Overview

In his book “Credo: Compendium of the Catholic Faith”, Bishop Athanasius Schneider so narrows the baptism of desire and the overall path of salvation that non-Christians cannot be saved, except for Christian catechumenates who believe in Jesus and in the Trinity and firmly intend to enter the Church (i.e. by the formal Sacrament of Baptism). He excludes from salvation any and all non-Catholic Christians, unless such a Christian is “killed for confessing Christ”. Bishop Schneider excludes from salvation Protestants, called them heretics, and the Orthodox Christians, calling them schismatics. He also clearly states that Jews, Muslims, and believers in other religions cannot be saved, unless they convert to belief in Jesus and the Trinity. — Please note well that these claims on salvation by Schneider are heretical and openly contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Faith. —

Essentially, Bishop Schneider proposes a slightly modified version of the heresy of Feeneyism, in which very few non-Catholic Christians and none of the non-Christian believers able to be saved without conversion to Catholicism. This view is sadly ironic as Bishop Schneider may himself be guilty of formal schism, for his opposition to Pope Francis and Vatican II, and formal heresy, for his extreme views on salvation. So by his own narrow metric for salvation, Bishop Athanasius Schneider would not be saved. Fortunately for him, his views on salvation are very wrong.

Catholic Teaching vs. Bishop Athanasius Schneider

My book Forgiveness and Salvation for Everyone explains Catholic teaching on salvation based on the teaching of Scripture, Saints, Fathers, Doctors, Popes and Councils. The offer of salvation is universal; everyone and anyone can possibly be saved. However, not everyone accepts and obtains that salvation. Can we say that only Christians are saved, or only Catholics, or that few non-Catholics or non-Christians are saved? No, not at all. That claim is condemned as the heresy of Feeneyism, and those who adhere to a modified version of any heresy are still guilty of heresy. Put a new dress on an old heresy, and it’s still heresy.

Here is a teaching issued by the Vatican, the Holy See, in order to refute the heresy of Feeneyism:

Letter from the Holy Office to the Archbishop of Boston: “To gain eternal salvation, it is not always required that a person be incorporated in reality (reapse) as a member of the Church, but it is necessary that one belong to it at least in desire and longing (voto et desiderio). It is not always necessary that this desire be explicit as it is with catechumens. When one is invincibly ignorant, God also accepts an implicit desire, so called because it is contained in the good disposition of soul by which a person wants his or her will to be conformed to God’s will.”

The above Letter was issued regarding the errors of Fr. Leonard Feeney. Like Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Feeney limited salvation to Catholics, and severely limited the possibility of salvation by a baptism of desire or of blood. Schneider’s version of Feeneyism is slightly mitigated, but still contrary to many clear teachings of the Magisterium. Schneider is not presenting the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on salvation, but his own gravely erroneous ideas. At times, Bishop Schneider references teachings of Vatican II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Pope Francis — solely in order to state that he thinks these teachings of the Magisterium are wrong. Thus, his book “Credo” is not really a compendium of the Catholic Faith, but a compendium of his own opinions and errors, often in direct contradiction to the Catholic Faith.

Pope Saint John Paul II: “The universality of salvation means that it is granted not only to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all. But it is clear that today, as in the past, many people do not have an opportunity to come to know or accept the gospel revelation or to enter the Church. The social and cultural conditions in which they live do not permit this, and frequently they have been brought up in other religious traditions. For such people salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his Sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. It enables each person to attain salvation through his or her free cooperation.

“For this reason the Council, after affirming the centrality of the Paschal Mystery, went on to declare that ‘this applies <b<not only to Christians but to all people of good will in whose hearts grace is secretly at work. Since Christ died for everyone, and since the ultimate calling of each of us comes from God and is therefore a universal one, we are obliged to hold that the Holy Spirit offers everyone the possibility of sharing in this Paschal Mystery in a manner known to God.’ ” [Redemptoris Missio, n. 10; inner quote from Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, 22]

Pope Saint John Paul II taught the universal salvific will of God, that God wills all persons to be saved. This does not imply that all persons go to Heaven. Hell is real and many souls go there to suffer forever. However, the universal salvific will of God is the teachings of Sacred Scripture and the constant teaching of the Magisterium.

Note that the expression “in a manner known only to God” refers to each person’s individual situation, with grace at work in their souls. But it does NOT mean that we have no idea how God might save non-Christians. We have clear magisterial teachings that non-Christians are saved by implicit baptism of desire or by baptism of blood (which is not limited to Christian catechumenates). We know that God wills all human persons to be saved. So it is contrary to the Catholic Faith and contrary to the universal salvific will of God to claim, as Bishop Athanasius Schneider does, that non-Christians and most non-Catholic Christians are not saved without conversion to Catholicism (or extraordinary circumstances).

[1 Timothy 2]
{2:1} And so I beg you, first of all, to make supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for all men,
{2:2} for kings, and for all who are in high places, so that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all piety and chastity.
{2:3} For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
{2:4} who wants all men to be saved and to arrive at an acknowledgment of the truth.

The universal salvific will of God cannot be interpreted narrowly, such that only Christians or only Catholics are saved. Pope Saint John Paul II explicitly taught that non-Christians must have a concrete availability of salvation, meaning ample opportunity to be saved despite the obstacles of their social/cultural traditions, even without becoming formally a part of the Christian Church. “The universality of salvation means that it is granted not only to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all.”

Bishop Athanasius Schneider rejects this teaching of a papal encyclical by a Pope Saint. He goes to great lengths in his book “Credo” to narrow salvation almost exclusively to Catholics, and to exclude non-Christians very thoroughly.

Such claims are contrary to the Gospel. Consider the cases of the woman from Canaan and of the Roman Centurion. Jesus stated that they each had great faith. A person’s faith is not great unless they also have love and hope, which implies the state of grace. Yet neither was a Jew or a follower of Jesus.

Consider the parable of the Wedding Feast, in which those who enter the Feast, a figure for salvation in heaven, are very broadly described:

[Luke]
{14:16} So he said to him: “A certain man prepared a great feast, and he invited many.
{14:17} And he sent his servant, at the hour of the feast, to tell the invited to come; for now everything was ready.
{14:18} And at once they all began to make excuses. The first said to him: ‘I bought a farm, and I need to go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’
{14:19} And another said: ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. I ask you to excuse me.’
{14:20} And another said, ‘I have taken a wife, and therefore I am not able to go.’
{14:21} And returning, the servant reported these things to his lord. Then the father of the family, becoming angry, said to his servant: ‘Go out quickly into the streets and neighborhoods of the city. And lead here the poor, and the disabled, and the blind, and the lame.’
{14:22} And the servant said: ‘It has been done, just as you ordered, lord, and there is still room.’
{14:23} And the lord said to the servant: ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel them to enter, so that my house may be filled.
{14:24} For I tell you, that none of those men who were invited will taste of my feast.’ ”

Salvation is so broad that the wedding feast of heaven includes even those who are figuratively compelled to enter, that is, non-Christians, who outwardly rejected the Church, but who accepted the state of grace by love of God and neighbor, or at least by love of neighbor (which always at least implicitly includes love of God).

Pope Saint John Paul II: “For those, however, who have not received the Gospel proclamation, as I wrote in the Encyclical ‘Redemptoris Missio,’ salvation is accessible in mysterious ways, inasmuch as divine grace is granted to them by virtue of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, without external membership in the Church, but nonetheless always in relation to her (cf. Redemptoris Missio, n. 10). It is a mysterious relationship. It is mysterious for those who receive the grace, because they do not know the Church and sometimes even outwardly reject her. It is also mysterious in itself, because it is linked to the saving mystery of grace, which includes an essential reference to the Church the Savior founded. In order to take effect, saving grace requires acceptance, cooperation, a ‘yes’ to the divine gift. This acceptance is, at least implicitly, oriented to Christ and the Church.”

External or formal membership in the Church occurs by the Sacrament of Baptism (with water). Those baptized by desire or blood are united to Christ and to the Church by the state of grace given to them by either of these types of non-formal baptism. And notice that Pope Saint John Paul II teaches that these persons “sometimes even outwardly reject” the Church. Clearly, this Pope Saint is teaching that non-Christians can be saved, even if they know about Christianity and decide not to accept Christianity and formal Baptism. Such a decision is objectively gravely wrong, but is often not culpable to the extent of actual mortal sin due to invincible ignorance. (And if it is fully culpable, the person may later repent.)

Pope Saint John Paul II: “In order to take effect, saving grace requires acceptance, cooperation, a yes to the divine gift. This acceptance is, at least implicitly, oriented to Christ and the Church. Thus it can also be said that sine ecclesia nulla salus — “without the Church there is no salvation.” Belonging to the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, however implicitly and indeed mysteriously, is an essential condition for salvation.” [All Salvation Comes through Christ, General Audience — May 31, 1995]

A non-Christian can be saved by an implicit “Yes” to Christ, even while outwardly rejecting formal membership in the Church. Actual mortal sins can be forgiven by perfect contrition, and the intention to go to Confession (especially for non-Christians who do not understand this requirement) can be implicit. And in case you did not know that this is Catholic teaching, here is a source that is well-accepted by conservative and traditionalist Catholics, the Catechism of Pope Saint Pius X:

On The Church in General
16 Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation?
A. Baptism is absolutely necessary to salvation, for our Lord has expressly said: “Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.”

17 Q. Can the absence of Baptism be supplied in any other way?
A. The absence of Baptism can be supplied by martyrdom, which is called Baptism of Blood, or by an act of perfect love of God, or of contrition, along with the desire, at least implicit, of Baptism, and this is called Baptism of Desire.
[…]
29 Q. But if a man through no fault of his own is outside the Church, can he be saved?
A. If he is outside the Church through no fault of his, that is, if he is in good faith, and if he has received Baptism, or at least has the implicit desire of Baptism; and if, moreover, he sincerely seeks the truth and does God’s will as best he can such a man is indeed separated from the body of the Church, but is united to the soul of the Church and consequently is on the way of salvation
[…]
On Penance
18 Q. Of all the parts of the sacrament of Penance which is the most necessary?
A. Of all the parts of the sacrament of Penance the most necessary is contrition, because without it no pardon for sins is obtainable, while with it alone, perfect pardon can be obtained, provided that along with it there is the desire, at least implicit, of going to confession.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider openly rejects the teaching of Pope Saint John Paul II as well as the teaching of Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church on salvation for non-Catholic Christians. He interprets the baptism of desire so narrowly that non-Christians, including devout Jews and Muslims, cannot be saved. He even denies salvation for non-Catholic Christians, as well as Catholics in a state of heresy, schism, or even excommunication. And his position on baptism of desire is so disordered that he is contradicting even the simple clear teaching of the Catechism of Pope Saint Pius X.

Note that Pius X teaches that “an act of perfect love of God” (which of course can only occur in full cooperation with grace) provides a baptism of desire. What if that person had actual mortal sin on their conscience prior to that act? This is clearly a case of implicit perfect contrition, since the perfect love of God necessarily includes, at least implicitly (often explicitly), sorrow for sins out of that love for God, which is called perfect contrition. And baptism, whether of water, desire, or blood, forgives all sin.

Schneider interprets the universal salvific will of God so narrowly that God is supposedly not willing to save anyone, unless they are Catholic Christian, with a few exceptions for some non-Catholic Christians. Schneider quotes St. Cyprian as saying that “He cannot have God for his Father, who does not have the Church for his mother.” Such an expression is like the expression “outside the Church, no salvation”. Both expressions are only true when the Church is considered in Her full extent, including those “separated from the body of the Church, but … united to the soul of the Church”, as Pius X says.

Pope Saint John Paul II explains the same point, that non-Christians can be implicit members of the Church, and therefore be saved through the Church, even if sometimes they outwardly reject Her. But Schneider ignores the teaching of Pope Saint Pius X and Pope Saint John Paul II, instead interpreting quotes from St. Cyprian and others as if God were merciless and Pharisaical. He requires explicit membership in the Catholic Church, excluding implicit membership in the Church and severely narrowing the implicit baptism of desire. Schneider’s teaching on salvation is not Catholic.

Credo “549. Can a man be saved who does not know God’s revelation, or the Church He founded? One who neglects to pray for insight or earnestly seek the true religion is ignorant by his own fault, and so cannot be saved. Likewise, one who refuses to enter the Church once he has discovered it is refusing the known invitation of God, and thus cannot be saved.”
[Schneider, Bishop Athanasius. Credo: Compendium of the Catholic Faith (p. 158). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.]

The above quote excludes from salvation all persons who know about Christianity and the Catholic Church, and do not enter, contrary to what Pope Saint John Paul II teaches. The Magisterium has NEVER narrowed salvation to such an extent. Before the arrival of Christ Jesus, the Jews were saved by an implicit baptism of desire, as formal Baptism did not yet exist. And non-Jews, like Enoch, who walked with God, were saved by the light of natural law and by grace, which is also an implicit baptism of desire. Then, when Christ Jesus the Savior of the world arrived, He DID NOT NARROW the path of salvation to only Christians.

Pope Pius IX: “Here, too, our beloved sons and venerable brothers, it is again necessary to mention and censure a very grave error entrapping some Catholics who believe that it is possible to arrive at eternal salvation although living in error and alienated from the true faith and Catholic unity. Such belief is certainly opposed to Catholic teaching. There are, of course, those who are struggling with invincible ignorance about our most holy religion. Sincerely observing the natural law and its precepts inscribed by God on all hearts and ready to obey God, they live honest lives and are able to attain eternal life by the efficacious virtue of divine light and grace. Because God knows, searches and clearly understands the minds, hearts, thoughts, and nature of all, his supreme kindness and clemency do not permit anyone at all who is not guilty of deliberate sin to suffer eternal punishments.” [Quanto Conficiamur Moerore, n. 7.]

Certainly also, those who are guilty of actual mortal sin, but who later repent, can avoid eternal punishments.

But the position of Bishop Athanasius Schneider on salvation is incompatible with the above magisterial teaching, and many other magisterial teachings.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 847 quotes Vatican II: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience — those too may achieve eternal salvation.” [337 LG 16; cf. DS 3866-3872.]

And the expression those who do not know Christ or His Church is not limited to those in absolute ignorance, such as those living in the Americas before Europeans arrived to bring Christianity. It also applies to those who know about Christianity and Catholicism, but lack sufficient accurate knowledge as well as to those who have knowledge, but do not reject Christianity or Catholicism with the full culpability of actual mortal sin due to social, cultural, and personal obstacles, which obscure and injure their understanding of the Church.

Now Bishop Athanasius Schneider quotes the above text from Pius IX, and then he narrows it to a severe extent, making the teaching essentially null and void. First he says: “Because God is omnipotent, it is possible that He can communicate the effect of baptism independent of its ordinary sacramental sign.” [Credo, p. 158] Then he lists his claims about the requirements for such an extraordinary non-formal baptism, i.e. a baptism of desire.

Credo, 552:
“1. Belief that God exists and is a Rewarder of those who seek Him (see Heb 11:6);
2. Sincere effort to know and do God’s will as He makes it known;
3. True repentance for sin and hope for pardon.”
Credo, 553:
“1. Perfect conversion;
2. Sincere belief in and love for Jesus Christ and the Blessed Trinity;
3. Firm intent to enter the Church.”
[Schneider, Bishop Athanasius. Credo: Compendium of the Catholic Faith (p. 159). Sophia Institute Press. Kindle Edition.

So Schneider claims that non-formal baptism (desire or blood) is impossible in anyone who does not believe in and love Jesus Christ and the Trinity, and does not firmly intend to enter the Church. But such an intention to enter the Church, in Schneider’s theology, would only be by formal Baptism with water. These alleged requirements for a person to be given a non-formal baptism (and therefore the state of grace) exclude Jews, Muslims, other non-Christian believers, and non-believers. In fact, these requirements are so extensive that many Christian catechumenates would not qualify: “perfect conversion” is required with “Sincere belief in and love for Jesus Christ and the Blessed Trinity.” A lukewarm or conflicted Catholic Christian catechumenate would not qualify.

Such requirements for a baptism of desire or blood have never been taught by the Church. Did Saint John the Baptist believe in the Trinity? Was Saint John the Baptist baptized as a Christian? The same questions can be asked about Saint Joseph, who seems to have died prior to the public ministry of Christ, and about Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, John’s parents, as well as about the Virgin Mary’s parents, Saints Joachim and Anna. Not all Saints were baptized with water. And the earliest Saints might not have known about the Trinity.

NEVER has the Magisterium or the Saints taught such a narrow view of salvation as Bishop Athanasius Schneider promotes and disseminates in the book “Credo”.

In Credo 555, Schneider allows salvation for St. Felicity, who died before baptism, only due to profession of the true Faith and martyrdom for the Faith. He ignores the fact that she died while pregnant, and does not consider the salvation of her unborn child. Under Schneider’s merciless and ignorant salvation theology, there is no path to Heaven for unbaptized infants or unborn children.

In Credo 556, Schneider allows salvation for a BAPTIZED non-Catholic Christian ONLY if he is killed for confessing Christ. But in Credo 557, if such a person died for defending his Protestant faith, this would supposedly not qualify him as a martyr, since Schneider thinks such a person would be dying for heresy and idolatry, rather than for Christ. Schneider does allow the possibility that such a person might have invincible ignorance, and so, as a baptized non-Catholic Christian, possibly be saved. But this merely underscores the clear position of Bishop Athanasius Schneider that Protestant and Orthodox Christians are not saved, except in extraordinary cases.

The above described position held by Schneider is bizarre. For he does not deny that baptism in the Protestant and Orthodox cases are valid. Yet he denies them salvation, except in some few cases. As we read on, it becomes clear that he considers them to be heretics and schismatics, and so they are said by him to be outside the Church. Now it is an undeniable dogma that all who die in the state of grace will enter Heaven, perhaps after some time in Purgatory. Therefore, all those denied salvation in the heretical theology of Bishop Schneider are implied to lack the state of grace, including all non-Christians (Jews, Muslims, other non-Christian believers, all non-believers) and almost all Protestants and Orthodox. [I would charitably assume that Schneider thinks baptized non-Catholic children are saved if they die in childhood.]

In Credo 558 and following, Schneider considers who is outside the Church. But recall that, in his theology, all those formally outside the Church lack the state of grace and are not saved, unless they repent, have perfect conversion, believe in and love Jesus and the Trinity, and intend to join the Catholic Church.

Whom does Schneider say are fully outside the Church, and neither explicit nor implicit members? “All the non-baptized, including Jews, Muslims, and pagans.” [Credo 558] Then also apostates, heretics, schismatics, and excommunicates. He includes among heretics “Protestants, Modernists” and includes among schismatics the Orthodox Christians, [Credo 559, 563] as well as the sedevacantists (apparently condemning the SSPX). Schneider: “Are so-called ‘sedevacantists’ in schism? Yes, inasmuch as one who obstinately refuses to recognize a lawfully reigning pope is a schismatic.” [Credo 565] Note that this position implies that anyone today who claims Pope Francis is not the valid Pope, such as archbishop Carlo Vigano, or father James Altman, would be, in Bishop Schneider’s view, outside the Church and not on the path of salvation.

However, after narrowing salvation and therefore the state of grace to only some Catholics (not Modernists, schismatics, heretics, or excommunicates) and very few non-Catholic Christians, Schneider then justifies those who “Recognize and Resist” the Roman Pontiff. In truth, such persons might be schismatics, as they seem to be refusing submission to the Roman Pontiff (but individual cases may vary). Yet Schneider defends them in their resistance to the Roman Pontiff, by wrongly defining schism as those who refuse to “recognize” the Roman Pontiff, instead of the definition in Canon Law, which is “the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff”. So Schneider’s definition of schism allows refusal of submission, which soon becomes quite clear:

Credo 566 claims: “One is not schismatic if he resists a pope or refuses to obey a particular teaching or command of his that is manifestly contrary to natural or divine law, or that would harm or undermine the integrity of the Catholic Faith or the sacredness of the liturgy. In such cases, disobedience and resistance to the pope is permissible and sometimes obligatory.”

The extent to which Schneider justifies “disobedience and resistance to the pope” is alarming. First, things that seem contrary to natural or divine law might only seem that way, as we are all fallen sinners, whose ability to reason and understand is injured by concupiscence and personal sin, as well as the influence of other sinners. Second, it would be easy for anyone to use Schneider’s words to reject and oppose almost any decision by the Pope, by claiming that it would indirectly harm or in some way undermine the integrity of the Faith. Third, Schneider extends this perverse permission to oppose the Roman Pontiff even to any Catholic who thinks that a papal decision might undermine the integrity of the liturgy. In Schneider’s plan, there is really nothing left to the obligation to believe and practice the Faith under the teaching and guidance of the Pope, as anyone would find an excuse to oppose the Pope in any of his teachings or decision in Credo 566. So that passage clearly promotes and justifies manifest obstinate schism against the Pope.

Again, there is no such teaching of the Magisterium or the Saints on such resistance or disobedience to the Pope. Refusal of submission is schism. And while one might disagree, to a limited extent, with a non-infallible decision on doctrine or discipline, “resistance” is never permissible, let alone obligatory. This claim is schismatic in itself, and its promotion is the grave sin of promoting and approving of schism.

Love, Faith, and Hope

Consider the implications of this position taught by Bishop Athanasius Schneider in the book “Credo”. IF salvation is denied to those outside the Church, and implicit membership in the Church is denied, and even baptism of desire or blood is denied to them, then they cannot be in the state of grace and cannot be saved without becoming Catholic Christians. Schneider condemns to Hell all Jews, Muslims, other non-Christian believers, non-believers, along with most Protestants and Orthodox Christians, as well as Catholic apostates, heretics, schismatics, and excommunicates (and of course those Catholics in a state of actual mortal sin). Schneider denies the implicit baptism of desire (taught by Aquinas, Liguori, and the Magisterium). He assumes non-Catholic Christians, who are baptized, are in a state of unrepented actual mortal sin for heresy and schism. He assumes that all apostates, heretics, schismatics, excommunicates, non-Christian believers and non-believers are guilty and unrepentant to the extent of actual mortal sin. Such a plan of salvation is merciless, ignorant, malicious, heretical, and extremely Pharisaical. Under his own metric for salvation, Schneider would be condemned to Hell. Under my understanding, Schneider might not be culpable to the extent of actual mortal sin, or he might later repent, and so he can be saved.

[Matthew]
{23:13} So then: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you close the kingdom of heaven before men. For you yourselves do not enter, and those who are entering, you would not permit to enter.

Now, if, as Schneider claims, the state of grace is not found in non-Christians and hardly at all in non-Catholic Christians, this implies that such persons do not have the theological virtues of love, faith, and hope. Schneider’s position implies that devout Jews do not love God or neighbor with supernatural love, and do not have supernatural faith in God; implies the same for devout peaceful Muslims; implies the same for all other human persons, including the many Protestants and Orthodox Christians — who explicitly believe in, love, and worship Jesus and the Trinity. Bishop Athanasius Schneider actually believes and teaches that only those who believe in Jesus and the Trinity can have supernatural faith. This was taught by him in his previous book “Christus Vincit” and in a past interview. See my past posts.

The Magisterium teaches that Protestant Christians and Orthodox Christians are members of the Church.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 838: ” ‘The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter.’ Those ‘who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church.’ With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound ‘that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord’s Eucharist.’ ”

Bishop Athanasius Schneider claims that these Protestant and Orthodox Christians are generally not members of the Church. He proposes that they are often not saved, as they are heretics or schismatics. He denies to them the name “Christian”, and he even claims that they are not in the image of God. Such claims are wicked.

203. What about the many non-Catholic groups claiming the title of “Christian” or “Church”?
Those that hold Jesus as Lord but do not profess the entirety of His doctrine or participate in the unity of His Church have no proper claim to such titles.

224. Is the dignity of the human person rooted in his creation in God’s image and likeness?
This was true for Adam, but with original sin the human person lost this resemblance and dignity in the eyes of God. He recovers this dignity through baptism, and keeps it as long as he does not sin mortally.

Such a claim is more severely heretical than the Calvinism doctrine of “total depravity”. The Church has never taught such a thing. And Schneider extends this denial of the image and likeness of God even to Catholic Christians, if they sin mortally. Then recall that Schneider thinks that non-Catholic Christians are generally not saved, and therefore not in the state of grace, due to schism and heresy; this would imply that most of these non-Catholic Christians are also denied the dignity of being in the image and likeness of God. As for Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians, Schneider sees no way that they can have the state of grace, without conversion, and so such persons would, in his view, NEVER have the dignity of the image and likeness of God.

Such claims are contrary to Catholic Christian teaching. All human persons have a dignity due to being made in the image and likeness of God, regardless of their religion and their sins. Original sin made human nature worse, but did not cause the intellective soul and free will to be totally depraved, nor did it take away the ability to cooperate with actual graces (even for those not in the state of grace). And so every human person has the dignity of being made and remaining in the image and likeness of God. We are most like God when we reach heaven, and least like God when we sin gravely and have not yet repented. But all human persons have this dignity. And what does Jesus say:
[John]
{10:34} Jesus responded to them: “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said: you are gods?’
{10:35} If he called those to whom the word of God was given gods, and Scripture cannot be broken,
{10:36} why do you say, about him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You have blasphemed,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’

But the word of God is offered by God to all humanity, is addressed to all humanity, and seeks a hearing from all humanity. So all human persons are gods, as in those who are made in the image and likeness of the one God.

Schneider in Credo 226: Isn’t every human person a “son or daughter of the One who wants to be called ‘our Father’”? [52] No. One becomes a child of God only through explicit faith in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word and Son of God, being reborn of God (see Jn 1:12–13) through the sacrament of baptism (see Jn 3:5; and 1 Pt 1:3–23). “It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants” (Rom 9:8).

Schneider’s inner quote and footnote [52] is to the teaching in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which he rejects openly. This claim by Schneider that the children of God are only those who have “explicit faith” and “the sacrament of baptism” is directly contrary to the dogma of the Council of Trent on baptism, which teaches that they are children of God by spiritual adoption who receive the washing of regeneration or its desire. Trent teaches that those who receive the Sacrament of baptism with water and those who receive a baptism of desire are all children of God. Then the Church certainly teaches that a baptism of desire can be implicit (e.g. Catechism of Pope Saint Pius X). But Scheider openly rejects all these teachings, thereby committing heresy by limiting the adoption as children of God to only those with the sacrament of baptism and explicit faith.

DECREE ON JUSTIFICATION
CHAPTER IV.
A description is introduced of the justification of the impious, and its mode under the law of grace
By these words, a description of the justification of the impious is introduced, as being a translation from the state, in which a person is born a child of the first Adam, to the state of grace and of the adoption of the children of God, through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, our Savior. And certainly [this] translation, after the promulgation of the Gospel, is not able to occur without the washing of regeneration or its desire, just as it is written: “unless one has been reborn by water and the Holy Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.” [John 3:5]

Bishop Athanasius Schneider rejects the teaching of the Council of Trent that those who receive a baptism of desire are children of God. In Credo 227 and 228, Schneider repeats his assertion that the sacrament of baptism is what makes human persons children of God, allowing no other way — neither an implicit or explicit baptism of desire, nor a baptism of blood, but only the sacrament itself.

There are more errors in Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s book Credo. This should suffice for now.

Ronald L Conte Jr