DECREE
ON ECUMENISM
UNITATIS REDINTEGRATIO
UNITATIS REDINTEGRATIO
INTRODUCTION
1. The restoration of unity among
all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council.
Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However, many Christian
communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ;
all indeed profess to be followers of the Lord but differ in mind and go their
different ways, as if Christ Himself were divided.(1) Such division openly
contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages the holy
cause of preaching the Gospel to every creature.
But the Lord of Ages wisely and
patiently follows out the plan of grace on our behalf, sinners that we are. In
recent times more than ever before, He has been rousing divided Christians to
remorse over their divisions and to a longing for unity. Everywhere large
numbers have felt the impulse of this grace, and among our separated brethren
also there increases from day to day the movement, fostered by the grace of the
Holy Spirit, for the restoration of unity among all Christians. This movement
toward unity is called "ecumenical." Those belong to it who invoke
the Triune God and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, doing this not merely as
individuals but also as corporate bodies. For almost everyone regards the body
in which he has heard the Gospel as his Church and indeed, God's Church. All
however, though in different ways, long for the one visible Church of God, a
Church truly universal and set forth into the world that the world may be
converted to the Gospel and so be saved, to the glory of God.
The Sacred Council gladly notes all
this. It has already declared its teaching on the Church, and now, moved by a
desire for the restoration of unity among all the followers of Christ, it
wishes to set before all Catholics the ways and means by which they too can
respond to this grace and to this divine call.
CHAPTER
I
CATHOLIC
PRINCIPLES ON ECUMENISM
2. What has revealed the love of God
among us is that the Father has sent into the world His only-begotten Son, so
that, being made man, He might by His redemption give new life to the entire
human race and unify it.(2) Before offering Himself up as a spotless victim
upon the altar, Christ prayed to His Father for all who believe in Him:
"that they all may be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that thou has
sent me".(3) In His Church He instituted the wonderful sacrament of the
Eucharist by which the unity of His Church is both signified and made a
reality. He gave His followers a new commandment to love one another,(4) and
promised the Spirit, their Advocate,(5) who, as Lord and life-giver, should
remain with them forever.
After being lifted up on the cross
and glorified, the Lord Jesus poured forth His Spirit as He had promised, and
through the Spirit He has called and gathered together the people of the New
Covenant, who are the Church, into a unity of faith, hope and charity, as the
Apostle teaches us: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were
called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one
Baptism".(6) For "all you who have been baptized into Christ have put
on Christ ... for you are all one in Christ Jesus".(7) It is the Holy
Spirit, dwelling in those who believe and pervading and ruling over the Church
as a whole, who brings about that wonderful communion of the faithful. He
brings them into intimate union with Christ, so that He is the principle of the
Church's unity. The distribution of graces and offices is His work too,(8)
enriching the Church of Jesus Christ with different functions "in order to
equip the saints for the work of service, so as to build up the body of
Christ".(9)
In order to establish this His holy
Church everywhere in the world till the end of time, Christ entrusted to the
College of the Twelve the task of teaching, ruling and sanctifying.(10) Among
their number He selected Peter, and after his confession of faith determined
that on him He would build His Church. Also to Peter He promised the keys of
the kingdom of heaven,(11) and after His profession of love, entrusted all His
sheep to him to be confirmed in faith(12) and shepherded in perfect unity.(13)
Christ Jesus Himself was forever to remain the chief cornerstone (14) and
shepherd of our souls.(15)
Jesus Christ, then, willed that the
apostles and their successors -the bishops with Peter's successor at their
head-should preach the Gospel faithfully, administer the sacraments, and rule
the Church in love. It is thus, under the action of the Holy Spirit, that
Christ wills His people to increase, and He perfects His people's fellowship in
unity: in their confessing the one faith, celebrating divine worship in common,
and keeping the fraternal harmony of the family of God.
The Church, then, is God's only
flock; it is like a standard lifted high for the nations to see it:(16) for it
serves all mankind through the Gospel of peace(17) as it makes its pilgrim way
in hope toward the goal of the fatherland above.(18)
This is the sacred mystery of the
unity of the Church, in Christ and through Christ, the Holy Spirit energizing
its various functions. It is a mystery that finds its highest exemplar and
source in the unity of the Persons of the Trinity: the Father and the Son in
the Holy Spirit, one God.
3. Even in the beginnings of this
one and only Church of God there arose certain rifts,(19) which the Apostle strongly
condemned.(20) But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions made
their appearance and quite large communities came to be separated from full
communion with the Catholic Church-for which, often enough, men of both sides
were to blame. The children who are born into these Communities and who grow up
believing in Christ cannot be accused of the sin involved in the separation,
and the Catholic Church embraces upon them as brothers, with respect and
affection. For men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in
communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect. The
differences that exist in varying degrees between them and the Catholic
Church-whether in doctrine and sometimes in discipline, or concerning the
structure of the Church-do indeed create many obstacles, sometimes serious
ones, to full ecclesiastical communion. The ecumenical movement is striving to
overcome these obstacles. But even in spite of them it remains true that all
who have been justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ's body,(21)
and have a right to be called Christian, and so are correctly accepted as
brothers by the children of the Catholic Church.(22)
Moreover, some and even very many of
the significant elements and endowments which together go to build up and give
life to the Church itself, can exist outside the visible boundaries of the
Catholic Church: the written word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope and
charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, and visible elements
too. All of these, which come from Christ and lead back to Christ, belong by
right to the one Church of Christ.
The brethren divided from us also
use many liturgical actions of the Christian religion. These most certainly can
truly engender a life of grace in ways that vary according to the condition of
each Church or Community. These liturgical actions must be regarded as capable
of giving access to the community of salvation.
It follows that the separated
Churches(23) and Communities as such, though we believe them to be deficient in
some respects, have been by no means deprived of significance and importance in
the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using
them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness
of grace and truth entrusted to the Church.
Nevertheless, our separated
brethren, whether considered as individuals or as Communities and Churches, are
not blessed with that unity which Jesus Christ wished to bestow on all those
who through Him were born again into one body, and with Him quickened to
newness of life-that unity which the Holy Scriptures and the ancient Tradition
of the Church proclaim. For it is only through Christ's Catholic Church, which
is "the all-embracing means of salvation," that they can benefit
fully from the means of salvation. We believe that Our Lord entrusted all the
blessings of the New Covenant to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is
the head, in order to establish the one Body of Christ on earth to which all
should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the people of God. This
people of God, though still in its members liable to sin, is ever growing in
Christ during its pilgrimage on earth, and is guided by God's gentle wisdom,
according to His hidden designs, until it shall happily arrive at the fullness
of eternal glory in the heavenly Jerusalem.
4. Today, in many parts of the
world, under the inspiring grace of the Holy Spirit, many efforts are being
made in prayer, word and action to attain that fullness of unity which Jesus
Christ desires. The Sacred Council exhorts all the Catholic faithful to
recognize the signs of the times and to take an active and intelligent part in
the work of ecumenism.
The term "ecumenical
movement" indicates the initiatives and activities planned and undertaken,
according to the various needs of the Church and as opportunities offer, to
promote Christian unity. These are: first, every effort to avoid expressions,
judgments and actions which do not represent the condition of our separated
brethren with truth and fairness and so make mutual relations with them more
difficult; then, "dialogue" between competent experts from different
Churches and Communities. At these meetings, which are organized in a religious
spirit, each explains the teaching of his Communion in greater depth and brings
out clearly its distinctive features. In such dialogue, everyone gains a truer
knowledge and more just appreciation of the teaching and religious life of both
Communions. In addition, the way is prepared for cooperation between them in
the duties for the common good of humanity which are demanded by every
Christian conscience; and, wherever this is allowed, there is prayer in common.
Finally, all are led to examine their own faithfulness to Christ's will for the
Church and accordingly to undertake with vigor the task of renewal and reform.
When such actions are undertaken
prudently and patiently by the Catholic faithful, with the attentive guidance
of their bishops, they promote justice and truth, concord and collaboration, as
well as the spirit of brotherly love and unity. This is the way that, when the
obstacles to perfect ecclesiastical communion have been gradually overcome, all
Christians will at last, in a common celebration of the Eucharist, be gathered
into the one and only Church in that unity which Christ bestowed on His Church
from the beginning. We believe that this unity subsists in the Catholic Church
as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase
until the end of time.
However, it is evident that, when
individuals wish for full Catholic communion, their preparation and
reconciliation is an undertaking which of its nature is distinct from
ecumenical action. But there is no opposition between the two, since both
proceed from the marvelous ways of God.
Catholics, in their ecumenical work,
must assuredly be concerned for their separated brethren, praying for them,
keeping them informed about the Church, making the first approaches toward
them. But their primary duty is to make a careful and honest appraisal of
whatever needs to be done or renewed in the Catholic household itself, in order
that its life may bear witness more clearly and faithfully to the teachings and
institutions which have come to it from Christ through the Apostles.
For although the Catholic Church has
been endowed with all divinely revealed truth and with all means of grace, yet
its members fail to live by them with all the fervor that they should, so that
the radiance of the Church's image is less clear in the eyes of our separated
brethren and of the world at large, and the growth of God's kingdom is delayed.
All Catholics must therefore aim at Christian perfection(24) and, each
according to his station, play his part that the Church may daily be more
purified and renewed. For the Church must bear in her own body the humility and
dying of Jesus,(25) against the day when Christ will present her to Himself in
all her glory without spot or wrinkle.(26)
All in the Church must preserve
unity in essentials. But let all, according to the gifts they have received
enjoy a proper freedom, in their various forms of spiritual life and
discipline, in their different liturgical rites, and even in their theological
elaborations of revealed truth. In all things let charity prevail. If they are
true to this course of action, they will be giving ever better expression to
the authentic catholicity and apostolicity of the Church.
On the other hand, Catholics must
gladly acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments from our common
heritage which are to be found among our separated brethren. It is right and
salutary to recognize the riches of Christ and virtuous works in the lives of
others who are bearing witness to Christ, sometimes even to the shedding of
their blood. For God is always wonderful in His works and worthy of all praise.
Nor should we forget that anything
wrought by the grace of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of our separated brethren
can be a help to our own edification. Whatever is truly Christian is never
contrary to what genuinely belongs to the faith; indeed, it can always bring a
deeper realization of the mystery of Christ and the Church.
Nevertheless, the divisions among
Christians prevent the Church from attaining the fullness of catholicity proper
to her, in those of her sons who, though attached to her by Baptism, are yet
separated from full communion with her. Furthermore, the Church herself finds
it more difficult to express in actual life her full catholicity in all her
bearings.
This Sacred Council is gratified to
note that the participation by the Catholic faithful in ecumenical work is
growing daily. It commends this work to the bishops everywhere in the world to
be vigorously stimulated by them and guided with prudence.
CHAPTER
II
THE
PRACTICE OF ECUMENISM
5. The attainment of union is the
concern of the whole Church, faithful and shepherds alike. This concern extends
to everyone, according to his talent, whether it be exercised in his daily
Christian life or in his theological and historical research. This concern
itself reveals already to some extent the bond of brotherhood between all
Christians and it helps toward that full and perfect unity which God in His
kindness wills.
6. Every renewal of the Church(27)
is essentially grounded in an increase of fidelity to her own calling.
Undoubtedly this is the basis of the movement toward unity.
Christ summons the Church to
continual reformation as she sojourns here on earth. The Church is always in
need of this, in so far as she is an institution of men here on earth. Thus if,
in various times and circumstances, there have been deficiencies in moral
conduct or in church discipline, or even in the way that church teaching has
been formulated-to be carefully distinguished from the deposit of faith
itself-these can and should be set right at the opportune moment.
Church renewal has therefore notable
ecumenical importance. Already in various spheres of the Church's life, this
renewal is taking place. The Biblical and liturgical movements, the preaching
of the word of God and catechetics, the apostolate of the laity, new forms of
religious life and the spirituality of married life, and the Church's social
teaching and activity-all these should be considered as pledges and signs of
the future progress of ecumenism.
7. There can be no ecumenism worthy
of the name without a change of heart. For it is from renewal of the inner life
of our minds,(28) from self-denial and an unstinted love that desires of unity
take their rise and develop in a mature way. We should therefore pray to the
Holy Spirit for the grace to be genuinely self-denying, humble. gentle in the
service of others, and to have an attitude of brotherly generosity towards
them. St. Paul says: "I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to
lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all
humility and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to
maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace".(29) This
exhortation is directed especially to those raised to sacred Orders precisely
that the work of Christ may be continued. He came among us "not to be
served but to serve".(30)
The words of St. John hold good
about sins against unity: "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a
liar, and his word is not in us".(31) So we humbly beg pardon of God and
of our separated brethren, just as we forgive them that trespass against us.
All the faithful should remember
that the more effort they make to live holier lives according to the Gospel,
the better will they further Christian unity and put it into practice. For the
closer their union with the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, the more deeply
and easily will they be able to grow in mutual brotherly love.
8. This change of heart and holiness
of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians,
should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the
name, "spiritual ecumenism."
It is a recognized custom for
Catholics to have frequent recourse to that prayer for the unity of the Church
which the Saviour Himself on the eve of His death so fervently appealed to His
Father: "That they may all be one".(32)
In certain special circumstances,
such as the prescribed prayers "for unity," and during ecumenical
gatherings, it is allowable, indeed desirable that Catholics should join in
prayer with their separated brethren. Such prayers in common are certainly an
effective means of obtaining the grace of unity, and they are a true expression
of the ties which still bind Catholics to their separated brethren. "For
where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of
them".(33)
Yet worship in common (communicatio
in sacris) is not to be considered as a means to be used indiscriminately for
the restoration of Christian unity. There are two main principles governing the
practice of such common worship: first, the bearing witness to the unity of the
Church, and second, the sharing in the means of grace. Witness to the unity of
the Church very generally forbids common worship to Christians, but the grace
to be had from it sometimes commends this practice. The course to be adopted,
with due regard to all the circumstances of time, place, and persons, is to be
decided by local episcopal authority, unless otherwise provided for by the
Bishops' Conference according to its statutes, or by the Holy See.
9. We must get to know the outlook
of our separated brethren. To achieve this purpose, study is of necessity
required, and this must be pursued with a sense of realism and good will.
Catholics, who already have a proper grounding, need to acquire a more adequate
understanding of the respective doctrines of our separated brethren, their
history, their spiritual and liturgical life, their religious psychology and
general background. Most valuable for this purpose are meetings of the two
sides-especially for discussion of theological problems-where each can treat
with the other on an equal footing-provided that those who take part in them
are truly competent and have the approval of the bishops. From such dialogue
will emerge still more clearly what the situation of the Catholic Church really
is. In this way too the outlook of our separated brethren will be better
understood, and our own belief more aptly explained.
10. Sacred theology and other
branches of knowledge, especially of an historical nature, must be taught with
due regard for the ecumenical point of view, so that they may correspond more
exactly with the facts.
It is most important that future
shepherds and priests should have mastered a theology that has been carefully
worked out in this way and not polemically, especially with regard to those
aspects which concern the relations of separated brethren with the Catholic Church.
This importance is the greater
because the instruction and spiritual formation of the faithful and of
religious depends so largely on the formation which their priests have
received.
Moreover, Catholics engaged in
missionary work in the same territories as other Christians ought to know,
particularly in these times, the problems and the benefits in their apostolate
which derive from the ecumenical movement.
11. The way and method in which the
Catholic faith is expressed should never become an obstacle to dialogue with
our brethren. It is, of course, essential that the doctrine should be clearly
presented in its entirety. Nothing is so foreign to the spirit of ecumenism as
a false irenicism, in which the purity of Catholic doctrine suffers loss and its
genuine and certain meaning is clouded.
At the same time, the Catholic faith
must be explained more profoundly and precisely, in such a way and in such
terms as our separated brethren can also really understand.
Moreover, in ecumenical dialogue,
Catholic theologians standing fast by the teaching of the Church and
investigating the divine mysteries with the separated brethren must proceed
with love for the truth, with charity, and with humility. When comparing
doctrines with one another, they should remember that in Catholic doctrine
there exists a "hierarchy" of truths, since they vary in their
relation to the fundamental Christian faith. Thus the way will be opened by
which through fraternal rivalry all will be stirred to a deeper understanding
and a clearer presentation of the unfathomable riches of Christ.(34)
12. Before the whole world let all
Christians confess their faith in the triune God, one and three in the
incarnate Son of God, our Redeemer and Lord. United in their efforts, and with
mutual respect, let them bear witness to our common hope which does not play us
false. In these days when cooperation in social matters is so widespread, all
men without exception are called to work together, with much greater reason all
those who believe in God, but most of all, all Christians in that they bear the
name of Christ. Cooperation among Christians vividly expresses the relationship
which in fact already unites them, and it sets in clearer relief the features
of Christ the Servant. This cooperation, which has already begun in many
countries, should be developed more and more, particularly in regions where a
social and technical evolution is taking place be it in a just evaluation of
the dignity of the human person, the establishment of the blessings of peace,
the application of Gospel principles to social life, the advancement of the
arts and sciences in a truly Christian spirit, or also in the use of various
remedies to relieve the afflictions of our times such as famine and natural
disasters, illiteracy and poverty, housing shortage and the unequal
distribution of wealth. All believers in Christ can, through this cooperation,
be led to acquire a better knowledge and appreciation of one another, and so
pave the way to Christian unity.
CHAPTER
III
CHURCHES
AND ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES SEPARATED FROM THE ROMAN APOSTOLIC SEE
13. We now turn our attention to the
two chief types of division as they affect the seamless robe of Christ.
The first divisions occurred in the
East, when the dogmatic formulae of the Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon were
challenged, and later when ecclesiastical communion between the Eastern
Patriarchates and the Roman See was dissolved.
Other divisions arose more than four
centuries later in the West, stemming from the events which are usually
referred to as "The Reformation." As a result, many Communions,
national or confessional, were separated from the Roman See. Among those in
which Catholic traditions and institutions in part continue to exist, the
Anglican Communion occupies a special place.
These various divisions differ
greatly from one another not only by reason of their origin, place and time,
but especially in the nature and seriousness of questions bearing on faith and
the structure of the Church. Therefore, without minimizing the differences
between the various Christian bodies, and without overlooking the bonds between
them which exist in spite of divisions, this holy Council decides to propose
the following considerations for prudent ecumenical action.
I. The Special Consideration of the
Eastern Churches
14. For many centuries the Church of
the East and that of the West each followed their separate ways though linked
in a brotherly union of faith and sacramental life; the Roman See by common
consent acted as guide when disagreements arose between them over matters of
faith or discipline. Among other matters of great importance, it is a pleasure
for this Council to remind everyone that there flourish in the East many
particular or local Churches, among which the Patriarchal Churches hold first
place, and of these not a few pride themselves in tracing their origins back to
the apostles themselves. Hence a matter of primary concern and care among the
Easterns, in their local churches, has been, and still is, to preserve the family
ties of common faith and charity which ought to exist between sister Churches.
Similarly it must not be forgotten
that from the beginning the Churches of the East have had a treasury from which
the Western Church has drawn extensively-in liturgical practice, spiritual
tradition, and law. Nor must we undervalue the fact that it was the ecumenical
councils held in the East that defined the basic dogmas of the Christian faith,
on the Trinity, on the Word of God Who took flesh of the Virgin Mary. To preserve
this faith these Churches have suffered and still suffer much.
However, the heritage handed down by
the apostles was received with differences of form and manner, so that from the
earliest times of the Church it was explained variously in different places,
owing to diversities of genius and conditions of life. All this, quite apart
from external causes, prepared the way for decisions arising also from a lack
of charity and mutual understanding.
For this reason the Holy Council
urges all, but especially those who intend to devote themselves to the
restoration of full communion hoped for between the Churches of the East and
the Catholic Church, to give due consideration to this special feature of the
origin and growth of the Eastern Churches, and to the character of the
relations which obtained between them and the Roman See before separation. They
must take full account of all these factors and, where this is done, it will
greatly contribute to the dialogue that is looked for.
15. Everyone also knows with what
great love the Christians of the East celebrate the sacred liturgy, especially
the eucharistic celebration, source of the Church's life and pledge of future
glory, in which the faithful, united with their bishop, have access to God the
Father through the Son, the Word made flesh, Who suffered and has been
glorified, and so, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they enter into
communion with the most holy Trinity, being made "sharers of the divine
nature".(35) Hence, through the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in each
of these churches, the Church of God is built up and grows in stature(36) and
through concelebration, their communion with one another is made manifest.
In this liturgical worship, the
Christians of the East pay high tribute, in beautiful hymns of praise, to Mary
ever Virgin, whom the ecumenical Council of Ephesus solemnly proclaimed to be
the holy Mother of God, so that Christ might be acknowledged as being truly Son
of God and Son of Man, according to the Scriptures. Many also are the saints
whose praise they sing, among them the Fathers of the universal Church.
These Churches, although separated
from us, yet possess true sacraments and above all, by apostolic succession,
the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are linked with us in closest
intimacy. Therefore some worship in common (communicatio in sacris), given
suitable circumstances and the approval of Church authority, is not only
possible but to be encouraged.
Moreover, in the East are found the
riches of those spiritual traditions which are given expression especially in
monastic life. There from the glorious times of the holy Fathers, monastic
spirituality flourished which, then later flowed over into the Western world,
and there provided the source from which Latin monastic life took its rise and
has drawn fresh vigor ever since. Catholics therefore are earnestly recommended
to avail themselves of the spiritual riches of the Eastern Fathers which lift
up the whole man to the contemplation of the divine.
The very rich liturgical and
spiritual heritage of the Eastern Churches should be known, venerated,
preserved and cherished by all. They must recognize that this is of supreme
importance for the faithful preservation of the fullness of Christian
tradition, and for bringing about reconciliation between Eastern and Western
Christians.
16. Already from the earliest times
the Eastern Churches followed their own forms of ecclesiastical law and custom,
which were sanctioned by the approval of the Fathers of the Church, of synods,
and even of ecumenical councils. Far from being an obstacle to the Church's
unity, a certain diversity of customs and observances only adds to her
splendor, and is of great help in carrying out her mission, as has already been
stated. To remove, then, all shadow of doubt, this holy Council solemnly
declares that the Churches of the East, while remembering the necessary unity
of the whole Church, have the power to govern themselves according to the
disciplines proper to them, since these are better suited to the character of
their faithful, and more for the good of their souls. The perfect observance of
this traditional principle not always indeed carried out in practice, is one of
the essential prerequisites for any restoration of unity.
17. What has just been said about
the lawful variety that can exist in the Church must also be taken to apply to
the differences in theological expression of doctrine. In the study of
revelation East and West have followed different methods, and have developed
differently their understanding and confession of God's truth. It is hardly
surprising, then, if from time to time one tradition has come nearer to a full
appreciation of some aspects of a mystery of revelation than the other, or has
expressed it to better advantage. In such cases, these various theological
expressions are to be considered often as mutually complementary rather than
conflicting. Where the authentic theological traditions of the Eastern Church
are concerned, we must recognize the admirable way in which they have their
roots in Holy Scripture, and how they are nurtured and given expression in the
life of the liturgy. They derive their strength too from the living tradition
of the apostles and from the works of the Fathers and spiritual writers of the
Eastern Churches. Thus they promote the right ordering of Christian life and,
indeed, pave the way to a full vision of Christian truth.
All this heritage of spirituality
and liturgy, of discipline and theology, in its various traditions, this holy
synod declares to belong to the full Catholic and apostolic character of the
Church. We thank God that many Eastern children of the Catholic Church, who
preserve this heritage, and wish to express it more faithfully and completely
in their lives, are already living in full communion with their brethren who
follow the tradition of the West.
18. After taking all these factors
into consideration, this Sacred Council solemnly repeats the declaration of
previous Councils and Roman Pontiffs, that for the restoration or the maintenance
of unity and communion it is necessary "to impose no burden beyond what is
essential".(37) It is the Council's urgent desire that, in the various
organizations and living activities of the Church, every effort should be made
toward the gradual realization of this unity, especially by prayer, and by
fraternal dialogue on points of doctrine and the more pressing pastoral
problems of our time. Similarly, the Council commends to the shepherds and
faithful of the Catholic Church to develop closer relations with those who are
no longer living in the East but are far from home, so that friendly
collaboration with them may increase, in the spirit of love, to the exclusion
of all feeling of rivalry or strife. If this cause is wholeheartedly promoted,
the Council hopes that the barrier dividing the Eastern Church and Western
Church will be removed, and that at last there may be but the one dwelling,
firmly established on Christ Jesus, the cornerstone, who will make both
one.(38)
II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial
Communities in the West
19. In the great upheaval which
began in the West toward the end of the Middle Ages, and in later times too,
Churches and ecclesial Communities came to be separated from the Apostolic See
of Rome. Yet they have retained a particularly close affinity with the Catholic
Church as a result of the long centuries in which all Christendom lived
together in ecclesiastical communion.
However, since these Churches and
ecclesial Communities, on account of their different origins, and different
teachings in matters of doctrine on the spiritual life, vary considerably not
only with us, but also among themselves, the task of describing them at all
adequately is extremely difficult; and we have no intention of making such an
attempt here.
Although the ecumenical movement and
the desire for peace with the Catholic Church have not yet taken hold
everywhere, it is our hope that ecumenical feeling and mutual esteem may
gradually increase among all men.
It must however be admitted that in
these Churches and ecclesial Communities there exist important differences from
the Catholic Church, not only of an historical, sociological, psychological and
cultural character, but especially in the interpretation of revealed truth. To
make easier the ecumenical dialogue in spite of these differences, we wish to
set down some considerations which can, and indeed should, serve as a basis and
encouragement for such dialogue.
20. Our thoughts turn first to those
Christians who make open confession of Jesus Christ as God and Lord and as the
sole Mediator between God and men, to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. We are aware indeed that there exist considerable divergences from
the doctrine of the Catholic Church concerning Christ Himself, the Word of God
made flesh, the work of redemption, and consequently, concerning the mystery
and ministry of the Church, and the role of Mary in the plan of salvation. But
we rejoice to see that our separated brethren look to Christ as the source and
center of Church unity. Their longing for union with Christ inspires them to
seek an ever closer unity, and also to bear witness to their faith among the
peoples of the earth.
21. A love and reverence of Sacred
Scripture which might be described as devotion, leads our brethren to a
constant meditative study of the sacred text. For the Gospel "is the power
of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the Jew first and then to
the Greek".(39)
While invoking the Holy Spirit, they
seek in these very Scriptures God as it were speaking to them in Christ, Whom
the prophets foretold, Who is the Word of God made flesh for us. They
contemplate in the Scriptures the life of Christ and what the Divine Master
taught and did for our salvation, especially the mysteries of His death and
resurrection.
But while the Christians who are
separated from us hold the divine authority of the Sacred Books, they differ
from ours-some in one way, some in another-regarding the relationship between
Scripture and the Church. For, according to Catholic belief, the authentic
teaching authority of the Church has a special place in the interpretation and
preaching of the written word of God.
But Sacred Scriptures provide for
the work of dialogue an instrument of the highest value in the mighty hand of
God for the attainment of that unity which the Saviour holds out to all.
22. Whenever the Sacrament of
Baptism is duly administered as Our Lord instituted it, and is received with
the right dispositions, a person is truly incorporated into the crucified and
glorified Christ, and reborn to a sharing of the divine life, as the Apostle
says: "You were buried together with Him in Baptism, and in Him also rose
again-through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the
dead".(40)
Baptism therefore establishes a
sacramental bond of unity which links all who have been reborn by it. But of
itself Baptism is only a beginning, an inauguration wholly directed toward the
fullness of life in Christ. Baptism, therefore, envisages a complete profession
of faith, complete incorporation in the system of salvation such as Christ
willed it to be, and finally complete ingrafting in eucharistic communion.
Though the ecclesial Communities
which are separated from us lack the fullness of unity with us flowing from
Baptism, and though we believe they have not retained the proper reality of the
eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the
sacrament of Orders, nevertheless when they commemorate His death and
resurrection in the Lord's Supper, they profess that it signifies life in
communion with Christ and look forward to His coming in glory. Therefore the
teaching concerning the Lord's Supper, the other sacraments, worship, the
ministry of the Church, must be the subject of the dialogue.
23. The daily Christian life of
these brethren is nourished by their faith in Christ and strengthened by the
grace of Baptism and by hearing the word of God. This shows itself in their
private prayer, their meditation on the Bible, in their Christian family life,
and in the worship of a community gathered together to praise God. Moreover,
their form of worship sometimes displays notable features of the liturgy which
they shared with us of old.
Their faith in Christ bears fruit in
praise and thanksgiving for the blessings received from the hands of God. Among
them, too, is a strong sense of justice and a true charity toward their
neighbor. This active faith has been responsible for many organizations for the
relief of spiritual and material distress, the furtherance of the education of
youth, the improvement of the social conditions of life, and the promotion of
peace throughout the world.
While it is true that many
Christians understand the moral teaching of the Gospel differently from
Catholics, and do not accept the same solutions to the more difficult problems
of modern society, nevertheless they share our desire to stand by the words of
Christ as the source of Christian virtue, and to obey the command of the
Apostle: "And whatever you do, in word or in work, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him".(41)
For that reason an ecumenical dialogue might start with discussion of the
application of the Gospel to moral conduct.
24. Now that we have briefly set out
the conditions for ecumenical action and the principles by which it is to be
directed, we look with confidence to the future. This Sacred Council exhorts
the faithful to refrain from superficiality and imprudent zeal, which can
hinder real progress toward unity. Their ecumenical action must be fully and
sincerely Catholic, that is to say, faithful to the truth which we have
received from the apostles and Fathers of the Church, in harmony with the faith
which the Catholic Church has always professed, and at the same time directed
toward that fullness to which Our Lord wills His Body to grow in the course of
time.
It is the urgent wish of this Holy
Council that the measures undertaken by the sons of the Catholic Church should
develop in conjunction with those of our separated brethren so that no obstacle
be put in the ways of divine Providence and no preconceived judgments impair
the future inspirations of the Holy Spirit. The Council moreover professes its
awareness that human powers and capacities cannot achieve this holy
objective-the reconciling of all Christians in the unity of the one and only
Church of Christ. It is because of this that the Council rests all its hope on
the prayer of Christ for the Church, on our Father's love for us, and on the
power of the Holy Spirit. "And hope does not disappoint, because God's
love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been
given to us".(42)
Each and all these matters which are
set forth in this Decree have been favorably voted on by the Fathers of the
Council. And We, by the apostolic authority given Us by Christ and in union
with the Fathers, approve, decree and establish them in the Holy Spirit and
command that they be promulgated for the glory of God.
Given in Rome at St. Peter's,
November 21, 1964
NOTES
1. Cf. 1 Cor. 1, 13.
2. Cf. 1 Jn. 4, 9; Col. 1, 18-20;
Jn. 11, S2.
3. Jn. 17, 21.
4. Cf. Jn. 13, 34.
5. Cf. Jn. 16, 7.
6. Eph. 4, 4-5.
7. Gal. 3, 27-28.
8. Cf. 1 Cor. 12, 4-11.
9. Eph. 4, 12.
10. Cf. Mt. 28, 18-20, collato Jn.
20 21-23.
11. Cf. Mt. 16, 18, collato Mt. 18,
18.
12. Cf. Lc. 22, 32.
13. Cf. Jn. 21, 15-18.
14. Cf. Eph. 2, 20.
15. Cf. 1 Petr. 2, 2S; CONC.
VATICANUM 1, Sess. IV (1870), Constitutio Pastor Aeternus: Collac 7, 482 a.
16. Cf. Is. 11, 10-12.
17. Cf. Eph. 2, 17-18, collato Mc.
16, 15.
18. Cf. 1 Petr. 1, 3-9.
19. Cf. 1 Cor. 11, 18-19; Gal. 1,
6-9; 1 Jn. 2, 18-19.
20. Cf. 1 Cor. 1, 11 sqq; 11, 22.
21. Cf. CONC. FLORENTINUM, Sess.
VIII (1439), Decretum Exultate Deo: Mansi 31, 1055 A.
22. Cf. S. AUGUSTINUS, In Ps. 32,
Enarr. 11, 29: PL 36, 299
23. Cf. CONC. LATERANENSE IV (1215)
Constitutio IV: Mansi 22, 990; CONC. LUGDUNENSE II (1274), Professio fidei
Michaelis Palaeologi: Mansi 24, 71 E; CONC. FLORENTINUM, Sess. VI (1439),
Definitio Laetentur caeli: Mansi 31, 1026 E.
24. Cf. Iac. 1, 4; Rom. 12, 1-2.
25. Cf. 2 Cor. 4, 10, Phil. 2, 5-8
26. Cf. Eph. 5, 27.
27. Cf. CONC. LATERANSE V, Sess. XII
(1517), Constitutio Constituti: Mansi 32, 988 B-C.
28. Cf. Eph. 4, 24.
29. Eph. 4, 1-3.
30. Mt. 20, 28.
31. 1 Jn. 1, 10.
32. Jn. 17, 21.
33. Mt. 18, 20.
34. Cf. Eph. 3, 8.
35. 2 Petr. 1, 4.
36. Cf. S. IOANNES CHRYSOSTOMOS, In
loannem Homelia XLVI, PG 59, 260-262.
37. Acts 15, 28.
38. Cf. CONC. FLORENTINUM, Sess. VI
(1439), Definitio Laetentur caeli: Mansi 31 1026 E.
39. Rom. 1, 16.
40. Col. 2, 12; cf. Rom. 6, 4
41. Col. 3, 17.
42. Rom. 5, 5.
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