Stanowisko teologii w kwestii wiecznego losu dzieci nieochrzczonych. Czy ono może lub nawet powinno się zmienić?

Abstract

Mass media have unceasingly been reporting lately that the Church is going to change its belief regarding the fate of children who died without baptism. Such information is partly true – as far as the fact itself is concerned – but the presentation of what is going to be changed is to a great extent misleading. Clear hints can be read, on the other hand, from pope's words, when he says which truths of our faith must be taken into account in the proper settling of the issue of eternal fate of unbaptized children. The pope reminds us that such truths as: the universal redemptive will of God, the only and universal mediation of Jesus Christ, the role of the Church and the universal sacrament of redemption, theology of sacraments, the importance of the study of the original sin must be taken into consideration. The mere order, in which the pope lists these truths, is telling us what factors theology should consider first in its reflection on this issue. It seems no coincidence that mentioned first is the universal redemptive will of God, the certified expressis verbis on the pages of Scripture. Then, the universal redemptive mediation of Jesus Christ is mentioned, followed by the role of the Church, the sacraments and only in this context comes the importance of the study of the original sin.