~M~

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070420/ts_nm/pope_limbo_dc

Since I know virtually nothing about Catholicism, I thought the Pope was dismissing the style of dance called limbo. :redface: Anyhow, does anyone know of the theological backing for and against such the theological limbo?

Steven Avery

Hi M,

The Jewish Daily Forward did an article that was fascinating on this in January 2006. It used to be on the web at their website, now I find it (available as part of a free trial subscription, I have no idea if there is a catch, also I have not seen the NY Times article) at ..

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...1/ai_n18472353
Is 'Limbo' On Its Way Out? - by Philogos

Limbo, it seems, is on its way out. Or at least so reported a December 28 New York Times article, according to which Catholic theologians have decided to do away with this next-worldly refuge for those who lack the credentials for heaven and do not deserve to go to hell. The Latin word limbo, from limbus, "border," is short for limbo infantum and limbo patrum, "the border of [hell for] infants" and "the border of [hell for] ancestors" -- that is, the shadowy region outside of hell in which reside the souls of little babies and of ...

There seems to be some interesting commentary at the blog of Horace Jeffery Hodges, and a quote which I will include from the Forward article.

http://gypsyscholarship.blogspot.com...for-limbo.html
Limbo may be headed for limbo.

In later kabbalistic literature . . . as well as in the Hasidic circles that were heavily influenced by it, "the world of tohu," conceived as an intermediate stage between the ultimate good of pure spirit and the ultimate evil of pure matter, became a term for a nebulous domain — not unlike the Christian Limbo, in which souls admitted to neither heaven nor hell wandered. The reason for having to lead such an existence had nothing to do with the absence of a rite of initiation like baptism. Rather, the problem was an even balance between the dead man's sins and merits, which left his soul in a no-man's land.

Oh, I did post the Forward article at ..

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Messia.../message/11492
Is 'Limbo' On Its Way Out? - Forward - "olam ha-tohu"

Shalom,
Steven

MadPhatCat

Please, search before posting new threads....

http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=204501

3DJay

Oh oh...I was counting on Limbo being there. :frown:


Peace

Toto

There is nothing in the Bible about Limbo. I suspect this thread would do better in GRD, merged with its friend, but I will wait for objections.

The Dec 28 New York Times article referred to above is from Dec 2005, available to subscribers.

Steven Avery

Not much there but no subscription necessary.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/27/news/rome.php
Church tradition of limbo heading for, well, limbo By Ian Fisher - Dec 28, 2005

The Forward take was more interesting .

Shalom,
Steven

Clivedurdle

Is there any difference between discussions about eternal hell, heaven and states of natural happiness and counting angels on pinheads?

Roger Pearse

Probably with all those polished marble floors, there were too many accidents when the Cardinals "got down".

Or maybe it's just about people trying too hard to view the ceiling of the Sistine chapel?

All the best,

Roger Pearse

~M~

Is limbo a place of punishment?

premjan

Limbo is the in-between place for people who are unbaptized but without sin. I guess the good Samaritan would end up there? Agnostics too, I imagine. And babies who died without being baptized.

Now these people have a chance at heaven.