DECREE
ON ECUMENISM
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 theteaching 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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