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Documents of the Second Vatican Council
Declaration on Religious Freedom
The sixteen official documents—constitutions, decrees, and declarations—of the Second Vatican Council are now available from Liturgical Press in the most popular and widely used inclusive-language edition translated by Irish Dominican Austin Flannery (+October 21, 2008).
As the worldwide Church continues to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Council (1962–65), there is a great need in college classrooms and parish faith formation groups—as well as for individuals—to again have access to these documents in contemporary English. As Flannery wrote in his introduction to the 1996 edition, “The translation of the texts of the Vatican documents in the present volume differs from that in the previous publication in two respects. It has been very considerably revised and, in place, corrected. It is also, to a very large extent, in inclusive language.
“I say ‘to a very large extent,’ because we have used inclusive language in passages about men and women but not, however, in passages about God, except where the use of the masculine pronoun was easily avoidable.”
As the worldwide Church continues to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Council (1962–65), there is a great need in college classrooms and parish faith formation groups—as well as for individuals—to again have access to these documents in contemporary English. As Flannery wrote in his introduction to the 1996 edition, “The translation of the texts of the Vatican documents in the present volume differs from that in the previous publication in two respects. It has been very considerably revised and, in place, corrected. It is also, to a very large extent, in inclusive language.
“I say ‘to a very large extent,’ because we have used inclusive language in passages about men and women but not, however, in passages about God, except where the use of the masculine pronoun was easily avoidable.”
22 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 1965
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About the author
Pope Paul VI
264 books33 followersPope Paul VI (Latin: Paulus VI; Italian: Paolo VI), born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (26 September 1897 – 6 August 1978), reigned as Pope from 21 June 1963 to his death in 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, he continued the Second Vatican Council which he closed in 1965, implementing its numerous reforms, and fostered improved ecumenical relations with Eastern Orthodox and Protestants, which resulted in many historic meetings and agreements. Montini served in the Vatican's Secretariat of State from 1922 to 1954. While in the Secretariat of State, Montini and Domenico Tardini were considered as the closest and most influential colleagues of Pope Pius XII, who in 1954 named him Archbishop of Milan, the largest Italian diocese. Montini automatically became the Secretary of the Italian Bishops Conference. John XXIII elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 1958, and after the death of John XXIII, Montini was considered one of his most likely successors.
Upon his election to the papacy, Montini took the pontifical name Paul VI (the first to take the name "Paul" since 1605) to indicate a renewed worldwide mission to spread the message of Christ, following the example of Apostle St. Paul.[citation needed] He re-convened the Second Vatican Council, which was automatically closed with the death of John XXIII, and gave it priority and direction. After the council had concluded its work, Paul VI took charge of the interpretation and implementation of its mandates, often walking a thin line between the conflicting expectations of various groups within Catholicism. The magnitude and depth of the reforms affecting all fields of Church life during his pontificate exceeded similar reform policies of his predecessors and successors. Paul VI was a Marian devotee, speaking repeatedly to Marian congresses and mariological meetings, visiting Marian shrines and issuing three Marian encyclicals. Following his famous predecessor Saint Ambrose of Milan, he named Mary as the Mother of the Church during the Second Vatican Council. Paul VI sought dialogue with the world, with other Christians, other religions, and atheists, excluding nobody. He saw himself as a humble servant for a suffering humanity and demanded significant changes of the rich in North America and Europe in favour of the poor in the Third World. His positions on birth control, promulgated most famously in the 1968 encyclical Humanae vitae, and other political issues, were often controversial, especially in Western Europe and North America.
Pope Benedict XVI declared that the late pontiff lived a life of heroic virtue and conferred the title of Venerable upon him. Pope Francis beatified him on 19 October 2014 after the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. His liturgical feast is celebrated on the date of his birth on 26 September.
Upon his election to the papacy, Montini took the pontifical name Paul VI (the first to take the name "Paul" since 1605) to indicate a renewed worldwide mission to spread the message of Christ, following the example of Apostle St. Paul.[citation needed] He re-convened the Second Vatican Council, which was automatically closed with the death of John XXIII, and gave it priority and direction. After the council had concluded its work, Paul VI took charge of the interpretation and implementation of its mandates, often walking a thin line between the conflicting expectations of various groups within Catholicism. The magnitude and depth of the reforms affecting all fields of Church life during his pontificate exceeded similar reform policies of his predecessors and successors. Paul VI was a Marian devotee, speaking repeatedly to Marian congresses and mariological meetings, visiting Marian shrines and issuing three Marian encyclicals. Following his famous predecessor Saint Ambrose of Milan, he named Mary as the Mother of the Church during the Second Vatican Council. Paul VI sought dialogue with the world, with other Christians, other religions, and atheists, excluding nobody. He saw himself as a humble servant for a suffering humanity and demanded significant changes of the rich in North America and Europe in favour of the poor in the Third World. His positions on birth control, promulgated most famously in the 1968 encyclical Humanae vitae, and other political issues, were often controversial, especially in Western Europe and North America.
Pope Benedict XVI declared that the late pontiff lived a life of heroic virtue and conferred the title of Venerable upon him. Pope Francis beatified him on 19 October 2014 after the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. His liturgical feast is celebrated on the date of his birth on 26 September.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 11, 2022
I have heard negative reviews of this from some Papist friends of mine, but given Trad pessimism, I was disinclined to believe them. But then I READ IT. OH MY GOSH.
Utterly obscene. It completely violates the Roman Catholic tradition up until this point, abrogates the political nature of the people of God as defended by Leo XIII and almost every other Pope, and offers the church up as a sacrifice to the UN Declaration of Rights.
The incoherence of the document as compared with previous Roman social teaching and with Scripture is remarkable.
Gone is the fear of eternal judgment as basis of government found throughout Christian history, and instead is a weak belief in the Image of God which asks nothing of the government, nothing of the church, and nothing of the individual.
This goes hand in hand with Vatican II's teaching that anyone of any Abrahamic Faith is saved, the recent insertion prohibiting the death penalty in the RCC catechism, and the rising belief in the inherent sinfulness of warfare frequently put forth by Romanists today.
This document is a part of a revolution which undermined the Roman Church's teaching on justice, human nature, the two swords of church and state, and the belief in eternal negative sanctions.
As a Protestant I suppose I should rejoice that the Roman Church has so clearly repudiated its past theology, but when I see where it has tread, it leaves me with only greater concern.
A sheer repetition of the Mainline Protestants, but in slow motion. Very distressing to read.
Utterly obscene. It completely violates the Roman Catholic tradition up until this point, abrogates the political nature of the people of God as defended by Leo XIII and almost every other Pope, and offers the church up as a sacrifice to the UN Declaration of Rights.
The incoherence of the document as compared with previous Roman social teaching and with Scripture is remarkable.
Gone is the fear of eternal judgment as basis of government found throughout Christian history, and instead is a weak belief in the Image of God which asks nothing of the government, nothing of the church, and nothing of the individual.
This goes hand in hand with Vatican II's teaching that anyone of any Abrahamic Faith is saved, the recent insertion prohibiting the death penalty in the RCC catechism, and the rising belief in the inherent sinfulness of warfare frequently put forth by Romanists today.
This document is a part of a revolution which undermined the Roman Church's teaching on justice, human nature, the two swords of church and state, and the belief in eternal negative sanctions.
As a Protestant I suppose I should rejoice that the Roman Church has so clearly repudiated its past theology, but when I see where it has tread, it leaves me with only greater concern.
A sheer repetition of the Mainline Protestants, but in slow motion. Very distressing to read.
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December 4, 2021I. Called. It.
I got into a discussion about religious freedom the other day and my point of view was that people need to have the freedom to seek truth by following their consciences.
And whadayaknow, Mother Church agrees with me. ;) It was impressive the balancing act that the document struck between "yes, we need to evangelize" but also "no coercion, ever", and the acknowledgement that that hasn't always been the way all of the Church operated...it was really good. :)
I got into a discussion about religious freedom the other day and my point of view was that people need to have the freedom to seek truth by following their consciences.
And whadayaknow, Mother Church agrees with me. ;) It was impressive the balancing act that the document struck between "yes, we need to evangelize" but also "no coercion, ever", and the acknowledgement that that hasn't always been the way all of the Church operated...it was really good. :)
December 10, 2023
Had to read for a class. Slightly distressing as progression of political philosophy seems to not only enter but degrade Church teaching in this encyclical. I am still a strong Catholic but I did not understand how I was supposed to reconcile the wildly Protestant and Lockian philosophy rampant throughout the work with the traditional values dictated by the Church.
I understand what the encyclical was trying to do, but in my opinion, it failed.
3/5 stars
I understand what the encyclical was trying to do, but in my opinion, it failed.
3/5 stars
June 16, 2021
An interiorly incoherent document that claims it leaves untouched the traditional teachings of the Church, the proceeds to try and "develop" those same teachings almost into their opposite. Filled with high sounding vagaries that can be squared away with the traditional teachings of the Church, and yet have been used to teach anything but.
April 7, 2024
Un documento congruente con su época, en la cual, supongo yo, Roma buscó, en aras de permitir su entrada en el bloque comunista, un enfoque diferente para evitar la extensión de sus actividades. Eso se nota principalmente en la parte final del texto. Parece un texto de alguien que está embebido del espíritu de la edad de Acuario, ya que aludía a que el ser humano buscaba su libertad y había mayor conciencia y una unión de la "familia humana" más férrea.
El meollo con la declaración radica en que contradijo al menos el magisterio pontificio anterior, que si bien podía aceptar que no hubiera coacción en la fe, no podía permitir un reconocimiento ni para iglesias ni religiones distintas a la católica romana. La táctica que observo desde hace tiempo en varios textos pontificios y conciliares es la "extender la liga" de la interpretación, para poder introducir una nueva variante de una vieja idea, que, como afirmó el documento "no está explícitamente mencionada en el Evangelio". Una ponencia del cardenal Ottaviani de 1958 admitía que la Iglesia romana podía jugar con las reglas de la democracia liberal para legitimar su acción en países laicos o impíos, pero realmente no había alusión a que cada ser humano tuviera libertad religiosa, ni, ergo, eso permitiría a la gente confesar el credo que gustasen, por mucho que se salpique el documento de alusiones al derecho a buscar la verdad.
"Dignitatis humanae" permitió desde entonces asociar a la Iglesia, más allá de la predicación del Evangelio, con empresas más netamente terrenas como la búsqueda de la defensa de las libertades civiles, entre ellas, la libertad religiosa, lo cual ha llevado a confusión a los católicos y a los ajenos a la iglesia romana, en el sentido de que no reconocen ya la misión de ésta. El hecho de que Agamben dijera en una crítica contra Roma que la iglesia defendía la libertad humana es producto de documentos como éste; súmese también a esta mescolanza la defensa del medio ambiente hecha por el Papa en turno.
Un liberal podría alabar el documento sin problemas o mejor dicho, obviando la parte de la búsqueda de la verdad, mientras que el católico tradicionalista no puede ir más allá de admitir los derechos de la Iglesia para predicar la verdad aprovechando las leyes vigentes en varios países occidentales, libertades que se admiten para las sectas heréticas. Admitir la posibilidad de que una persona de buena fe pueda adoptar una idea errónea y que se deba luchar por eso desde el púlpito resultan todavía ocurrencias repulsivas sesenta años después de escrita "Dignitatis Humanae" para muchos sectores intransigentes o "cerriles".
Rumbo a la publicación el día ocho de abril de este año de una continuación de este documento, es menester tenerlo leído para ver el desarrollo de una tendencia de medio siglo de pensamiento posconciliar.
El meollo con la declaración radica en que contradijo al menos el magisterio pontificio anterior, que si bien podía aceptar que no hubiera coacción en la fe, no podía permitir un reconocimiento ni para iglesias ni religiones distintas a la católica romana. La táctica que observo desde hace tiempo en varios textos pontificios y conciliares es la "extender la liga" de la interpretación, para poder introducir una nueva variante de una vieja idea, que, como afirmó el documento "no está explícitamente mencionada en el Evangelio". Una ponencia del cardenal Ottaviani de 1958 admitía que la Iglesia romana podía jugar con las reglas de la democracia liberal para legitimar su acción en países laicos o impíos, pero realmente no había alusión a que cada ser humano tuviera libertad religiosa, ni, ergo, eso permitiría a la gente confesar el credo que gustasen, por mucho que se salpique el documento de alusiones al derecho a buscar la verdad.
"Dignitatis humanae" permitió desde entonces asociar a la Iglesia, más allá de la predicación del Evangelio, con empresas más netamente terrenas como la búsqueda de la defensa de las libertades civiles, entre ellas, la libertad religiosa, lo cual ha llevado a confusión a los católicos y a los ajenos a la iglesia romana, en el sentido de que no reconocen ya la misión de ésta. El hecho de que Agamben dijera en una crítica contra Roma que la iglesia defendía la libertad humana es producto de documentos como éste; súmese también a esta mescolanza la defensa del medio ambiente hecha por el Papa en turno.
Un liberal podría alabar el documento sin problemas o mejor dicho, obviando la parte de la búsqueda de la verdad, mientras que el católico tradicionalista no puede ir más allá de admitir los derechos de la Iglesia para predicar la verdad aprovechando las leyes vigentes en varios países occidentales, libertades que se admiten para las sectas heréticas. Admitir la posibilidad de que una persona de buena fe pueda adoptar una idea errónea y que se deba luchar por eso desde el púlpito resultan todavía ocurrencias repulsivas sesenta años después de escrita "Dignitatis Humanae" para muchos sectores intransigentes o "cerriles".
Rumbo a la publicación el día ocho de abril de este año de una continuación de este documento, es menester tenerlo leído para ver el desarrollo de una tendencia de medio siglo de pensamiento posconciliar.
April 10, 2021
Tbh wasn’t really sure what “religious liberty” exactly meant and how it interfaces with the common good and following just laws. Loved this document and found it very interesting, especially in light of many Catholics/Christians who believe their religious liberties are being violated with covid restrictions. The document talks about mans obligation to society and how that ties in to religious liberty.
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May 22, 2021Basic summary: No one/government should impede or coerce people's religious practices. People should be able to form and follow their consciences. Parents should be able to decide which form of education is best for their children. Everyone should obey legitimate governing bodies for the good of society unless doing so would violate their well-formed consciences. Don't use "but my religious freedom!" to avoid following reasonable laws.
December 11, 2024
J’aurai voulu mettre 0
November 11, 2020
Very good document about religius liberity. People have right to chose religion as they wish and God will light out their mind that catholicism is best religion that best answers human needs and question. With this document Church made break with the past that there should be official religion of the state. It had a rocky history and some traditionalist dispuit it to this day. The document is very political and that is my main isue with it.
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November 4, 2018Read on spiritual retreat - Limelight, November 2018
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews