LENTEN SERIES – DOCUMENTS OF VATICAN II – SESSION #1: LUMEN GENTIUM
(Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) – a document which forms the constitutional basis of the Vatican Council’s understanding of the Nature of the Church.
Historical background notes: The document was presented in the first session of Vatican II was rejected because of its triumphalism (a romantic version of the Church that overlooks its flaws), clericalism (seeing the church as a pyramid with the Pope at the top and lay people at the bottom), and juridicalism (an obsession with rules and the letter of the law). Originally consisting of eleven chapters, it was rewritten and discussed in the second session of Vatican II under four headings: the mystery of the church, the hierarchy (especially the Bishops), the people of God (especially the laity) and the call to holiness. Here the three “hot‐button” issues became: the married deaconate, the sacramental nature of episcopal ordination, and episcopal collegiality. “Collegiality” is the idea the pope shares authority with his brother bishops; an idea that was feared so much because of “Conciliarism” which is the idea that an ecumenical council of bishops is “over and above” the Pope. The final version of the document was hashed out in the third session of Vatican II having been expanded to eight chapters: 1. The Mystery of the Church, 2. The People of God, 3. The hierarchy, 4. The Laity, 5. The universal call to holiness, 6. Religious Life, 7. The Pilgrim Church, and 8. Mary. But even this was “attacked” at the very last minute with a special Nota Explicativa Praevia added to the final document by Pope Paul VI. It was finally approved and promulgated on November 21, 1964 by Pope Paul VI with a vote of 2,151 to 5.
Significance: Represents a major shift in the church’s own thinking about itself
FROM: a tight neo‐scholastic definition TO: an understanding based in expansive biblical images FROM: papal maximalism TO: episcopal collegiality FROM: reflexive clericalism TO: the affirmation of the laity FROM: the triumphalism of external structures TO: the dynamism of a pilgrim people of God
Chapter 1: The Mystery of the Church (Paragraphs #1 to #8)
¶1: The Church is IN Christ as a sacrament … a sign of (a) intimate union with God and (b) the unity of all humanity. Therefore the intention of this document … to declare with greater clarity to the faithful AND the entire human race, the nature of the church and its universal mission.
¶2: We begin with the Father, creation and salvation history – the three moments of revelation and the three terms of the relationship between the human race and God.
¶3: This becomes fully manifest in Jesus – for he (a)inaugurated the kingdom of heaven on earth; (b) revealed this mystery to us; (c) and through his obedience has brought about the redemption of all humankind.
In turn, the Church is the kingdom of Christ, already present in mystery and grows visibly in the world through the power of God.
All people are called to this union with Christ, who is the light of the world (lumen gentium); from him we come, through him we live and towards him we direct our lives.
¶4: This continues in the Holy Spirit. Through Pentecost, the spirit dwells in the church and in the hears of the faithful. ¶5: The Church, then, is founded by Jesus as the Kingdom of God on earth here and now. Its mission is to announce the Kingdom of Christ and of God and of inaugurating it among all peoples. Doing so it has formed the seed and the beginning of the kingdom on earth.
¶6: This paragraph then goes on to discuss some of the Biblical images that have been used to describe the church: sheepfold, field, building, spouse.
¶7: This paragraph then focuses on the one principle image used by Paul: the Body of Christ. We become part of the Body of Christ through baptism; we are nourished through the Eucharist; our goal is to become individually a “likeness unto Christ”; the means is through sharing in the spirit.
¶8: As an organization, the church has a visible structure – a community of faith, hope and love – with a hierarchical structure.
The Church “…is therefore by no mean analogy … like the mystery of the incarnate Word. For just as the assumed nature serves the divine Word as a living instrument of salvation inseparably joined with him, in a similar way the social structure of the church serves the spirit of Christ who vivifies the church towards the growth of the body.”
“This Church, set up and organized in this world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the bishops in communion with him, although outside its structures many elements of sanctification and of truth are to be found which as proper gifts to the church of Christ, impel towards Catholic unity.”
It was this last statement that caused the schism that was later to follow Vatican II – by Archbishop LeFevre and what are called the “sedaevacantists” – people who believe we have not had a “real” pope since Pius XII. The reason is that this document defines the Church as a larger reality than the Catholic Church, and specifically the Roman Catholic Church – three realities, one “subsisting” in the other.
Chapter 2: The People of God (Paragraphs #9 to #17)
¶9: At all times and in every nation whoever fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God. And so the beginning of an understanding of the Church is to understand the idea of “the people of God” – the role of Israel as the people of God; the role of the “new Israel” as the people of God.
¶10: And what introduces us to and makes us a part of the Church (in the largest sense) is the common priesthood of Baptism
¶11: This is rooted in the sacred role of the priestly community of the people of God
¶12 And is expanded in the prophetic role of the holy people of God. “The universal body of the faithfuyl who have received the anointing of the holy one, cannot be mistaken in belief.”
¶13: All human beings are called to the new people of God
¶14: Discusses the Catholic faithful – the most inner of the three rings of the Church
¶15: Discusses the Christian faithful – the second ring of the Church
¶16: Discusses the non‐Christian faithful – the outermost ring of the Church – the People of God ¶17: The mission of the Church (as an organization) is to convert all men and women into the innermost ring – the Catholic faithful.
It will be this chapter that serves as the “ecclesiological” foundation for the ecumenical movement … and the further development of these ideas takes place in other documents of the council: the Decree on Ecumenism, the Declaration on Non‐Christian Religions and the Declaration on Religious Liberty.
Chapter 3: The Hierarchy (Paragraphs # 18 to #29)
¶18: For the nourishment and continual growth of the people of God, Christ the Lord instituted a variety of ministries which are directed towards the good of the whole body. [Note: not just bishops, not just priests]
¶19: However there is a special role for the bishops
and here the Council Fathers introduce the concept of collegiality
the twelve apostles are defined as the first college of Bishops
and even today these bishops, as a college, continue in their footsteps.
They are the principle ministers of the Catholic Church
The Pope, as a successor of Peter, is one of these bishops; he is the principle one of these bishops; and the bishops cannot act separate from him, because then they would not be a true college.
However, Peter did not appoint the apostles; Jesus did. And it is the college of apostles, that is, the college of bishops, who follow in their footsteps.
¶20: These shepherds (bishops) are the supreme high priest; they preach the word of God; they administer the sacraments; they incorporate new members into the faithful community; they direct and govern the people of the N.T., they nourish their flock.
¶21: Bishops are ORDAINED – not simply consecrated – they attain the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders [This actually is a new definition of Holy Orders. In the past: four minor and three major orders considered as part of the sacrament – Acolyte, Lector, Porter, Exorcist; then sub‐Deacon, Deacon, and Presbyter (Priest) – Bishop was seen as the “head presbyter”, “overseer”, “head Elder” – and therefore an administrative, not necessarily a sacramental order – as in the case of Archbishops and Cardinals. Vatican II redefines all of this. It keeps the minor orders of acolyte and lector – eliminates porter and exorcist; discontinues the sub‐deaconate, and then defines the three major orders as Deacon, Presbyter, and Episclopus.]
¶22: Goes on to again preserve the prerogatives of the Papacy (Primacy and Papal Infallibility) but in the context of collegiality. It is this section of Lumen Gentium that actually completes the work of the First Vatican Council. That council was going to deal with the role of the bishops vis‐à‐vis the papacy, but never got to it because it was suspended.
¶23: Discusses various modes and models for the “collective action of Bishops” – eg. Regional conferences, synods, metropolitans, etc.
¶24: Discusses episcopal expulsion – how and when to get rid of “rogue” bishops.
¶25: Discusses the nature and role of ecumenical councils – again with a lot of apprehension about the idea of conciliarism. ¶26: Goes on to discuss how the principal administrator of the sacraments(except for baptism) is actually the Bishop. He is the primary “cleric” of the church.
¶27: Discusses how the bishop should govern the church
¶28: Discusses the relationship of the Bishop to priests
¶29: Discusses the relationship of the Bishop to deacons ‐ It is in this section that the council re‐instates the idea of a married deaconate (for mature men, already married).
Chapter 4: The Laity (Paragraphs #30 to #38)
¶30: Establishes the general principle that there should be cooperation between the clergy and laity and how they work together to build up the community of the faithful.
¶31: Laity = non‐clerical and non‐religious faithful; Laity =the faithful who since they have been incorporated into Christ by baptism, constitute the people of God and in their own way made sharers in Cheist’s priestly, prophetic and royal office, play their own part in the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world.
¶32: Establishes the principle of “equality” in the Church – “…without regard to race or nation, social condition or sex…” Distinctions and diversity exist within equality.
¶33: Discusses and advocates (for the first time) the Apostolate of the Laity
¶34: Discusses the role of the laity in the Eucharist
¶35: Discusses the role of the laity as prophets and evangelizers
¶36: Discusses the role of the laity as preachers
¶37: Discusses the role of the laity as consultants and advisors
¶38: Concludes with the “mission of the laity”: Christians should be in the world what the soul is in the body.
Chapter 5: Universal Call to Holiness (Paragraphs #39 to #42)
¶39: “The Church, whose mystery is being set forth by this synod, is held to be indefectibly holy, as a matter of faith.” [I believe in the holy, catholic and apostolic church … Creed]
¶40: Therefore, ALL the faithful are called to holiness.
¶41: Discusses how various groups within the Church are called to holiness: bishops, priests and deacons; married couples and parents; widows and single people; laborers; homeless; those persecuted
¶42: the first sign of holiness: love
Other special types of holiness: martyrdom, virginity, celibacy
Chapter 6: Religious (Paragraph #43 to #47)
¶43: Still advocates a special place for the life of the religious and the evangelical counsels of poverty, obedience, and chastity. ¶44: Discusses how vows and consecration are a special witness to the kingdom of God on earth
¶45: Religious groups, orders and societies are PART of the Church – not to be seen as separate.
¶46: However, likewise, these religious groups, orders and societies are not a “better” form of Christianity; but rather called to meet specific charisms of their founders.
¶47: Therefore these groups should look to their founders and their original intentions to re‐define their continued presence in the Church in our own day and time.
Chapter 7: The Eschatological Character of the Church (Paragraphs #48 to #51)
¶48: the goal of the Church is as a pilgrim on a journey moving towards the ultimate union with the heavenly church; it will only be complete in heaven. It is already started, but not yet complete.
¶49: Until that final end, we are a pilgrim church – searching and striving for a fuller realization of who and what we are.
¶50: Discusses how we are in communion with all of those who have gone before us – the communion of saints = the body of Christ throughout time.
¶51: Recognizes the special place for saints within this communion – but also warns against mis‐understandings and poor practices. [It is this section that will lead to the ‘de‐nuding’ of statues from churches.
Chapter 8: Mary (Paragraphs #52 ‐ #69)
There had been a push by some of the fathers to have a separate document on Mary. At a very close vote, it was decided rather to attach a special chapter to the document on the church, since that best fit the role of Mary in the theology of the fathers of the council. However, as a result, it is actually a ‘mini‐document’ within the larger Lumen Gentium.
I. Introduction (Paragraphs #52 to #54)
¶52: Presents Mary as ever Virgin, mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord and God.
¶53: Traces and gives a summary of Mary’s role in salvation history
¶54: Defines the purpose of this section of the Constitution: to clarify her role as seen within the Catholic Church
II. Role in Salvation (Paragraphs #55 to #59)
¶55: Traces pre‐references to Mary and her role in salvation history in the O.T.
¶56: Discusses the Annunciation
¶57: Discusses the Nativity
¶58: Discusses the role of Mary in the Ministry of Jesus
¶59: Discusses Pentecost and the Assumption
III. Role in the Church (Paragraphs # 60 to #65) ¶60: The Maternal role of Mary in salvation history
¶61: The Maternal role of Mary in the order of grace
¶62: The Maternal role of Mary in the life of the Church ‐as advocate, benefactress, helper, mediatrix
¶63: The Maternal role of Mary as a type of the Church
¶64: and the continuing role of the Church as Mother
¶65: Mary as an example for the faithful
IV. Cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Paragraphs #66‐#67)
¶66: This is not “idol worship” or “worship of Mary as God”
¶67: Cautions against practices that over exaggerate her role in the Church and border on “idol worship”
V. Mary as a sign of hope and comfort (Paragraph #68‐#69)
¶68: Discusses her role as a sign of hope and comfort for the pilgrim people of God.
¶69: Actually proposes that the protestants “get on board” with respecting and seeing the role of Mary within the Church and the faithful community.
ADDED CLARIFICATION (by Pope Paul VI)
#1: “College” is not understood in its strict juridical meaning that is as a group of equals who might hand over their power to their president, but as a stable group shoe structure and authority must be deduced from revelation.
#2: A person becomes a “member of the college” by reason of episcopal consecration and hierarchical communion with the head of the college and the members.
#3: Reminder that there is a distinction not between the Roman pontiff and the bishops, but between the Roman Pontiff alone and the bishops together with the Roman pontiff as one of them.
#4: Since the Roman Pontiff is head, there are certain things that he alone can do – to call together and direct the college and at the same time he can act alone as he thinks best.
One final comment:
The Greek word for “church” is kyridakon – a term that never appears in the New Testament. Rather the word in the New Testament (found 115 times) is ekklesia – which means the “assembly of the people” or better “the people called together”. The word “church” was first used in 1556 by the Calvinist theologian Theodore Beza and meant the PLACE where the people were called together – which in the roman tradition would better be called a basilica – which actually became popular after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the empire.