SALVATION BY FAITH A BASIC TENET OF CHRISTIANITY

Q: I'm a Jewish woman recently married to a Catholic man. This is not our first marriage; we're both in our 50s and raised our families in our own faiths. We had an interfaith wedding ceremony, with both a minister and a rabbi officiating. We totally support each other's religious beliefs and attend services in both temple and church.

We've been attending a small local church on Saturday evenings for Mass, and although I don't believe in the gospel or take Jesus as my lord, I find the sermons extremely fulfilling, as the priest relates the Gospel readings to everyday life. However, at last week's mass, there was a different priest, a seminary graduate doing his internship. The Bible reading was related to Moses and the Ten Commandments.

During the sermon, the priest began talking about Protestant evangelicals and the way they misquote Scripture. He went on to discuss how Jews believe that if they abide by the "600 or more" Jewish laws, they're truly faithful, but, in fact, they are not because they don't believe in Christ. He said it's the belief in Christ as Lord and keeping that faith in your heart that's most important, and our belief in the biblical laws and the Ten Commandments is not enough.

I was insulted and hurt that this priest didn't take into account that there might be people in the pews other than Catholics and preached something I felt was truly divisive. I'm sure if there were any Protestants at this Mass, they would have been equally upset.

My husband didn't react to the sermon as strongly as I did but he understands why I felt insulted and he agreed the priest was out of line. We won't go back to this church since we don't know when that priest will be preaching again. I go church with my husband to support him and this is something we've enjoyed doing together. Am I overreacting? - A., via godsquadquestion@aol.com

A: So, let me get this straight: You're Jewish and you're upset that a Catholic Mass is not sufficiently Jewish for you? Maybe you should consider visiting a synagogue. Chances are, a visiting Christian seminary student wouldn't deliver the sermon.

The priest who aggravated you had every right to preach authentic Catholicism to his parishioners. Part of authentic Catholicism, indeed part of all authentic Christianity, is a belief in "salvation by faith." This is the Christian belief that we are saved by faith, not by works -- by what we believe rather than what we do. Christians also believe that the rewards of salvation after death -- entrance into heaven and resurrection at the end of time when Jesus returns -- depend upon believing Christ died for our sins, was resurrected on the third day, and is the Messiah chosen by God.

Competing with this view is a controversial but popular belief championed by Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner (1904-1984) that you can be saved by Jesus even if you don't know it. Rahner called those who don't accept Jesus but who are saved by Him anyway, "Anonymous Christians." (Interestingly, Judaism has a similar belief that if non-Jews obey seven basic ethical commandments given to Noah and his children after the flood, they'll inherit the same World to Come as pious Jews.)

Some Christian theologians criticize the concept of Anonymous Christians as a betrayal of the Gospel. Some claim that without a formal, conscious acceptance of Jesus as God, no salvation is possible (see Acts 4:12). Others see Rahner as offering a helpful note of theological humility by reminding us that only God can decide who is saved, and no biblical text can dissolve this ultimate mystery. They praise Rahner for finding a way to both affirm authentic Christianity while allowing interfaith dialogue to rise above the ridiculous: "You're going to hell because you don't accept Jesus!" "No I'm not!" "Yes you are!" "No I'm not!"

The official catechism of the Catholic Church states:

"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." This purposely ambiguous teaching leaves open a long discussion about the differences between people who've never heard the Gospel and those who've heard it and rejected it.

My position as a rabbi is that I have no problem with any Christian who thinks I'm saved or damned. The mystery of salvation remains a source of wonder and bewilderment for every person of faith. How people resolve this matter is between them and God.

If someone tries to convert me to Christianity, I ask, "Was your Lord Jesus Jewish all his life?" They answer, "Yes, absolutely." Then, I say, "Well, if being Jewish was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me."

The idea that Gandhi is not in heaven because he was not Christian may turn out to be true. Only God knows. However, speaking only for myself and from the truths I've learned on my own spiritual journey, I'd say such an exclusionist view merely convinces me I'd rather pass up heaven and go straight to where Gandhi's soul is resting and teaching others what I've always believed: The ways we're different are not nearly as important as the ways we're all the same.

(Send QUESTIONS ONLY to The God Squad, c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207, or email them to godsquadquestion@aol.com.