LIMBO

Pope Benedict XVI has recently reversed centuries of traditional Roman Catholic teaching (though never an official position) on limbo. This new examination came about due to the high number of miscarriages and abortions in the world today. While the new decision does bear some weight and in fact calls into question the Church’s traditional acceptance of baptism being a “wiping away of original sin” the Pope now sees original sin in a new light; namely that we are also born into grace. But where some have suggested a complete reversal this does not really seem to be the case.
Most interestingly this new proclamation does not altogether reject any of the official beliefs of the papacy but instead suggests a heightened awareness for the possible forgiveness and acceptance for lost children by their Heavenly Father. Rather than a complete reversal the announcement suggests that instead of waiting at the boarders of Hell (in limbus) there is “hope”. While many Catholics now see the official finding of the Vatican council a relief they may be jumping the gun a bit. In truth this is not as a wholesale rejection of Limbo but rather a moving of people from the boarders of Hell to the boarders of Heaven (at least as far as Limbo is seen). Through vaguely stating these new finding it seems that Limbo is in fact in limbo itself. But what the Catholic church has now successfully done is that it has engaged itself in the mysteriousness of Gods ways. No matter what else is said in the next few days, it is reassuring to see that the Church sees grace in a whole new light.