12.17.2005 | In limbo no more

Ah, the limbo...how low can you go? Oh, wrong limbo. Sorry. We're talking about the Roman Church's recent disclosure that yet another piece of invented theological flotsam was going bye-bye.

The whole notion of consigning those who die unbaptized to a special corner of the afterlife smacks just a little of church boosterism, having nothing much to do with God or His Son. "hey, come to us, we'll take care of your soul." Or, don't, and who knows, you could spend eternity watching Leave it to Beaver re-runs.

There is a thoughtful essay on the subject by Ross Douthat whose reading I very much commend. What I take away from the entire business of limbo is that we should never stray very far from Scripture in fashioning our theology. We do so at the risk of creating division, and, to quote the fella claimed to be the first pope:

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1)

A lesson that the Roman Church now appears to be taking to heart. At least as regards the unbiblical notion of limbo.

| technorati tag | Christianity|