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Documents of the Second Vatican Council

Dignitatis Humanae: Declaration On Religious Freedom

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Un texte historique de l'Église catholique

Un grand texte du Concile Vatican II qui déclare que "la personne humaine a droit à la liberté religieuse" et qu'il est du devoir essentiel du pouvoir civil de protéger cette liberté. Ce respect des consciences est implicitement une condamnation sévère de toutes les inquisitions, manipulations de foules et autres dictatures.

Retrouvez aussi les 16 textes du Concile Vatican II rassemblés dans un seul livre numérique : Tous les textes de Vatican II.

67 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 7, 1965

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Second Vatican Council

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The Second Vatican Council (Latin: Concilium Oecumenicum Vaticanum Secundum, informally known as Vatican II) addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first ecumenical council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The council, through the Holy See, formally opened under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8th December 1965.

Several changes resulted from the council, including the renewal of consecrated life with a revised charism, ecumenical efforts towards dialogue with other religions, and the call to holiness for everyone including the laity, according to Pope Paul VI "the most characteristic and ultimate purpose of the teachings of the Council".

According to Pope Benedict XVI, the most important and essential message of the council is "the Paschal Mystery as the center of what it is to be Christian and therefore of the Christian life, the Christian year, the Christian seasons". Other changes which followed the council included the widespread use of vernacular languages in the Mass instead of Latin, the subtle disuse of ornate clerical regalia, the revision of Eucharistic prayers, the abbreviation of the liturgical calendar, the ability to celebrate the Mass versus populum (with the officiant facing the congregation), as well as ad orientem (facing the "East" and the Crucifix), and modern aesthetic changes encompassing contemporary Catholic liturgical music and artwork, many of which remain divisive among the Catholic faithful.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for Jack W..
143 reviews6 followers
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.
Profile Image for Samantha B.
312 reviews41 followers
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December 4, 2021
I. 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. :)
Profile Image for Elizabeth Warner.
52 reviews3 followers
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
Profile Image for Brandin Stoy.
12 reviews
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.
Profile Image for OSCAR.
504 reviews6 followers
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.
Profile Image for Liz.
265 reviews
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.
Profile Image for Sarah.
135 reviews
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May 22, 2021
Basic 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.
Profile Image for Filip.
417 reviews6 followers
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.
Profile Image for Matthew.
246 reviews2 followers
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November 4, 2018
Read on spiritual retreat - Limelight, November 2018
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews

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