Exploring the Religions
of Our World
Church Documents on
Ecumenism and Interreligious
Dialogue
Nostra Aetate


“Declaration on the Relation of the Church
to Non-Christian Religions,”
• First words of the text, Nostra Aetate =
In Our Age or In Our Time
• Shortest of the Vat II documents
 41 sentences in five paragraphs
• October 28, 1965 under Paul VI
Call to forgiveness, understanding & unity
Nostra Aetate continued
1.
One human family
A. Stronger & closer ties in our age
B. Promote unity & love by celebrating what
we have in common
C. Origin, final goal, and religious expectations
D. Universal questions
Nostra Aetate continued
2.
Shared religious truths
A. Hidden power, supreme
being, or even Father
A. Advanced culture
B. Hinduism—myths, philosophy,
asceticism, & meditation to seek
freedom from world
C. Buddhism—illumination & liberation
from contingency of insufficient world
D. Teachings, rules, & rites
E. Embrace true & holy as a ray of truth
F. Prudent & loving dialogue & collaboration
Nostra Aetate continued
3.
Muslims or Moslems
A. Similarities—Monotheist, creation &
revelation, Abraham & patriarchs, Mary,
judgment, moral life & worship, prayer,
almsgiving, & fasting
B. Differences—submission, Jesus the prophet
C. History of tension—forget past
D. Promote understanding, work for social
justice, moral welfare, peace, & freedom
Nostra Aetate continued
4.
Jewish
A.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
Beginning of Christian faith with Abraham
& patriarchs, Moses, & prophets
Church foreshadowed by, scriptures revealed to, &
gentiles joined Jews
Christ died for both gentiles & Jews
Sonship, glory, covenants, law, worship, promises,
fathers, Jesus, Mary & Apostles are theirs first
Scripture testifies that we will be one again
Respect & understanding through study & dialogue
All/today’s Jews not responsible for Christ’s death
Church is New People but Chosen People not accursed
Hatred, persecution, & anti-Semitism contra the
Gospel
Christ died freely for the sins of all men
Nostra Aetate
continued
5.
Conclusion
A. Hypocritical to call God Father if any person is
not our brother or sister
B. Any discrimination is foreign to the mind of
Christ in human dignity & human rights
•
Race, color, condition of life, or religion
C. Fellowship & peace
Unitatis
Redintegratio






“Decree on Ecumenism,”
• First words of the text, Unitatis
Redintegratio = The restoration of unity
• 24 paragraphs (much longer than Nostra Aetate)
• November 21, 1964 under Paul VI
Call to forgiveness, understanding & unity
Introduction(1)
Chpt. 1: Catholic Principles on Ecumenism(2-4)
Chpt. 2: The Practice of Ecumenism(5-12)
Chpt. 3: Churches & Ecclesial Communities(13-24)
• Eastern Churches (14-18)
• Western Church and Ecclesial Communities (19-24)
Unitatis Redintegratio
Introduction
1. The restoration of unity among all
Christians is one of the principle
concerns that the Second Vatican
Council. All wish for unity and long for
the one visible Church of God. This
council wishes to set before all
Catholics the ways in which they can
respond and take action.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 1 – Catholic Principals on
Ecumenism
2. Christ, the Eucharist, and the Holy
Spirit each bring a wonderful
communion to the faithful. Christ
selected Peter, that on him he would
build his Church. The Church, then, is
God’s only flock.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 1 – Catholic Principals
on Ecumenism cont.
3. There have been certain rights and
dissensions in the history of the church,
but the church remains a perfect body in
Christ, though its believers are imperfect
themselves. We can see elements of the
endowments of Christ himself visible
outside of the Catholic Church, for those
churches were separated have not been
deprived of the mystery of salvation.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 1 – Catholic Principals on
Ecumenism cont.
4. This Council exhorts all Catholic
faithful to recognize the signs of the
times and to take an active an intelligent
part in the work of ecumenism. Catholics
must pray for and stay informed about
their separated brothers and sisters, and
also must gladly knowledge and esteem
the true Christianity common to our
separated family.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 1 – Catholic Principals on
Ecumenism cont.
4. The Four steps of Ecumenism
•
•
•
•
Non-judgmental
Dialogue
Cooperation
Self-reflection for renewal and reform
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
5. The attainment of unity is the
concern of the whole Church.
6. It is in fidelity that this concern is
grounded. Deficiencies and moral
conduct and continual reformation
must be corrected and formulated.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
cont.
7. There can be no ecumenism worthy
of the name without a change of heart.
Therefore we should pray to the Holy
Spirit for the grace to be genuinely
self-denying in service to others.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
cont.
8. Holiness of life should be regarded
as the soul of the whole ecumenical
movement, and Catholics should also
joined in prayer with their separated
brethren.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
cont.
8. Spiritual Ecuemenism
• Change of heart and holiness of life
• Coupled with public and private
prayer
• For Christian unity
• Soul of ecumenism
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
cont.
9. We must now get to know the
outlook of our separated brethren,
from such dialogue the situation of the
Catholic Church is truly understood.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
cont.
10. Sacred theology and other
branches of knowledge must be taught
with due regard for the ecumenical
point of view, not one of polemic
nature.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
cont.
it
and
11. The way we express our fate
should never be an obstacle to
dialogue with our brethren, and also,
doctrine should be clearly presented
in its entirety. Therefore the catholic
faith must be explained profoundly
precisely.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 2 – The Practice of Ecumenism
cont.
12. When all Christians confess their
faith in the Triune God for all men
without exception are called to work
together but most of all Christians that
bear the name of Christ.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See
13. There are two chief types of division:
First, that of the East who separated in
the dogmatic formulae of the councils of
Ephesus and Chalcedon, and later when
communion between Eastern Patriarchates
and the Roman See was dissolved.
Second, the West, stemming from the
events of the Reformation.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
I.
The Special Consideration of the
Eastern Churches
a
14. The Churches in the East hold a
special closeness to the Catholic Church in
liturgy, ecclesiology, and history. Eastern
Christianity stems from proper apostolic
teaching, communicated with differing form
and matter. Anyone wishing to restore unity
is well off when relying on these facts.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
I.
The Special Consideration
of the Eastern Churches cont.
a
15. Everybody knows of the great love which
the Eastern Christians celebrate the sacred
liturgy, especially the Eucharist. Their
communion with the than other is made
manifest through this, and some form of
common worship is not only possible but
encouraged.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
I.
The Special Consideration
of the Eastern Churches cont.
16. This holy Council solemnly and declares
that the churches of the East have the power
to govern themselves according to the
disciplines proper to them, which is one of the
essential prerequisites for any restoration of
unity.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
I.
The Special Consideration of
the Eastern Churches cont.
a
17. The East and West have followed different
methods and have developed differently to
our understanding and confession of God’s
truth. The heritage of their spirituality,
liturgy, and their discipline of theology, are
declared to belong to the full Catholic and
apostolic character of the Church.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
I.
The Special Consideration of
the Eastern Churches cont.
18. For unity, it is necessary to impose no
burden beyond what is essential, and this
Council commends those who develop a
closer relationship with those who are no
longer living in the East are far from home.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial
Communities in the West
19. Churches in the West have retained a
close affinity with the Catholic Church, though
they differ in teachings in matters of doctrine,
which is where describing them adequately is
extremely difficult.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial
Communities in the West cont.
20. We rejoice to see that our separated
brethren look to Christ as the source in center
of Church unity.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial
Communities in the West cont.
21. A love and reverence of the scriptures
lead our brothers and sisters to a constant
meditative state of the sacred text, though
these books do often differ from ours.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial
Communities in the West cont.
a
22. Whenever the sacrament of baptism is
duly administered a person is truly
incorporated into the crucified and glorified
Christ, and though they do not recognize the
Eucharistic mystery in its true reality, day due
regard that it signifies a communion with
Christ.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial
Communities in the West cont.
23. A the daily Christian life of these
brethren is one of private prayer,
meditation on the bible, solid family
life, in a community gathered to
worship.
Unitatis Redintegratio cont.
Chapter 3 – Churches and Ecclesial
Communities Separated from the
Roman Apostolic See cont.
II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial
Communities in the West cont.
a
24. Now that we have briefly set the
conditions for ecumenical action we
look forward to the future with
confidence, toward that fullness to
which Our Lord wills His Body to grow
in the course of time.