Lumen Gentium Vatican 11Lumen Gentium1964

From Council of Trent From 1100 the papacy began to centralise authority and power And became increasingly juridical Power was taken from local bishops And transferred to the Vatican And the Vatican required more money to run the church Allowed pluralism and absenteeism

Council of Constance When 3 popes existed Call for radical reform Summoned by King Sigismund Finally elected one pope 2 decisions: that Councils have supreme authority That Councils should be called at frequent and regular intervals

Council v Pope - ? The ‘Conciliar’ movement – that the Councils have at least as much authority as the Pope if not more – has continued to this day. Sadly the decrees of the Council of Constance were not adhered to Popes went back to being autocratic, monarchical, worldly, expensive

Response to attack... The Council of Trent responded to attack at the Reformation by shoring up the authority of the Vatican, underlining and emphasising doctrine, underlining boundaries. This was repeated at Vatican 1

Vatican – 1870 Declaration of Papal Infallibility ‘inerrancy in matters of faith and morals’ Unfinished business because of the Franco Prussian war

1. Pre Vatican 2 French revolution – 1789 Democracy – 19 th and 20 th centuries Modernism Puis X- Encyclical ‘Pascendi’ ◦ Decree ‘Lamentabili’ 1907

Early 20 th century Liturgical movement developing Biblical scholarship 1940s Social action / social justice Rerum Novarum 1891 and Quadragesimo Anno 1931

Mid 20 th century Lay Apostolate Ecumenical movement Missionary movement Theological renewal Karl Rahner (Transcendental Thomism) Yves Congar (ecclesiology)

Vatican unique because it involved so many More than 2,600 bishops out of 2,908 eligibles Over 3,000 participants: Geographically diverse:

Geographically diverse... 1, 089 Europe 489 South America 404 North America 374 Asia 296 Africa 84 Central America 75 Oceania

Greater Diversity Ecumenical: 63 Non Catholic Observers Laity involved: 11 laymen allowed to attend the second session increased to 52 by the fourth. (29 men + 23 women (10 nuns)) Communication improved and great TV publicity

Pope John 23 Reminded people at the beginning that there was a distinction ‘the substance of the ancient doctrine...is one thing and the way it is presented is another.’ This was a radical departure from the uniformity previously seen as crucial.

Topics covered: The Church Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Declaration on Christian Education Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

Decrees on Ministry Decree on ministry and life of priests Decree on priestly formation Decree on Bishops’ Pastoral Office Decree on Appropriate Renewal of Religious Life Decree on Apostolate of the Laity

Relating to other beliefs: Decree on Ecumenism Decree on Eastern Churches Declaration on Non-Christian Religions

Relating to the world: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity Declaration on Religious Freedom Decree on the Instruments of Social Communication

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church – Lumen Gentium The Mystery of the Church The People of God The Church is Hierarchical The Laity The universal call to holiness Religious The Pilgrim Church The Blessed Virgin Mary

Some headlines Church a mystery before all- a reality imbued with the presence of God A sacrament- an visible sign of an invisible grace n1

The People of God The People of God –OT resonance Yves Congar: church as resistance movement Everybody baptised: priests and laity All baptised and Eucharistic Christians ‘All women and men are called to belong to the new people of God’ N13

Church and Kingdom N8: the unique church of Christ....This church...subsists in the Catholic Church which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him. Nevertheless many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside its visible confines

Structure Hierarchy Enables the church to carry out its mission Collegial authority n22 The Church’s mission is the responsibility of every baptised Eucharistic Christian

Laity: Lay people participate in the ‘tria munera’ of Christ ; the roles of priest, prophet and king Lay people should participate in the apostolate of the Church by the exercise of their own gifts and charisms Everybody –ordained and lay alike – is called to holiness

The role of Mary Mary, the mother of God – ‘theotokos ‘ The model of discipleship Roots the Church in the Incarnation She formed the early years of Jesus Her life is commitment and humility All the events of her life support her son Jesus First in the Church, a constant signpost for everyone else

Results? Did this advance the laity in the church? Osborne 1994 Did it change prevailing ecclesiologies? General Catechetical Directory 1971 CCC 1994 One Bread One Body 1998 Dominus Iesus 2000

Ecumenism Changes Establishment of Secretariat for Christian Unity Acceptance that the Holy Spirit exists in other non-Christian faiths

Judaism Nostra Aetate – epoch-changing Wiped out the long term teaching of contempt for Jews Unequivocally asserted the Church’s debt to its Jewish heritage Fresh attitudes, new language, dialogue

Judaism - Guidelines In Jewish-Christian relationships the issue is to take each other seriously Judaism and Christianity must be understood on their own terms So today’s question must be: to what extent can Christians see Judaism as valid in its own terms?

2016: ‘The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable’ Reflections on Catholic-Jewish Relations A plea forever-growing understanding and rapprochement BUT 2 serious things – ‘the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed at Jews’ Jews can be saved while not believing in Jesus Christ

And for Judaism Jews need to consider the divine purpose in the creation of Christianity 2 billion people now read the Jewish Bible because of Jesus Christ Martin Buber called Jesus ‘my elder brother’ Much greater thought and reflection is required