism in order to be able to experience the glory of heaven.
  The Church "does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude" (Catechism, no. 1257).
• At the same time, "God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments" (Catechism, no. 1257). God can still bring about the salvation of the unbaptized.
• The Church does not know with certainty the eternal destiny of infants who die without being baptized. She entrusts them to the great mercy of God (cf. Catechism, no. 1261).

The ITC study "The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptized" is extensive and is worth reading in its entirety once it becomes generally available.

The ITC study affirms the above points. The document emphasizes that the conclusions of the study do not question original sin; neither should they be "used to negate the necessity of baptism or delay the conferral of the sacrament."

Additionally, "God can . . . give the grace of baptism without the sacrament being conferred, and this fact should particularly be recalled when the conferring of baptism would be impossible."

Further, "It must be clearly acknowledged that the church does not have sure knowledge about the salvation of unbaptized infants who die."

The document states that the faithful have "serious grounds" for hope: "Our conclusion is that the many factors that we have considered . . . give serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision."

"We emphasize that these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge."

This statement compares with what the Catechism (no. 1261) teaches:

As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus’ tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them" (Mk. 10:14), allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church’s call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism. (original emphasis)