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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.
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I. The Special Consideration of the Eastern Churches
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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]
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II. Separated Churches and Ecclesial Communities in the West
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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
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