Infants In the Magic Kingdom

Ross Douthat, guest-blogging at Sully's, links to an article which gives some great news: "After several years of study, the Vatican's International Theological Commission said there are good reasons to hope that babies who die without being baptized go to heaven." Well, that is a huge relief. I am so glad to know that unbaptized get to frolic in the magic kingdom too. Thank the Spaghetti Monster for all those theologians studying away!

At first when I started to read this article, I was so very relieved. But then I came upon this passage, and my relief lessened:

The commission said hopefulness was not the same as certainty about the destiny of such infants.

"It must be clearly acknowledged that the church does not have sure knowledge about the salvation of unbaptized infants who die," it said.

Oh darn. They're not sure? Like theologians are sure about so many other things? Maybe we should lock them up in a room and make them study whatever it is they study for a few more years. Then they can come out and tell us, and we'll really know what happens to unbaptized infants.