His book Muslims ask, Christians answer is available on the website of the English diocese of Westminister. The book is being sold at Westminster by a former Catholic priest who went deep into Eastern spirituality and then married. He now has a family.
None of the questions address the ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.He writes:-
891. When is the magisterium infallible?The infallible teaching of three popes and Councils is that all Muslims need to convert to avoid Hell.
The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium, above all in an Ecumenical Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine for belief as being divinely revealed, and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions must be adhered to with the obedience of faith. This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself (Catechism of the Catholic Church).-Question 100, Muslims ask,Christians answer.
Prof. Troll’s bio data says that was a professor of Islamic Studies in New Delhi from 1976 to 1988, then senior lecturer at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, University of Birmingham up to 1993, and after that a professor of Islamic Institutions at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome until 1999. He was appointed an honorary professor by the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in 2001.Until 2005, Troll was a twelve-year member of the Catholic Church's subcommission for religious relations with Muslims, which is part of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID).
His book Muslims ask,Christian answer howevr contains heresy since he interprets Vatican Council II (LG 16) as contradicting the infallible teaching on extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
The previous Vatican Consultant on Islam was Fr. Daniel Madigan S.J who was also a professor at the Gergorian University and President of a controversial institute there. He also did not consider Islam as not being a path to salvation (Notification,CDF,Fr.Jacques Dupuis S.J,Dominus Iesus 20 etc).He abruptly left the Gregorian University and teaches at a Jesuit University in Washington.
Christian Troll does not interpret Lumen Gentium 16 as referring to de jure salvation. Instead he considers it de facto and explicit.
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the following is from the book Muslims ask, Christians answer available on the Internet
Question 50: Why should I become a Christian? What good would it do me and how can Christianity guarantee me an afterlife? The Muslims don’t think highly of Christians, much like the Christians feel about the Jews: how can I find the right religion? One religion makes the other sound like a fairy tale, how can you prove the truth? What is the proof? A Creator does indeed exist, but which of the religions is right? (TR)
Answer: First, the text of the book and the answer to the previous questions should have shown that the Christian faith claims to be the true faith on the one hand, but it does not follow that it is therefore justified to take the stance that other faiths, such as the Jewish or Muslim faiths are completely false or worthless. The Questioner ought to carefully read chapter 11 and chapter 4, as well as the answer to question 42 with this statement in mind.
So, why should someone become a Christian? Because, as every convinced Christian will tell you, being a Christian means meeting Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life (see John 14:6) and because the Christian faith therefore satisfies what the truly seeking person is looking for in life. What does it bring a person to become a Christian? It “brings” Jesus Christ, the “Son of God” into his life, allows him to follow Him and to the people of the church who believe in Him, it brings him such lasting joy and fulfillment here on Earth such that only the true God can grant.
Christians, along with the Christian church believe that God, our merciful creator and Lord revealed Himself through his “Son” Jesus and therewith also revealed the Truth. It is therefore absolutely crucial to get to know Jesus, the Person and what He claims, and to honestly make yourself available to confront Him face-to-face. To the things already mentioned in chapter 2, we would like to add an extract from the book written by the theologian Otto Herrmann Pesch “Kleines Glaubensbuch” (Topos Taschenbuch 29):
(Note there is no mention of the necessity of the Church and Muslims going to Hell if they do not enter)Question 167: Will all those who are not Christians go to hell? (TR)
Answer: This question has already been discussed earlier in answer to question 17 (Questions and Answers 1). To complete the answer I add No 16 of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Lumen Gentium”:
(Note he is suggesting that LG 16 says there are Muslims whom we know who will not go to Hell. He is suggesting that de facto there could be Msulims whom we know who will be saved instead of suggesting that in principle only and under 'certain circumstances'(Letter of the Holy Office 1949) and so unknown to us some can be saved.
However we cannot say that de facto 10 Muslims in Rome have the Baptism of desire or that de jure we know 10 Muslims in Rome are in genuine invincible ignorance).
Question 183: What are Christian paradise and hell like? (TR)
Answer: In answer to this question we need to expand a little and consider the words of a leading modern day catholic theologian says about the dead, eternal life and therefore also about heaven (paradise) and hell.
Many of our contemporaries, even baptized Christians, struggle with the last sentence of the creed, as, indeed, did the people of Athens at the time of St Paul (Acts 17:32).
Presumably this is rooted in the apparently mythological images which the New Testament has taken over from the early Jewish apocalyptic tradition, and which were then passed on throughout the centuries through the preaching of the Church and through Christian art: that on the last day of our times, with the visible second coming of our Lord to earth, the graves will be opened and the bodies of all the dead will come to life again, so that all the people can then gather before Christ, the judge, for the last judgment.
Today many believers and the majority of theologians are convinced that we can imagine the resurrection of the dead in ways other than these strongly bodily images, without having to abandon the binding content of our faith. And so today much more emphasis is placed on the unity of body and soul, also with respect to the completion of life with God. This means: we believe that after death all human beings comes face to face with the love of God in the form of the risen Christ, with “body and soul”, with their whole humanity and their whole colourful life story, with everything they have experienced and suffered, done and not done. As with the Eucharist, where we receive the “body of Christ” (i.e. the risen Christ!), the term body refers not to the biological organism of our body (with skin, flesh and bones), but to that which St Paul calls the “spiritual body” of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:44), that is to say the whole body which has been penetrated and transformed by the Holy Spirit, the giver of life. In it remains “stored” all that of our earthly life, of our transient physicality and its experiences of happiness, love and joy which is important for the salvation of human beings in God. This resurrection of the body is not in contrast to the “immortality of the soul”, because the biblical meaning of the word soul emphasizes human beings’ openness to God and that they can enter into a personal relationship of love and friendship with God beyond their physical connection with earth and creation. From God’s point, this love and friendship never ends and is therefore “immortal”. The resurrection of the dead therefore describes the salvation of the one and whole human being.
For human beings death represents the definitive end of life on earth lived across the various phases in time and space. The “everlasting life” after death therefore does not simply run eternally and parallel to our time, only on a higher, invisible “heavenly” plane. Rather, in death our life lived on earth reaches its final form with God. But this must not be misunderstood as if God then codified the “result” of our live forever. Rather, finality means: we bring the “fruits” of our life to God. He accepts it, preserves, cleanses and perfects it in the never ending conversation of love between Father and Son in the Holy Spirit. In the light of this love the fruit of our lives can reach its fullness and reach that form which God has planned for each one of us at the very beginning of our lives. Once all human beings have suffered their death and have handed over the fruits of their lives to God, then Christ will have “come again” to every one of them. Then the last day of history has been reached. Like all of creation, this last day is not a certain calendar date in our timeline, and can therefore not be calculated in advance.
In this final and open coming face to face with the love of God we will understand the truth of our lives, clearly and without being able to suppress it. The huge discrepancy between our lives and the love of God for us will become apparent. His love will take the form of a “judging love” (= judgment) which hopes to move us to the recognition of truth, acceptance of our sin and to repentance. If we then accept God’s unerring, true and endlessly merciful gaze on our lives, his love can purify the innermost part of us. Then we can truly accept God’s forgiveness and allow it to transform us, thus becoming truly fit for heaven. Tradition calls this purgatory (purification), and it represents the “gates” of “heaven”.
Heaven is defined as the blissful existence of mankind in the unity of the triune God, but also with the body of Christ, which will gather up all faithful, hopeful and loving people of the earth; and finally also with the whole creation, which is loved by God in all eternity, which together with us is still suffering “birth pangs”, but which shall be released from its “bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21f).
And “hell”? Unlike Heaven God does not assign people to hell (as punishment). Of himself God only communicates himself, but only as love that desires nothing but salvation for everyone. However, human beings have been given the absolute freedom to say “no” to God’s mercy, however improbable such a choice may seem. For example, when they are so in love with their own achievements that they will not accept God’s salvation as pure grace but rather request it as their due. Such a “negative finality” can only be comprehended as a frozen fossilisation, a negation of life and all relationships, as an egocentricity that sees itself as the only absolute. We may and must hope that there is no-one for whom this will be the final word about themselves and their lives. But we cannot exclude the possibility with absolute certainty. Because the ultimate relation of God’s endless mercy and mankind’s endless freedom remain a secret to us. As long as we are still on our way, they are part of the mystery of faith and hope”. (Medard Kehl SJ in: W. Fürst & J. Werbick (Hg.), Katholische Glaubensfibel. Freiburg: Herder, 2004, p. 87 ff.)
“16. Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God (32). In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh (cf. Romans 9:4-5), On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues (cf. Romans 11:28-29). But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things (cf. Acts 17:25-28) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved (cf. 1 Timothy 2:4). Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience (33). Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel (34) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator (cf. Romans 1:21-25) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, "Preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention."(Note again he cites LG 16 suggesting that the baptism of desire and genuine invincible ignorance is not implcit, subjective and conceptual only. He suggests it is explcit and objective and known also to us. Yet we know that these exceptions to the baptism of desire are known only to God. The ex cathedra dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus states every Muslim needs to de facto enter the Catholic Church to avoid Hell.)
(Note he is changing the Catholic concept of Hell even though there is no new Christian Revelation on this subject.The Bible tells us Hell has fire and is a place of physical sufferinge.g Lazarus in the Gospel of Luke.
This is a point we have in common with Islam which has not changed its understanding of Hell).
Question 190: What happens to people who have not heard of Jesus? Will they all go to hell because they are not baptised? (TR)
Answer: “The church teaches that baptism is only essential for the salvation of those who have been told of baptism and who have had the opportunity to decide to be baptised. Because God wills the salvation of all people (cf. 1 Tim 2:4-6), a person who lives according to his conscience and who does God’s will as he recognises it, and who would therefore surely had desired baptism if he had known about its importance, can receive salvation on the basis of this baptism by desire.” Deutscher Erwachsenen-Katechismus, Vol. 1, p. 332
( Note“The church teaches that baptism is only essential for the salvation of those who have been told of baptism"says Troll.
Those Muslims who know about the Church and yet do not enter through the baptism of water are going to Hell definitely according to the Vatican Council II and the Catechism.Also Muslims in general are on the way to Hell and if there is anyone among them with the Baptism of desire, a good conscience or invincible ignorance they will be known only to God.
Vatican Council II, Ad Gentes 7 and the Catechism of the Catholic Church 836 says 'all' people need to enter the Catholic Church.)
d. The good news of salvation applies fundamentally to all people(Note Dominus Iesus reminds us that Jesus died for all people but for all people to receive salvation they have to respond, only those who respond by entering the Catholic Church can receive salvation (avoid Hell).)
God wants all people to be saved and to attain knowledge of truth (1 Tim 2:4). He does not want the sinner to die but for the sinner to convert and remain alive (see Ez 33:11; 2 Pet 3:9). This universality of God’s will for salvation was emphasised once again at the Second Vatican Council:
“Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the help necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel. She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church: Lumen Gentium = The Light of Nations, 16),Muslims Ask,Christian answer.
”All men are called to be part of this Catholic unity of the people of God….And to this belongs or are in various ways related to it, the Catholic faithful, all who believe in Christ, and indeed the whole of mankind, for all men are called by the grace of God to salvation.“ (LG 13).(Note all men and women are called however as Lumen Gentium 14 says those will be saved who enter the Catholic Church with Catholic Faith and the Baptism of water.This is also the message of Ad Gentes 7.
Christian Troll gives us Lumen Gentium 16 without Lumen Gentium 14 and Ad Gentes 7's relevant quotation)
(Note Lumen Gentium 14 also states:
”They are fully incorporated in the society of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ accept her entire system and all the means of salvation given to her, and are united with her as part of her visible bodily structure and through her with Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. The ties which bind men to the Church in a visible way are profession of faith, the sacraments, and ecclesiastical government and communion. He is not saved, however, who, though part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but, as it were, only in a "bodily" manner and not "in his heart." (LG 14).
Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism(124) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved...)
(Note they are our brothers and sisters with a valid baptism however they do not have Catholic Faith (A D Gentes 7,Vatican Council II) so they are on the way to Hell according the ex cathedra teaching outside the church there is no salvation(extra ecclesiam nulla salus).
”The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the appellation of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter. (LG 15). "He who believes in Christ and has received Baptism in the correct manner, is in a certain, albeit incomplete communion with the Catholic Church“ (UR 3). Communion with the orthodox churches is so deep that only very little is missing to achieve the fullness required to permit the joint celebration of the Eucharist.“ (Pope Paul VI, Sermon of December 14th, 1975) (see also KK 836-838).-Question 44, Ad d
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