American Papist: Not Your Average Catholic!: The Lowdown on Limbo

Monday, October 09, 2006

The Lowdown on Limbo

Jimmy Akin has an excellent extended analysis of the subject. This is the most recent development:

Last week the International Theological Commission (now headed by Cardinal Levada) had a big meeting (a "plenary session") in Rome in which they talked about the limbo matter, and this set off a lot of speculation in the media that an announcement might be imminent. It was widely thought that the document might be released or that B16 might address the matter in his homily at the Mass he celebrated on Friday for the ITC, but neither happened.
The accounts I've come across are mixed regarding whether the document is yet-to-be-drafted or has already been drafted but is now being tweaked. Presumably, they've drafted something--at least points for discussion--but the final document is still a ways off.

CWNews adds a bit more:

The International Theological Commission will recommend against using the concept of Limbo in explaining the eternal fate of unbaptized babies. But the group does not intend any "break from the great tradition of the faith."
... Archbishop Forte reported that the Commission is close to completion of a statement on the fate of unbaptized children. But he warned that the document, which has been heavily anticipated, is not likely to be publicized soon.

The next step:

While he said that the Commission's statement on unbaptized children is now in "mature" form, the archbishop added that some refinements would be needed before it is complete. Then it would be submitted to Cardinal William Levada, who as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is also the chairman of the International Theological Commission. Cardinal Levada, in turn, would submit the statement to Pope Benedict XVI.

More context:

Archbishop Forte, a longtime theological colleague of the current Pope, explained to I Media that the document now being prepared by the International Theological Commission does not simply discard the notion of Limbo. Instead, he reported, the statement sets forth the doctrinal questions involved in the discussion, including the reality of Original Sin.

Summation:

Again he noted that the concept of Limbo had "never been defined by the Church, although it was a very common teaching." In this case, the archbishop said, the International Theological Commission is reaching the conclusion that the concept of Limbo is "neither essential nor necessary."

Pope Benedict has not given any hints either way (to the surprise of many), as CNA reports:

Pope Benedict celebrated Mass Oct. 6 with the commission members; in his homily, he spoke about the role of theologians as listening to the word of God in order to help other's hear the good news. But he did not mention the so-called limbo document at all.

Interesting quote from Levada:

Presenting the commission's work to Pope Benedict last year, Cardinal William J. Levada, prefect of the doctrinal congregation and president of the commission, said the statement was important because "the number of babies not baptized has increased considerably," and the church knows that salvation "is only reachable in Christ through the Holy Spirit."
He also told the pope last year that he hoped the statement would be published soon.

CNA's summary:

In the 1985 book-length interview, "The Ratzinger Report," and in the 2000 book, "God and the World," the future Pope Benedict said focusing on hope made more sense theologically then upholding the idea of limbo, where unbaptized babies would enjoy "natural happiness" for eternity, but would not be in heaven in the presence of God.
Limbo, he pointed out, was never a defined article of Catholic faith, but rather was a hypothesis formed on the basis of the church's belief in the need for baptism.