One has the most extraordinary sympathy for the horrible, inhuman situation the man found himself in, but this was a violation of basic requirements of the gospel.
Fortunately, since the gentleman is probably Catholic or a member of an eastern non-Catholic Church, he at least should have access to the sacrament of reconciliation.
On the other hand, if the four Indians and the Italian mentioned in the story were asked if they were Christian before they were killed and honestly replied that they were then they should end up canonized.
Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
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It is troubling, because “he who denies me before men will be denied before my Father in heaven”
Of course, that sort of belief is why Belisarius devestated North Africa, paving the way for the Muslim conquest of those Christian lands.
Wait…Belisarius faught the Vandals, who were highly pagan. Also, the Muslims aren’t really his fault.
Puzzled, you’re right. It does seem that Christ’s words, “he who denies me before men will be denied before my Father in heaven,” preclude the possibility of salvation for that man. What do you think, Jimmy?
Denying that you are a Christian is a grave sin. If the man committed the act with adequate knowledge and consent then it became a mortal sin.
Given the suddenness with which he was thrust into a situation of grave fear, it is not a certainty that he had adequate present to mind to perform an authentic human act and so the sin may not have been mortal. Still, this is not to be counted upon.
The man needs to go to confession and deal with his action there, just as people who denied the faith during the Age of Persecutions (A.D. 30-311) needd to do so once a persecution had passed.