Lesson plan
Limbo
The unofficial term Limbo ( , referring to the edge of Hell) is the afterlife condition, in medieval Catholic theology, of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the Damned. Some medieval theologians of Western Europe described the underworld ("hell", "hades", "infernum") as divided into three distinct parts: Hell of the Damned, Limbo of the Fathers or Patriarchs, and Limbo of the Infants. The Limbo of the Fathers is the state or place for people who were friends of God but died before the death of Jesus Christ; when Jesus died he descended into hell and rescued the souls of those who had died before him: this is traditionally known as the Harrowing of Hell. The Limbo of the Infants was the hope that just because a child died before baptism, it does not mean they deserve punishment (or are developed enough to be cognizant of separation from God), though they cannot have full salvation (or experience the Beatific Vision.) The Limbo of the Infants is neither affirmed nor denied by Catholic doctrine.
Article summary
The unofficial term Limbo ( , referring to the edge of Hell) is the afterlife condition, in medieval Catholic theology, of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the Damned. Some medieval theologians of Western Europe described the underworld ("hell", "hades", "infernum") as divided into three distinct parts: Hell of the Damned, Limbo of the Fathers or Patriarchs, and Limbo of the Infants. The Limbo of the Fathers is the state or place for people who were friends of God but died before the death of Jesus Christ; when Jesus died he descended into hell and rescued the souls of those who had died before him: this is traditionally known as the Harrowing of Hell. The Limbo of the Infants was the hope that just because a child died before baptism, it does not mean they deserve punishment (or are developed enough to be cognizant of separation from God), though they cannot have full salvation (or experience the Beatific Vision.) The Limbo of the Infants is neither affirmed nor denied by Catholic doctrine.
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