What does it mean that outside the church there is no salvation?

Answer

For some, stating that there is no salvation outside the church may seem obvious to the point of being repetitive. If all those who are saved or will be saved constitute the true church—the Body of Christ—then it follows that those outside the church are not saved. Saying, “excluded from the church” is essentially synonymous with “unsaved.” Once individuals are saved, they are also included in the church.

However, some interpret the concept differently. Roman Catholic theology upholds the principle of extra Ecclesiam nulla salus (“outside the church, no salvation”). Salvation is exclusively found through the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) because it is where Christ resides and is the channel of Christ’s grace. Access to the grace of Christ necessary for salvation is through the sacraments of the RCC, which are overseen by the RCC and administered by its priests.

Thomas Aquinas asserted that there is no salvation outside the church: “The unity of the Church is primarily based on the unity of faith; as the Church is essentially the community of believers. Since faith is essential for pleasing God, salvation is not possible outside the Church. The salvation of believers is achieved through the sacraments of the Church, where the power of Christ’s Passion is effective” (Exposition Primae Decretalis ad Archdiaconum Tudertinum, ed. by Fr. R. Verardo, Opusculum Theologica, Vol. I, Marietta, Turin, 1954, p. 425).

In 1302, Pope Boniface VIII issued a papal bull affirming the doctrine of extra Ecclesiam nulla salus: “The Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. We firmly believe in her and straightforwardly confess that outside of her there is neither salvation nor the forgiveness of sins. . . . It is absolutely essential for salvation that every human soul be subject to the Roman Pontiff.”

Feature be subject to the Roman Pontiff” (Unam Sanctum, Papal Encyclicals Online, www.papalencyclicals.net/bon08/b8unam.htm, accessed 6/16/22).

In the early twentieth century, Pope Leo XIII continued to affirm the Catholic doctrine that there is no salvation outside of the Roman Church: “This is our final lesson to you: receive it, engrave it in your minds, all of you: by God’s commandment salvation is to be found nowhere but in the Church; the strong and effective instrument of salvation is none other than the Roman Pontificate” (“Allocution for the 25th Anniversary of His Election,” February 20, 1903, Papal Teachings: The Church, Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, St. Paul Editions, 1962, ¶ 653).

And this from Pope John Paul II in 1981: “The mystery of salvation is revealed to us and is continued and accomplished in the Church . . . and from this genuine and single source, like ‘humble, useful, precious and chaste’ water, it reaches the whole world. . . . We have to be conscious and absorb this fundamental and revealed truth, consecrated by tradition: ‘There is no salvation outside the Church.’ From her alone there flows surely and fully the life-giving force destined in Christ and in His Spirit” (“Radio Message for Franciscan Vigil in St. Peter’s and Assisi,” October 3, 1981, L’Osservatore Romano, October 12, 1981).

All of the above shows that the Roman Catholic Church sees itself as the sole possessor of salvation, and outside of the Church, there is no salvation.

In recent years, the doctrine of extra Ecclesiam nulla salus has been softened to a degree. Current Catholic teaching would allow an exception for those who are inculpably ignorant, that is, those who did not know about Christ or the RCC and therefore did not knowingly reject either. Another exception is made for those who have a deficient understanding of the truth but act according to their best understanding of the truth. Some Protestants would be placed in this category as would people of other religions worldwide. GiGiven the current state of affairs, it appears that the teaching of “outside the church there is no salvation” would only be relevant to deliberate heretics.

Evangelicals would rather use the phrase “outside of Christ there is no salvation,” indicating that without faith in Christ, no one can attain salvation. This would encompass individuals who are unaware of Christ’s existence. They are not condemned for not believing in someone they have never heard of, but for disregarding God’s law that has been revealed to them. According to Romans 1, no one has ever fully adhered to God’s revealed law. Consequently, everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”, (Romans 3:23). “Those who sin without the law will also perish without the law, and those who sin under the law will be judged by the law” “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;”, (Romans 2:12). Therefore, everyone must hear the gospel. Without embracing the good news, no one can be saved.