An Apologetical Explanation of the

Church as Necessary for Salvation

Must a person be a member of the Church in order to be saved?

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  (Mk 16:16)

“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”  (Jn 6:54)

All salvation comes through Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church founded by Christ, regardless of whether the saved person is a member of that Church.  Christ has willed to bestow the merits of his redemption through his Church.  The two Scripture references above point to the necessity of the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and the Eucharist.  Therefore, as the Body of Christ, the Church is “the way” of salvation.  This is why she is also called the “Sacrament of Salvation.”  (Cf. CCC 776, 849, 1111)

The phrase “outside the Church there is no salvation” (“Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus“) was first coined by St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in the third century.  This traditional teaching was further clarified by Pope Bl. Pius IX (cf. Allocution of December 9, 1854).  While emphasizing that all salvation comes from Christ through the Catholic Church., Pope Bl. Pius taught that God does not impute guilt to those who are innocently unaware of the truth of the Catholic Church.  Those who are not aware of the truths of the Church through no fault of their own may attain salvation if they are seeking the truth and try to live according to the truth.  People invincibly ignorant of the truth of the Catholic Church are expected to follow the natural law that is written on the hearts of all people (cf. LG 16; cf. DS 3866-3872).  God binds salvation to Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his Sacraments.  (Cf. CCC 847, 1257, 1955-1956)

It is important to remember that “all men are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and his Church, and to embrace it and hold on to it as they come to know it” (DH 1).  (cf. CCC 2104, 2467)

The possibility that people who have never heard the Gospel can be saved does not excuse Catholics from fulfilling their role in the evangelical mission of the Church.  Everyone has the right to hear the truth, and Christ instructed his Apostles to preach to and make disciples of all people.  Without the Sacraments and the guidance of the teaching authority established by Christ, those who do not hear the gospel are at a decided disadvantage as far as the pursuit of truth and holiness is concerned.  This reality makes it all the more urgent that we lead others, by our word and example, toward full union with our Lord through the Church.  For this reason, the Church has always held her missionary role as essential priority.  (Cf. CCC 848-856)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 846.

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