Sine Culpa? Vatican II and inculpable ignorance

Lumen gentium no. 16's genuine optimism for the salvation of non-Christians is nonetheless a heavily qualified one. Among other things, it applies only to those "who are, without fault, ignorant [sine culpa, ignorantes] of the Gospel of Christ and his Church." This article examines (1) Vatican II's understanding of such "inculpable ignorance" and its relationship to the traditional concept "invincible ignorance" and (2)--more speculatively--the extent to which it might apply in modern, Western societies.