8
As the Church moved into the modern era it faced not only the continuing challenge of
other religions, but also the challenge of modernism, which began to move through
Religionsgeschichte in the direction of pluralism. Pius IX rises to this challenge with strong
words of condemnation for modernism, Americanism, and any other dilution of Roman Catholic
exclusivity in salvation. He renewes the claims of Unam Sanctum that there is no salvation
outside the Church. Nevertheless, in the midst of his enforcement of traditional theology, he
leaves the door open for a salvation that was in some sense outside the Church. He writes in
Singulari quadam, 1854:
Certainly we must hold it as of faith that no one can be saved outside of the apostolic
Roman Church, that this is the only ark of salvation, that the one who does not enter this
is going to perish in the deluge. But nevertheless, we must likewise hold it as certain that
those who labor in ignorance of the true religion, if that ignorance be invincible, will
never be charged with any guilt on this account before the eyes of the Lord.
19
Later Pius goes on to say that, while no one can be saved outside the Church, the definition of
those outside really means those who are defiant against the authority and definitions of the
RCC. Thus, with Pius, we have a papal declaration that the definition of those outside the
Church means those culpably outside the church. As Dupuis notes, "Singulari Quadam, while
reaffirming the necessity of the Church for salvation, is the first document which speaks of
invincible ignorance, by which people are subjectively excused from embracing Christianity.
20
But the issue that would not be solved with Pius was, how can the Roman Church truly be the
only ark of salvation, if people who labor outside of it in invincible ignorance may be saved?
Theologians would debate this question through the first half of the 20
th
century leading to a
solution in the second half.
19
Sullivan 113.
20
Dupuis 123.