Edre515 Paper

Edre515 Paper
EDRE515 – Assignment 1
The religious education system in Australian Catholic Schools has endured many significant
changes since the Second Vatican Council.
With reference to Peta Goldburg's (2012) Transforming religious education: Implications from the
Second Vatican Council, the following discussion will review and critique the important religious
education approaches that has had an impact on the Catholic schooling system for the past fifty
years, and also help shape the contemporary classroom we teach in today.
The Catechism Post Vatican II
During the first Vatican the catechism was used as a primary source of educating Catholics of
Christian faith and doctrines of the church. The catechism consisted of teachings particularly of ...
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Although the Kerygmatic approach breathed fresh air in to religious education in the 1960's, it also
had its limitations. Students were suddenly being taught in a new and foreign way to their siblings
and parents and therefore assistance and monitoring from home was no longer valuable.
"The salvation story was told in the same order at each year level, beginning with the Hebrew
Patriarchs, the Kings and Prophets of Ancient Israel, Jesus Christ, the early Church and the story of
the Church up to the present" (M. Ryan, 2012, p. 68).
Many students became dis–interested with the same material being presented year after year, and
teachers were not suitably prepared to teach scripture and church history. The changes and effects
that came from Vatican II undermined the Kerygmatic approach. Theologians wanted to make the
catechesis more meaningful, and therefore lessons conducted in a Catholic School would need to
relate to the life experiences of its students.
Life Experience Catechesis
The life experience catechesis also known as anthropological approach was practised in Australian
Catholic Schools in the 1970's.
According to M. Ryan (2013) "Australian Catholic School teachers would be encouraged to teach as
Jesus did" (p.69). This approach focussed on a student's own personal experiences and the
collaboration of those experiences with the relation to the Christian way of life. Lessons were
conducted in an environment of concern and care with some Catholic Schools
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The Church Must Catch Up
In today's modern world there is a clear rise of unbelief and modern culture is increasingly leaning
more towards the secular. Richard J. Bernstein, discusses how "the shift to secularity consists of a
move from a society where belief in God is unchallenged and indeed, unproblematic, to one in
which it is understood to be one option among others, and frequently not the easiest to embrace".
Less people are attending church and more individuals are seeking resolution and purpose else
where. Despite the secularization that is evident within modern society, there are new cultural
practices and changing beliefs that are being implemented within the church to bridge this secular
divide. This is demonstrated through individual religious organizations ... Show more content on
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I personally feel as though both of these examples have their positive and negative impacts when it
comes to reinstating religion in to a very secularized society. In reference to Reverend Gretta Vosper,
her failure to focus on an almighty God when it comes to preaching the Christian faith can be very
controversial. On one hand, it opens up the church to a wider population of individuals with an array
of beliefs, allowing Christianity to be a more universal religion. Providing the opportunity to still
practice Christian values and attend church without the requirement of a blind faith in a transcendent
being will help to reintegrate Christianity in to modern culture. One of the negatives to this is that
individuals who believe strongly in an omnipotent God can feel as though their faith is being
diminished by not acknowledging that He exists. However, in relation to bridging the religious and
secular divide I feel as though providing an array of opportunities for individuals to engage in and
practice the Christian faith is more beneficial. In regards to Pope Francis and his push for new
reforms in order to ordain married men and women, I feel as though again it is a step towards
closing the divide between religion and the secular. Pope Francis is someone who is filled with
charisma and is extremely transparent

Explain the Contribution to the Development and Expression...
The contribution of Pope John XXIII has been profound, as many of his initiatives and actions are
still resonating today. His acceptance of Jesus' words "I came to save all nations." Represented his
motivation to do well and bring peace upon the world. He was an advocate of Christian unity, social
justice, human rights and the promotion of world peace. It is through his development of the Second
Vatican Council, his contribution to ecumenism and his empathy for humanity that Pope John XXIII
made a significant impact upon the development and expression of Christianity.
The essence of the contribution made by Pope John XXIII was his calling together of the Second
Vatican Council that aimed to address modernisation of the Catholic Church, ... Show more content
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The roles of people in the church were redefined, as the Pope established himself clearly as a man of
action, and not unreachable 'God like' figure. He did not submit to his power and instead worked
together and worked for the people to make worshipping Christ more meaningful. The sacraments
were developed to involve the congregation and improve the expression of Christian beliefs as the
church was modernized and clericalism was removed.
Pope John made a strong contribution to ecumenism. In his pursuit of ecumenism john embraced a
church that was united in diversity. This was the movement to better relationships between Catholics
and non–Catholics, Eastern and Western Orthodox churches as well as between different religious
faiths and Christianity, "I am Joseph, your brother". In dialogue between Eastern and Western
Orthodox churches, there are now many positive relationships maintained between varying
denominations throughout the Christian faith; creating a more supportive and secure atmosphere for
Christian adherents. Pre–Vatican II Catholics were barred from reading works written by Protestant
Reformers, other Christian denominations were schismatic and it was a sin to go to a non–Catholic
service. The changes to the development and expression of Christian beliefs through Vatican II were
there was freedom of inquiry, joint prayer services, common edition of the Bibles and heightened
respect and dignity for others. The notion of

Henri De Lubac Research Paper
The Discovery of God
Henri de Lubac was born in Cambrai, France on February 20, 1896. He joined the Society of Jesus
in Lyon in 1913. After he joined, he served in the French army in World War I, and suffered severe
wounds during combat. When he recovered from his wounds he was educated at Jesuit Houses of
study at Jersey and Fourviere, and earned his doctorate in theology studies at Pontifical Gregorian
University of Rome. In 1927 he was ordained a priest and taught the history of theology at Catholic
Faculties of Theology of Lyons until 1961. During World War II, he was strongly against Naziism
and anti–Semiticism throughout his writings. However, he was forced to leave Lyon because he was
involved with the Resistance and lived in Vals. In the 1950's de Lubac faced much controversy
about his teachings about grace and the supernatural. He was then asked to stop publishing his
writings. However, that did not stop de Lubac from still spreading his teachings. Such as: studies on
atheism, ecclesiology, sacramental nature of Catholicism, medieval biblical exegesis, and
Buddhism. In 1957 he became a member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences and the
Catholic Institute of Paris in 1959. He then became a theology expert in Vatican II between 1962–
1965. In 1983 he was created cardinal deacon by Pope John Paul II, and received the red biretta and
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Natural Theology discusses over the actual existence of God. Discovering any proofs that can proof
God's existence. However, there are many human made theories and accusations about God and how
everything is created by either God or some other force. The main focus de Lubac is writing is how
people believe that God doesn't exist. Many speculations surrounding the existence of God have
always been circulating for many years. However, with a high amount of controversies de Lubac
proves how God is with us always and is "the being of

Abortion And Birth Control Rights In The Catholic Church.
Abortion and Birth Control Rights in the Catholic Church In our modern world, the topics of
abortion rights and access to birth control seem to be at the top of the list for political strife and
conversation; being "pro–choice" and "pro–life" are labels thrown around between Republicans and
Democrats on the political platform. Despite the topics' recent political trend due to our country's
new pro–life administration, it has always been a trending topic for women since the 1960s.
Monumentally, the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade made abortion legal. Despite its legal
status, the controversy over the rights a woman has to choose her stance on abortion and birth
control stems further than the political spectrum; it is often an internal ... Show more content on
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A 54–year–old Catholic woman stated in an interview conducted on the topic of the modernization
of the church insightfully noted that Vatican II allowed for "practical changes," like " music and
singing, and women allowed into upfront roles as readers, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers, as well
as altar servers in some places." Vatican II "aimed to produce a different experience of the mass,"
but also set out to reposition the church in a relative relationship with the modern world (Mathis).
With smaller–scale changes occurring within the Roman Catholic Church, pro–choice Catholics
hoped the Vatican II could also change its views on women's sexual health. Conversation about
abortion and birth control legitimately started within the Catholic Church for the first time in the
early 1960s–prior to this era, such topics were not even murmured let alone acknowledged.
However, women vocalizing concerns about sexual wellbeing often poses a problem for the modern
religious woman: "Catholic women whose feminist consciousness is raised have been alienated
from the Catholic hierarchy by few issues so much as by the abortion issue." Women are finding it
difficult to take a moral stance on something that is not only a religious problem, but also a social
one: "Unlike men, who have always enjoyed virtually total control over their participation in the
reproductive process . . . women have never been able to freely determine [their participation
because]

Church Ministry Essay
The history itself of the decree on the ministry and life of the priests is an extensive one and difficult
to summarize. The possibility of having just a disciplinary decree dealing with practical matters of
ministry and spiritual life was considered, but the conciliar fathers gradually became more aware of
the need to say something in regards to the priests, something comparable to what the Council had
said about the bishops and the laity. That is to say, the decree would have to refer to the doctrine, but
they realized this a bit too late to make major changes. The last date for rejection of De Vita et
Ministerio Sacerdotali was October 19, 1964, there was only one more session of the council
remaining at this time. In a little over a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Starting from Christ to the apostles, and from the apostles the bishops, at the request of 124 priests.
However, this was not sufficient and did not satisfy those loyal to other ways of understanding the
priesthood, especially the French school. In distributing the first amendment to the text of the first
draft of Presbyterorum ordinis, just after acceptance of the amended text as the textus recognitus, the
archbishop François Marty summarized the discrepancy of views: "As to the specific nature of the
ministry and life of the presbyters. In this case, two conceptions have been expressed which seem to
differ at first sight. One of them insists more on the consecration of the priest worked by the
sacrament of Orders, and on the personal union of the priest with Christ, who is the source of
sanctity and spiritual effectiveness. The other conception, however, insists on the mission of the
priest, a mission which he receives from Christ through the sacrament: that is, the priest, since he
becomes an assistant to the Order of Bishops, acts in the person of Christ for the edification of
church." Fact is, both conceptions bring to light an aspect of great importance in the ministry and
life of the presbyters. Therefore, the commission will be careful to show how both conceptions
harmoniously combine and are in fact completed, so that they go together in the unity of the priestly
ministry. Nonconformities followed with the

The Funeral Of Sunday School Program
Introduction: The following presentation is given to the parents of Sunday school program in the
Parish of St. Patrick's in Kingston, Jamaica. Just like every organization has its rules and regulations
to run and maintain order and clarity, the Church has its rules and regulations for the salvation of the
souls. There are 1752 canons in the church and over the course of the centuries there has been
addition and removal of the canons so that the salvation of souls could be attained. These canons
cover every aspect of the church's ministry, from the Supreme Pontiff to the Christian faithful.
Today we will concentrate on one particular canon which clearly lays out the duties and obligations
of the Christian Faithful. Right and Obligation of Christian Faithful The following canon is both an
Obligation as well as a right. Canon 225 – §1. Since, like all Christian faithful, lay persons are
designated by God for the apostolate through baptism and confirmation, they are bound by the
general obligation and possess the rights as individuals, or joined in associations, to work so that the
divine message of salvation is made known and accepted by all persons everywhere in the world.
This obligation is even more compelling in those circumstances in which only through them can
people hear the gospel and know Christ. §2. They have also, according to the condition of each, the
special obligation to permeate and perfect the temporal order of things with the spirit of the Gospel.
In this

Introduction. Abortion Has Been Widely Controversial And
Introduction
Abortion has been widely controversial and still is controversial to this day. Opinions on the topic
continue to change over time as well as laws changing to allow it or make it illegal. These changes
will vary on factors like politics and the religion that is practiced in the country. Just like countries
vary on whether it is widely accepted or not, the same goes for religions. Catholicism has been
traditionally conservative and has taken a pro–life stance over the years. Buddhism, while not
conservative has also taken a pro–life stance. Abortion continues to be ethically controversial based
on the question on whether life begins at conception, at a later time during development, and
whether or not we ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Second Vatican Council does not allow attacks against human life ""Whatever is opposed to life
itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, or wilful self–destruction,
whatever violates the integrity of the human person" (Evangelium Vitae)
The Catholic Church also discusses about issues regarding the removal of an unborn child to save
the mothers life and if removal before it is viable would constitute as indirect or direct abortions
(Jones, 82). If it were a direct abortion would the Catholic Church ever allow this? It is stated by
The Holy Office that a craniotomy to remove the viable fetus is never okay even in situations where
"if it is omitted, the mother and infant will die, but, if it is performed, the mother will be saved but
the infant will die" (Jones, 82). The Holy Office has also stated that to remove the fetus or deliver
the fetus before viability is never allowed (Jones, 82). Pope Paul VI stated that the teaching of this
"has not changed and is unchangeable". Although all of these teachings from the Church have been
constant throughout history some of the teachings have not.
Teachings regarding the mother and her fetus have changed throughout history. These deviations
have come up because of problems regarding the mother and the child. This has brought up many

Importance Of The Second Vatican Council
What was the Second Vatican Council Church?
The second vatican council was the 21st representative of different catholic churches recognised by
the Roman catholic church. It was organised by Pope John the thirteenth on January 25, 1959 in
Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican city, Rome and existed until 1965. It's purpose was to renew the
spiritual relations of the church so that they may reconsider the church practises and also pray with
other denominations (A religious denomination is a secondary group within a certain religion that
abides under a common name, tradition, and identity). The Second Vatican council was extremely
important as it offered change to the churches which allowed it to evolve and grow with the world.
Many documents had to be signed by an assembly of Roman Catholic church leaders.
The Vigil (aka Wake)
Before Vatican ll, the Vigil, commonly known as "wake" is a holy day when the family of the
deceased or others that were close, gathers around the dead one to pray for that person, remember
their loved ones life and comfort one another. It is an occasion of religious observance where the
family of the dead stays up during the night rather than sleeping, to keep watch on the deceased.
However, after Vatican ii came into play there were many changes to be made. These changes meant
the following: the Vigil could be informally arranged anywhere the family wanted it to be, as long as
the place was respectful. The church recognised that it was upto the family to

Essay on Pope John Paul Xiii Impact on Christianity
Pope John XXIII played a vital role in shaping Christianity as we know it today. He contributed
socially, politically and liturgically and was a major influence in the establishment of ecumenism
and interfaith dialogue between other churches and religions. He advocated Christian unity, social
justice, human rights and the promotion of world peace, and his openness to all people led to him
obtaining the name "Good Pope John".
The early life of Pope John XXIII shaped his morality and future ideas, and his travelling made him
tolerant towards other people, cultures and beliefs. He believed that "No one is excluded by love"
and pursued this belief throughout is papacy, even visiting prisons in order to forgive those who had
sinned, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Not only did Pope John XXIII improve relationships between Christian variants but he also
increased the dialogue between other religions, especially seeking to repair relations with the Jews
who were blamed for Jesus' death. A more positive view of non–Catholics Christians and of other
religions was encouraged as Pope John XXIII believed that if there was no dialogue between them
and Catholics, then all doors would be closed.
Pope John XXIII was involved with politics and during the Russia and Cuban Missile Crisis, he
initiated a public plea to power holding leaders to negotiate peace and prevent a war with
devastating consequences. He promoted prayers of world peace around the globe and even initiated
dialogue with Communist world leaders and others clearly opposed to Christianity. His hospitality to
Communists was highly controversial amongst the Catholic church, and showed how he believed
strongly in developing ties in order to discuss human rights and encourage peace.
During his Papacy, Pope John XXIII published several encyclicals promoting world peace(Pacem in
Terris) and increasing the consciousness of one's dignity and rights of workers, women and newly
independent nations (Mater et Magisterum). Pacem in Terris was addressed to the whole world and
received warmly by Christians and non–Christians alike. It altered thinking about the Cold War and
initiated the resurgence of Catholic social teaching.
John Pope

The Second Vatican Council: The Early Christian Church
The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), in an effort to reacquaint the faithful to their three–fold
dignity of priest, prophet and king received during their baptism, reaffirmed in the Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, also known as the ad intra ("Church within") conciliar document Lumen
Gentium, that, "...all the faithful, that is, who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ...have been
made sharers in their own way in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ and play their
part in carrying out the mission of the whole Christian people in the church and in the world" (48).
Since the laity, religious, and clergy now had a shared responsibility as the People of God in
bringing about the Kingdom of God, no longer would they be as ... Show more content on
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Sharing this dignity with the clergy implied that the laity would have equal authority when it came
to governance and leadership in the Catholic Church. At some point, the Church would not employ a
"top–down" or vertical model of leadership, with the Pope as head, followed by the bishops and
priests, with the laity having no voice or say. In exercising their kingly dignity, the laity would share
power and authority along the lines of the early Christian Church, which practiced a more
"horizontal" or collegial leadership methodology. As Tkacik and McGonigle warn, however, "Power
and governance in the Christian sense must be understood in terms of service, for this is the example
and model of Jesus" (25). As such, because they straddle both the Church ad intra and the Church ad
extra, it is implied that the laity would exercise their kingly dignity in the role of service to the
world, social justice, and becoming living sacraments both within the Church and to the world
external. However, in ways similar to the stunted development concerning the prophetic mission,
Church authorities have been slow to implement the vision of Vatican II with respect to the kingly
mission. The Church recognizes the importance of equality, democratic principles, societal

How Did The Second Vatican Council Change
The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) as stated by Hobson and Welbourne (2002) is seen as a
catalyst for major change in the "discourse of religious education". Religious educators have found
it necessary to change not only what they teach, but more importantly, how they teach it to make
accommodation for changes to both culture and tradition. These changes include the impact of early
Catholic schools and the shift from lay to religious teachers, as well as the evolution of secular
theories from historical approaches through to contemporary approaches that were influenced by
Church documents and the faith experiences of students and teachers.
To appreciate the state of Australian Catholic schools since Vatican II, it is important to understand
Vatican II understood that if the Church was to move forward and keep pace with changes to society,
it would need to provide opportunities where Christian faith made adjustments for future diversities
(Hobson and Welbourne, 2002). The Second Vatican Council would provide the turning point for
Catholic education in both what was taught and how it was taught (Hobson and Welbourne, 2002).
This came in the form of a new approach to religious instruction. The life–centred approach focused
on students and teachers sharing and reflecting on life experiences and building on their
understanding of faith together (Engebretson, as cited in Buchanan, 2005). During this time Catholic
schools were experiencing change: increases in immigration resulted in a wide diversity of students
from different cultures and faiths and students were no longer attending Mass with their families
(Ryan, as cited in Buchanan, 2005). This led to many students attending Catholic schools who were
not connected to their faith or the life of the parish, which made it difficult for the life–centred
approach to remain effective as students were unable to link life experience with faith (Buchanan,
2005). Although the life–centred approach was seen as unsuccessful, the idea of students learning
about their faith through life experience continued to evolve

How Do You Think the Problem of Priestless Parishs Should...
Parishes are a common practice in the Catholic Church. They are a division of a diocese which has
its own church and members of the clergy. A parish priest is appointed and entrusted with the
spiritual care of his parishioners. In 2008, 49,631 parishes in the world had no resident priest or
pastor (CARA services. Frequently requested Church statistics). Parishes without a priest can cause
great difficulties for people. The role of a priest within a parish is vital; a priest is someone who is
there for the sick and the dying, a shoulder to cry in times of need and a priest allows parishioners
access to each of the seven sacraments.
In recent times the total number of priests has decreased and the average age of serving priests has
Their celibacy expresses their complete and total identification with Christ and their commitment to
continuing his mission. Surely this preparation phase is enough time for a priest to either see the
benefit in celibacy or lack there off for them as an individual.
Celibacy is a big sacrifice for anyone to undertake. Married life too has sacrifices – very different
sacrifices; however there is no value in saying one is more of a sacrifice than another. Those in a
marriage have many sacrifices that may go unrecognized because they are considered "normal." For
instance, married couples have a commitment to their partners to be faithful, honest, and dedicated
to making the relationship successful. For those with children, the commitments and responsibilities
are even greater.
There are many cultures around the world that do not expect clergy celibacy (Daly, 2009) including
Christian denominations who allow ministers/priests to marry. These Churches demonstrate how
marriage is compatible with the priestly life. These churches present a great example of how familial
responsibilities are compatible with religious commitments. A study of married Evangelical
ministers and Roman Catholic priests revealed that there were no significant differences in
dimensions of religiosity or commitments to the parish between the celibate and married clergymen
(Swenson, 1998). Both are

Christians Have Same Beliefs Essay
Christians Have Same Beliefs Another point that supports the argument is that Christians all have
the same basic beliefs, that there is one God and they all believe in Jesus and his teachings, and they
only argue on the way of worshiping him if the different dominations were to come together they
would find out they have more things in common than they don't, as this is a known fact it shows the
unity in the different church groups. Part of being and living as a Christian, is loving others and
therefore means that the churches should join to should their love for one another.
Strong reasons way Christians should come together are ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
And split again in the Reformation, in the 16th century that was caused by abuses happening within
the church and other disputes. Pressure toward unity was aided in the 19th century by the
development of such organizations as the Young Men's Christian Association and Young Women's
Christian Association, which were people from different denominations joining in support of
common causes.
The evangelical concern of modern ecumenism brought about the formation, in 1921, of the
International Missionary Council, comprising 17 national mission organizations. It coordinated
mission strategy and aided new churches.
The service efforts made by Christians across denominational and national boundaries came to
fruition in 1925, in Stockholm, when the Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work was
convened to study the application of the gospel to industrial, social, political, and international
affairs. This movement proceeded under the slogan "service unites but doctrine divides."[1]
In 1959, Pope John XXIII planned the calling of second Vatican Council to end the work of the first
Vatican Council of 1870.and Renewal and reunion was high on the plan. Breaking standard, in 1961
he permitted Roman Catholic observers officially to attend the third assembly of the World Council
of

The Catholic Church Essay
The Catholic Church
The Catholic Church in the 20th Century underwent tremendous change, most significantly as a
result of the Second Vatican Council. This Council created an atmosphere of reform within the
leading theologians and the hierarchy of the Church. Consequently, when Pope Paul VI released his
encyclical Humanae Vitae, to many of the reformers it seemed to contradict the sentiment of the
Council.
At the same time, though, there was a movement afoot to radically change the power structure of the
Church. Led by the same liberal theologians who took offense to the pro–life policies laid out in
Humanae Vitae, the aim was to transition the Church from an authoritarian power structure to a
more democratic model. Humanae ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Jacinta, one of the three children... at Fatima, once said, 'I... saw the Holy Father in a very large
house, kneeling before a table with his face in his hands. He was crying. Many people were in front
of the house; some were throwing stones, while others were cursing him and using foul language.'"
(McInerny 17–18)
This image is very symbolic of the attempt to overthrow the teaching authority of the Pope taking
place in the Catholic Church following the historic release of Humanae Vitae, an important papal
encyclical following the religious revolution known as Vatican II. Unremarkable for its content,
which simply reaffirmed the current Church views on contraceptive use, the response to Humanae
Vitae has been shocking. The controversy over Humanae Vitae revealed a schism between liberal
and conservative elements in the Church. This rift included the Church's view of birth control, but
on a deeper level was about the right of the Pope to dictate the official Church teaching without
following the dictates of the laity, bishops, cardinals, or theologians. Leading the liberal,
revolutionary forces were the Church's leading theologians, and guiding the conservative, counter–
revolutionary side was the Pope, primarily under Pope Paul VI.
To understand the response of theologians, it is important to look at the conditions surrounding the
encyclical's release. In 1959 Pope John XXIII announced that the

Roman Catholicism And The Catholic Church
Roman Catholicism, like Protestantism they have some of the same problems with the
transcendence and immanence. There has been some change during the Second Vatican Council,
where it were to become more modernize, the Catholic Church and it doctrine. The importance of
Vatican II and the necessary for Catholic theologian that is concern with the Catholic Church.
Another question that will be address in this essay, is to consider of Catholic theology, such as
Rahner and Kung who had started to develop the modern Catholic theology that is connected to
contemporary culture. Finally, the way that the theology, respond to change in certain traditional
setting to the theological visionaries. In 1959 Pope John XXIII, an elected, pope he were appointed
by the cardinals of the Roman Catholic church, (Grentz and Olson, 1992) he was new to his calling
at an old age. His focus was to bring a new council to the church, he wanted to make a change by
modernizing the doctrine, from the 100 years of teaching; the new council was called Vatican II. The
Vatican II council were used to hold meeting to make explicitly discussion for the purpose to carry
out judicial doctrinal works. Pope John XXIII, discovered, Kung and Rahner, Roman Catholic
theologian to help with the II Vatican. At the time of World War II, the past and old doctrine was
now becoming the past. Therefore, a new doctrine was being developed for the church to come
together for the modern and contemporary teaching to be

My Thoughts on the Decree on Ecumenism Essay
My Thoughts on the Decree on Ecumenism
Many of you might not know that the incredible changes that have taken place in the Catholic world
over the past 50 years in the areas of belief, practise and worship are a direct result of the Second
Vatican Council, which took place in Rome between 1962 and 1965. But some have argued that the
undeniable and revolutionary changes that took place after Vatican II were due to many
misrepresentations of the actual teachings of the Council. In this response I will demonstrate from
indisputable and well–documented facts that Ecumenism before the Second Vatican Council was
always condemned and the Second Vatican Council had no absolute authority to change the
Church's view on Ecumenism and can not be ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Whoever he is," he says, "and whatever sort he is, he is not a Christian who is not in the Church of
Christ."
To say that the union of Christians needs to be restored as Vatican II does is to say that non–
Catholics are Christians which is heretical but more heresy is found in #1 of Unitatis Redintegratio.
Unitatis Redintegratio
1. Yet almost all, though in the different ways, long for the one visible Church of God, that truly
universal Church whose mission is to convert the whole world to the gospel, so that the world may
be saved, to the glory of God.
This is an amazing assertion, the Council declares that almost everyone longs for visible Church of
God, the universal Church which will convert the world to the gospel. That is to say almost
everyone longs for the Catholic Church which means that the Catholic Church does not yet truly
exist, if anyone doubts that Vatican II is saying that the universal Church of Christ does not yet exist,
I will quote Pope John Paul II's own interpretation of this passage.
Pope John Paul II, Homily, December 5th, 1996
Speak of non–Catholics: "When we pray together we do so with the longing 'that there may be one
visible Church of God, a Church truly universal and sent forth to the whole world that the world
may be converted to the Gospel and so be saved, to the glory of God' (Unitatis Redintegratio, 1.)."
In this homily, we see that Pope John Paul II himself confirms that the longing for the one,

How Did The Second Vatican Council Change
The Second Vatican Council contributed many changes to the Catholic Church in order to freshen
and modernise their thinking and practices. One notable change being the contribution of the lay
people in the celebration of the mass. All baptised Catholics have a purpose to fulfil therefore have
the authority to contribute through responses, hymns and prayers. Each church formed lay ministers
to assist in the clergy and further the involvement of the congregation. Another significant change
was the removal of the Latin language in the mass. So that people could understand and interpret the
teachings of the scriptures the mass was said in vernacular languages which were coherent to society
and people could now act out Jesus' teachings in their

The Second Vatican Council Of The Catholic Church Essay
In 1968, the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church published Nostra Aetate, a church
document which they hoped would allow for interreligious dialogues to coincide with the Church's
mission of proclamation. This document connects the Church with the other major world religions
by saying that the Church "rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions." Although the
document's original intent was to restore a positive relationship between the Church and the Jewish
people, it presented itself as a way to connect to believers of all faiths–including that of the Eastern
religions. However, the Secord Vatican Council did not present the first example on interreligious
dialogue between Catholics and those of Eastern religions. Rather, the conversation is rich and
constantly evolving due to the dialogues of theologians throughout the Church's history. This can be
seen especially in the early twentieth century, resulting in the writing and publication of Nostra
Aetate. One such theologian who innovated interreligious dialogue with the East was Thomas
Merton, whose connection to Eastern religious, inspired many to embrace religions outside of their
own. Merton's life includes a history of interreligious dialogues which he participated in throughout
his search for religious understanding. Dialogue between Eastern religious, especially Buddhism,
and Catholicism was modernized in the twentieth century due to the life and work of Thomas
Merton. Prior to his

The Second Vatican Council And The Future Of The Church
As time constantly presses forward and the earth continues to revolve, the world will never stop
progressing and adapting to better suit the needs of mankind. The evolution of religion has greatly
enhanced the quality of life for humanity by providing individuals with a strong belief system that is
now the foundation of many peoples' core values. One universal religion that has undergone
extensive amounts of reform is Christianity. In particular, the Catholic church is well–known for the
development of their famous ecumenical council meetings that help determine the future of the
church. Numerous Councils have been conducted throughout the course of history, but none more
significant than the most recent, the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II. The Catholic church was
operating as if it was still the medieval period and desperately needed to be modernized.
Consequently, the following will reveal the Second Vatican Council and the ramifications of the
agenda, history and theology evolution, significant texts, and new developments. January 25th 1959,
is a day every catholic remembers because it was on that day when Pope John XXIII announced that
he was assembling what was to be the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. It
had been almost 100 years since the last ecumenical council, Vatican I, so naturally the Catholic
world was astonished by the news. Soon after the Pope's announcement of the council, the Roman
Catholic society quickly began preparations by

The Second Vatican Council
Pope John XXII's surprising call for a general council during the early months of his papacy not
only stunned the Church, but allowed him to achieve one of his personal goals for his papacy and
enabled the Church to seek renewal of doctrines, unification with the universal church, and increase
the Church's relevancy. John XXIII saw the need to call the Second Vatican Council in order to
update Church so to more efficiently and effectively minister to the faithful and respond to the needs
of the Church in the modern era. With modernization came the need also for unification and
ecumenical dialogues which could only come as a product of the Council updates and openness.
This ecumenical council was not called as a continuance of the First ... Show more content on
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This was John XXIII's way of attacking the passivism of the Church and forcing it to update itself
and the way the Deposit of Faith is presented (27). The vision for this council was based on John
XXIII's ideas that it would renew Catholicism, which in part would help to make ecumenical
dialogue easier and increase pastoral understanding of reforms for the Church and the faithful, all
while being true to Christ's teachings and example (Albergio, 14). None of the goals of the pontiff
had would have been possible without an open structure for bishops to voice their theological ideas
and opinions, thus this was one of the important characteristics of Vatican II for John XXIII. Open
and inclusive formatting was necessary for without such an area for dialogue passivity would remain
in the Church, thus hindering the outcomes of Vatican II and Pope John XXIII's vision (14).
Vatican II was called to bring renewal, unity, and relevance and openness to the Church, at the
request of Pope John XXIII and by necessity of modern times. This council was gathered and
envisioned as a "new Pentecost" (Albergio, 10), for the Council held the objective of renewing and
updating the Church in order to have a more relevant and effective role in the modern world. This
updating would, and did, increase the Church's voice and involvement in the universal church
increasing unity and ecumenical

Biography Of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli 's Influence On The...
"The Christian Tradition today, has been guided, changed and influenced by the contribution of
significant people or schools of thought"
Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born on the 25th November 1881 in Bermago, Italy. Being born into
a poor family with 12 other siblings, Angelo was the brightest and the oldest boy. Being a bright boy
from a young age he was guided towards priesthood where he was sent to a seminary to study since
his parents were to poor to afford to send him to a school. While studying at the seminary his
interest for Christianity grew. He then studied in Rome having earned a scholarship. Roncallli was
ordained not long after in 1904. This was the start of his social justice work which grew stronger
when he was servicing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He changed the language from latin to english which was and is the most common spoken language.
This change was to make everyone feel they are welcome and are not restricted to another
domination because of the language. These changes not only affect the one religion, Christianity but
it also affected Judaism. Christians became aware of their religion being very similar to Christianity.
"He removed certain words offensive to Jews from the official liturgy of the church". [2] This
formed a new relationship between the two religions which was the purpose of the Vatican II. Today
Pope John XXIII's actions during the Vatican II influence our thoughts towards other religions to be
respectful and therefore have changed the way we treat other traditions, denominations and
religions.
From a young age Pope John XXIII has believed he can achieve true world peace through social
justice. During the Vatican II Pope John XXIII released two encyclicals. One of the encyclicals is
call "Mater et Magistra". Mater et Magistra was written by Pope John XXIII and was about
Christianity and social progress and to give human dignity. Mater et Magistra means "mother and
teacher". This encyclicals was written and released to draw attention to each person to bring out
social justice to the world. [3] "It is a right which must be exercised not only for one 's own personal
benefit but

Second Vatican Council Research Paper
The Second Vatican Council was called by Pope John Paul XXIII in 1959 but wasn't open until
1962. Pope John Paul XXIII felt the need to call the council to bring the church up to date. It was
known as the reformation of the church. The Second Vatican Council was the 21st ecumenical
council of the Roman Catholic Church, only that its members weren't limited to European based
bishops. The council held four sessions between the years of 1962–1965. These sessions were held
in St. Peter's Basilica by two popes: Pope John Paul XXIII and Pope Paul VI.
During the first 600 years of the church, there was a rise in theological movements based on the
documents written then. There were also liturgical, biblical and ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
These included liturgical, ecumenism, the role of laity of the church and religious life changes.
Some of the liturgical changes included active participation; meaning that the laity of the church
were able of participate in responses, song acclamations and audible prayers; but one of the main
changes were the liturgies being carried out in the language of the people instead of Latin.
Ecumenism changes also occurred after the Second Vatican Council. These changes taught that the
church is the whole people of God. Christians were brought to unity by responding together in
prayers and they gave each other the sign of peace. The role of the laity of the church changes
includes the teaching: the church is made up of baptised people not just popes, bishops, priests and
other religious authorities. The role of the laity of the church is to bring the gospel of Jesus into
ordinary society with authority, creativity and the power the Holy Sprit has given them in baptism.
Another change that it brought was the change in people's views. Before the Second Vatican, the
people of the church felt as if their dignity was less than those of the Pope and bishops but after the
Second Vatican, the role of laity of the church changed all that. It taught the people of the church
that their dignity is the same as those of the Pope and bishop. The role of the laity of the church is to
accomplish the mission of the church

Essay on The Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II as it is often called, was an Ecumenical Council, (which
means it affected the worldwide Christian community) of the Roman Catholic Church. It began on
October 11, 1962 under, Pope John XXIII with over two thousand attendants (Hollis 23). The
council ended on December 8, 1965, with Pope Paul VI presiding over the council due to the death
of Pope John XXIII in 1963. The council consisted of four different sessions convening in the fall of
the four years during which the council took place. Topics discussed and debated throughout the
council were issues concerning the church, the liturgy, revelation and scripture, and the clergy.
The general sessions of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Until Vatican II the Church was split into may different factions and each was set in its own belief
that they were the 'one' true church. After the council however, compromises and cooperation began
to develop between the many denominations toward building the Christian community as a whole.
Official documents concerning the liturgy and social communication were adopted during this
session. The third session began on September 14, 1964 and ended on November 21, 1964 (Rynne
291). A select few religious and lay women were invited to this third session in order to incorporate
different sections of the church. Ecumenism, Eastern Rite churches, and the constitution of the
Church, missions, and ministries of priests were such topics discusses during this period. The fourth
and last, period began on September 14, 1965 and ended on December 8, 1965 (Rynne 450). Issues
considered during this period included education, laity (distinguished people not of the clergy),
bishops, and religious orders. At the close of the council, the pope declared a jubilee, and asked
Catholics to read and study the constitutions and decrees of the council and apply them to their
spiritual lives.
Changes occurred in various categories throughout the whole council. One of the more dramatic
changes that occurred in the church, is the vernacular used during mass. Until Vatican II, the mass
had been traditionally spoken in Latin, but afterwards was allowed to be spoken in the

The Catholic Church And The Church 's Eucharistic And...
In the early centuries of the first millennium, the Catholic Church emphasized and supported a
Eucharistic ecclesiology. Beginning around the seventh century, however, this notion of communion
through the Eucharist generally receded in favor of an understanding of unity through the authority
of the pope and the laws of the Church. This juridical, centralized perspective on Christian unity
persisted as the Church's primary view of ecclesiology up until the twentieth century, at the time of
Vatican II. In the spirit of aggiornamento, the Second Vatican Council attempted to harmonize the
Church's Eucharistic and juridical ecclesiological traditions by juxtaposing and reconciling Patristic
Period ideals with the views of the medieval Church; though I do not believe that the Council
completely achieved this theological synthesis, I consider its efforts successful in creating a renewed
foundation for Christian ecclesiology. Convened on October 11, 1962, the Second Vatican Council
addressed many different facets of the Catholic Church and faith. Tasked with aggiornamento, or the
updating and renewal of the Church, Vatican II sought to reform many of the Church's ideas and
views in response to an increasingly modern world (270). The Council's influence extended to the
topic of ecclesiology, of course, but its scope and breadth of discussion stretched well beyond a
singular topic; some other notable concerns of the Council included religious freedom, ecumenism,
and dialogue with

The Center Of God 's Creation
Man is God's creation and that is why he/she should be mindful of the dignity of every person, as
well as of his/her situation in the present, modern world. We are the center of God's creation. We
must not forget that through Christ's incarnation, God united with all people. Too often does man
become a tool in the political games, or is played with, as others in power will it, which many times
is "beyond the limits of one's legitimate rights and merits" (RH 18). People shouldn 't become slaves
of the material things, political ideology, economical systems, or their own products. Everyone has
his own life, and the desire to dominate cannot lead man into slavery created by economical system
which places material gain over individual person. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We can read in Genesis 1:28 that the Creator gave Man charge over all things that were created by
Him: "Have dominion over the fish of the sea, Page 5 the birds of the air, and all the living things
that crawl on the earth. God also said, "See, I give you every seed–bearing plant on all the earth and
every tree that has seed–bearing fruit on it to be your food." We have been given domination over
the visible world and with our superiority comes moral responsibility. The Holy Father also is
brining everyone's attention to see the loss of our spirituality and ethics over technology or material
things in our lives. With the advance of technology and our own civilization, some basic morals are
forgotten or neglected. The Pope urges to ask the following question during the process of every
advance: Is this "future for technology in accord with man 's moral and spiritual progress?" (RH 18).
In the context of this query, a new question is born: "Is man as a people of the world developing its
humanity thanks to the technological progress?" Unfortunately, many times we can observe that
spirituality and humanity, thanks to the development, degrades in its moral norms. The technological
progress shows that we can do a lot of great things, and we can move with the progress very fast, but
at the same time, we can ask another question: "Should we keep at this great

The Transformation of Roman Catholicism Essay
The Transformation of Roman Catholicism Hans Kung presented a possible major retransformation
for Roman Catholic Christianity. He believed that
'the renewal of the Catholic Church willed by the Second Vatican Council has come to a standstill.'
(Kung:1971:9)
The transformation of Roman Catholicism both by the councils of Trent, Vatican I and II was
believed to have been needed in order to look ay the way in which the Christian tradition
encapsulates the truth of the religion. Both the Vatican councils attempted to transform Roman
Catholicism.
Before I can first look at Kungs objections ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Criticism of the legalistic, centralistic and rationalistic narrowing of the concepts of faith, doctrine
and infallibility. In addition Kung questioned whether faith depends at all on infallibility statements
or on infallibly true propositions.
In this essay I am going to look at the questions raised by Kung and attempt to critically analyse
these against the doctrine of infallibility. In order to do this I will take each of Kung criticisms of the
Roman Catholic concept of church infallibility, as outlined above and examine them.
The theological concern therefore of Kung is the reform of the Roman Catholic church
'against a Biblical and an ecumenical horizon'
(Haring:1998:116)
under minding the
'stability and immutability of doctrinal statements as guarantees of truth– especially when they are
obligated to Vatican I's rationalistic and legalistic concept of faith.'
(Haring:1998:116)
For Kung the discussion about infallibility is a discussion about the way in which truth is dealt with

inside the church that it hermeneutical and at the same time related to church practice, it is not a
discussion about the capacity of the Catholic Church for truth.
Kung firstly took the concept of infallibility and questioned its biblical basis. Kung claims that it
was believed by the councils

Twentieth Century And Vatican II Essay
TWENTIETH CENTURY AND VATICAN II The twentieth century was a witness to a new social
organization of the state and the rising of totalitarian regimes, which represented a threat to the
principles of the individual that the Church defended. Popes Pius XI and Pius XII defended the
rights of each person in their statements. These notions signified also a development in the idea of
religious freedom. However, it would be Pope John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council who
would affirm clearly the stance of the Church on this issue. The totalitarian states claimed an ethical
state that would be free from any kind of relationship with religions. Thus, religion became only a
private practice in some European states. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church continued to demand a
thesis/hypothesis kind of relationship with the states, which was in place since the nineteenth
century. Herminio Rico S.J. explains in his book John Paul II and the Legacy of Dignitatis Humanae
that the thesis principle was that the Catholic Church was the true religion and as true religion, only
she should be allowed to have public worship. In addition, the state should have the Church as the
official religion and any other religions should be forbidden of worshiping in public to prevent the
faithful to fall in error. Rico goes ahead to explain that the hypothesis was that exceptions to the
thesis should be made in those places where the public order or severe animosity against the Church
interfered with the ideal

The Second Vatican Council Of The Catholic Church Essay
In 1965, the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church published Nostra Aetate, a church
document which they hoped would allow for interreligious dialogues to coincide with the Church's
mission of proclamation. This document connects the Church with the other major world religions
by saying that the Church "rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions." Although the
document's original intent was to restore a positive relationship between the Church and the Jewish
people, it presented itself as a way to connect to believers of all faiths–including that of the eastern
religions. However, the Secord Vatican Council did not present the first example on interreligious
dialogue between Catholics and those of eastern religions. Rather, the conversation is rich and
constantly evolving due to the dialogues of theologians throughout the Church's history. This
conversation can be seen especially in the early twentieth century, resulting in the writing and
publication of Nostra Aetate. One such theologian who innovated interreligious dialogue with the
East was Thomas Merton, whose connection to eastern religions inspired many to embrace religions
outside of their own. Merton's life includes a history of interreligious dialogues which he
participated in throughout his search for religious understanding. Dialogue between eastern and
western religious, especially Buddhism and Catholicism, was modernized in the twentieth century
due to the life and work of Thomas Merton.

Christian Faith And Religion On Human Lives, Politics, And...
Beginning 30 A.D., Christian faith and religion have remained a heavy influence on human lives,
politics, and society throughout history. In accordance with this, the Church found the need to call
for the second Vatican Council in 1962. The goal was to address the issues in the Eucharistic
celebration and theology. Headed by Pope John XXIII, the church faced massive reformation in
attempt to revitalize the Christian community and faith. After being elected Pope in 1958, Pope John
Paul XXIII noticed the Church needed an updating, or as he stated "throw open the windows of the
Church so that we can see out and the people can see in"(Pope John Paul XXIII). It was time for the
Church to reposition itself in the rapidly evolving world. Pope ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
One of the ways Vatican II hoped to change this was through celebrating mass in the local language.
Previously, mass was always practiced in Latin, the official language of Roman Catholicism. The
purpose of this was to make the religion truly universal, as members could attend church anywhere
in the world and experience the same ceremony. However, as times have changed, Latin is no longer
taught universally, thus making it hard to understand the liturgy for many people, making them feel
disconnected and uninvolved. By switching from Latin to the native language of the land, people
could now fully participate in prayers, hymns, and responses to the mass, while fully understanding
what is going on. In addition to the structure of the mass, the priest originally would face away from
the congregation, making it very difficult to hear and understand what was being said. The priest
was also responsible to say multiple private prayers that the congregation was unaware of. This
structure of mass is very exclusive and forces the laity to view the ceremony more than participate
in it. Vatican II changed this by having the priest face towards the laity, and reducing the number of
private prayers, making mass easier to understand and more inclusive. Another change implemented
to the mass was the Eucharistic ceremony itself. Prior to Vatican II there were multiple things
excluded from the laity. First is the

The 2nd Vatican Council Essay
The 2nd Vatican Council
Starting with the First Council of Nicaea in 325 the Catholic Church established a tradition of
ecumenical Council meetings to help decide on and shape the future of the Church. The most recent
Council, called Vatican II, is considered to be both the largest ever in scope and also the most
ground breaking in the amount of change it yielded. The changes in doctrine, dogma and procedure
they enacted had major effects both inside and outside the Catholic Church and continue to today.
Before the Vatican II the Catholic Church was an aging dinosaur, still crippled by the Reformation
and unable to relate to contemporary man. It emerged from it a modern Church, tolerant and
accepting of other religions, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
That alone doubled the amount of documents created by the previous twenty councils combined.
Many were concerned that when the council officially began it would be so weighed down by the
breadth of its task that the bishops would be unable to make changes significant to the contemporary
man. That concern would soon be dispelled.
In recent times, the Curia had grown very confident in their authority over the rest of the Church's
bishops since the decree of papal infallibility made at the 1st Vatican Council. They expected the
rest of the church's leaders to arrive in Rome and essentially "rubber stamp" their decisions.
However, despite the Curia's attempts to keep it hidden there was a great deal of discontent in the
church. That was illustrated by the thousands of submittals that were sent to the church for possible
inclusion in the council.
On the first day of meetings during the first session in October 11th 1962 it became clear that real
introspection would be inevitable and that the Curia would not be placidly followed. Cardinal
Lieneat of France and Cardinal Frings of Germany took the first step by successful challenging the
pre–selection of the members of the ten committees that would be in control the council voice. Once
that happened, the assembled leaders and the world at–large knew that this would be more than a
"rubber stamp" council.
That first session lasted until December 8th and did not end with any documents approved or
consensus found. Of

The Second Vatican Council And Its Lasting Effects
The Second Vatican Council and Its Lasting Effects
Kevin Buckley
11/21/16
THE 1000C
Dr. Holland
As time constantly presses forward and the earth continues to revolve, the world will never stop
progressing and adapting to better suit the needs of mankind. The evolution of religion has greatly
enhanced the quality of life for humanity by providing individuals with a strong belief system that is
now the foundation of many peoples' core values. One universal religion that has undergone
extensive amounts of reform is Christianity. In particular, the Catholic church is well–known for the
development of their famous ecumenical council meetings that help determine the future of the
church. Numerous Councils have been conducted throughout the course of history, but none more
significant than the most recent, the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II. The Catholic church was
operating as if it was still the medieval period and desperately needed to be modernized. As a result,
every Roman Catholic Church official was gathered to meet and devise a plan for how to introduce
the church to the modern world. Consequently, the following will reveal the Second Vatican Council
and the ramifications of the agenda, history and theology evolution, significant texts, and new
developments. January 25th 1959, is a day every catholic remembers because it was on that day
when Pope John XXIII announced that he was assembling what was to be the 21st ecumenical
council of the Roman

Second Vatican Church
Although it has been over 60 years since the Second Council of Vatican closed, there are still
confusions as to the perception of the Church among the faithful. Some argue extremely that the
Church has been divided and devastated because of Vatican II. Also, the misunderstanding is
rampant, such as that the Second Vatican Council has changed the doctrine on the Church. In this
essay, one of the ecclesial images Lumen gentium provides, the mystery of the Church, shall be
discussed in further detail.
Firstly, the Church is illustrated as a mystery in Lumen gentium. "The Lord Jesus, the only Saviour,
did not only establish a simple community of disciples, but constituted the Church as a salvific
mystery." However, this statement raises the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Finally, Lumen gentium proclaim that all humanity are called to this mystery of Communion. Since
the Church is a sign and instrument for that purpose, "the Church is not an end unto herself." As
communion means vertically, with God, it also involves horizontal dimension with people. The
Church is visible and also spiritual (LG 8). These conflicting two images should not considered as
two realities; these are merged in mystical way:
The society structured with hierarchical organs and the Mystical Body of Christ, are not to be
considered as two realities, nor are the visible assembly and the spiritual community, nor the earthly
Church and the Church enriched with heavenly things; rather they form one complex reality which
coalesces from a divine and a human element.
Subsequently, Lumen gentium asserts that "this is the one Church of Christ which in the Creed is
professed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic (LG 8)." Because of its catholicity, the Church is for
all human beings. In other words, the church is the universal Sacrament of Salvation. Affirming this
church is subsist in the Roman Catholic Church, the council starts to allow "a greater openness to
the ecumenical desire to recognize truly ecclesial characteristics and dimensions in the Christian
communities not in full communion with the Catholic

Nature and Mission of the Church
A RENEWED UNDERSTANDING of the CHURCH I. THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH
(anchored on Her History) A. Her HISTORY 1. Jesus attracted bands of followers during his
lifetime. His chosen group of apostles, and some others, particularly some women, traveled with
him as he went about preaching the message of the kingdom of God throughout Judea and Galilee.
2. This little band of Jesus‟ followers would not have known the word „church‟ or the word
„Christian.‟ The appellation „Christian,‟ as we are told in the book of Acts, was first given to the
infant church in the city of Antioch (in modern–day Turkey) years after the death of Christ. 3.
Despite the fact that early bands of followers attached themselves to Jesus during his lifetime, the
day that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
And then comes a prophetic figure who challenges us to open a window on the world in order to see
if we can start the dance again – on our own terms, but with respect for the good that the world has
to offer (Vatican II, PCP II) 7. Confusion ( witnessing at present) As history unfolds, the Church
starts to descend from the throne of isolation and selfcenteredness towards a communal existence
with the world and people. It is a descent towards exultation of the Church that is "without spot or
wrinkle." Indeed, a Church in pilgrimage. 2 B. Her NATURE Two Visions of the Church: A
formal systematic theology on the Church was only developed in the Council of Trent. 1 vision
From this period, the Church was seen in a salvation–historical, sacrament perspective. This
perspective was better expressed in the word MYSTERY (Greek mysterion). That is, She is imbued
with the mysterious, inexhaustible presence of God. The Church is understood as the continuation of
manifestation of salvation in Jesus here on earth, that God is present and at work in His created
reality. 2 vision The second vision of the Church as a Hierarchical Institution came out after. With
Her sudden growth, the Church needed authority structures. Gradually, this became more defined
and finally normative at the Council of Trent. At the advent, of the First Vatican Council (1869–70)
the papacy was made an absolute

Historical Context Of Paul Vi 's Decree On Ecumenism
Historical Context
When Pope Paul VI published The Decree on Ecumenism: Unitatis Redintergratio in 1964, it
signalled the Catholic Church's official entrance into the Christian ecumenical movement.
Historically, the ecumenical movement began when the World Missionary Conference first
convened in 1910, establishing two ecumenical organs: Life and Works, and Faith and Order
(Textbook). Prior to the promulgation of Unitatis Redintergratio, the Catholic Church's view of the
ecumenical movement was defined by Paul VI's predecessors Leo XIII and Pius XI, who insisted
that the Catholic Church is the only Church of Christ, therefore barring Catholics from participating
in interchurch dialogue (Textbook). These sentiments forbade ecumenical ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The decree identifies that there are doctrinal differences between Protestant communities and the
Catholic Church. However, despite these doctrinal differences the sacrament of baptism ensures that
Protestants are members of Christ's body (UR 3). As members of Christ's body, the Protestants are
privy to salvation as Children of the Catholic Church (UR 3). Chapter one concludes that members
of the Catholic Church should pray and stay informed about their Protestant brethren in order to
promote Christian unity (UR 4). Chapter two explains that the ecumenical unity is the concern of the
whole Church, the congregation and clergy, which is manifested by the bond all Christians share
with Christ (UR 5). Chapter two continues to clarify that Christian unity is dependent on the moral
reformation of Catholics, to ensure its faithful live according to Church's moral teachings (UR 6).
Unitatis Redingratio insists that Catholics strive for a deeper knowledge of their Christian brethren
in hope that the dialogue between Christian communities can remove the obstacles hindering
Christian unity (UR 7–12). The final chapter of the decree focuses on the division between the
Roman Church and the Churches/ ecclesial communities of the East and West. Regarding the
Church in the East, Unitatis Redintergratio explains that the Catholic Church enjoys a special
relationship with the Orthodox Church, due to their shared apostolic foundation (UR 14). Unitatis

Essay on The Road of Joseph Ratzinger t Pope Ementus Benedict
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the Catholic Church. This is something that
started right after the death of Jesus. When Jesus resurrected, he said to St. Peter, "Feed my lambs....
Tend my sheep.... Feed my sheep." This command given to Peter made him the head of the apostles,
henceforth, making him the first Pope. Peter would rule for approximately 34 years, and when he
died he was succeeded by St. Linus. The tradition of serving as Pope until death was started by Peter
and has been carried on for centuries. Since Peter, there have been 264 Popes and very few have not
stayed in power until their death. Most recently, and most commonly known, is Pope Benedict XVI.
As the successor of John Paul II, Benedict chose to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich. This marked the end of his time as
a Nazi solider. When asked about his time as a Nazi Solider in an interview, he answered by saying,
"The holocaust was a dark time in my life; one that continues to haunt me." On June 29, 1951,
Joseph Ratzinger was ordained a priest. During his time as a priest, Ratzinger spent most of his time
teaching. He taught dogma and fundamental theology at Freising College, and was later given a
chair position in the subject of Dogmatic Theology at the University of Tubingen. Joseph moved
through the hierarchy rather quickly. Just eight years after being ordained, he was named the chief
theological expert to Cardinal Joseph Frings during the second Vatican Council, held on January 25,
1959. 1977 was a huge year for Joseph Ratzinger. In March, he was named archbishop of Munich
and Freising, and in June, he was officially confirmed a cardinal by Pope Paul VI. Ratzinger was
part of the College of Cardinals. This is a group of Cardinals that assist the Pope in making
decisions about the Church. In 1998, he was elected as vice dean of the college, and by 2002, he was
elected the dean. Ratzinger's ability to move up the hierarchy quickly made him the prime choice
when it came time to pick a new pope in 2005. After the death of John Paul II, the Catholic Church
needed to elect a new Pope. On April 19, 2005,

Mission, By Charmaine Warford
Mission
By Charmaine Warford
June 2013
Sending out missionaries to a designated territory where they would preach the Gospel and convert
non–Christians. Is this true today?
Before the Sixteenth century 'mission' was used to describe relationships within the holy Trinity. It
was not used to describe an aspect of church life. The word 'missio' in Latin means 'to send', it was
used to describe the sending of the Son by the Father, and also the sending of the Holy Spirit by the
Father and the Son. 1.
The Jesuits in Latin American in the late Sixteenth and early Seventeenth centuries started to use the
term to describe the spreading of the Christian faith among the heathen of that continent and,
subsequently, of the spreading of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
3. Barth's insight into the nature of mission came about at one of the lowest points of the Twentieth
Century when the Nazis were about to come to power. At that time Barth was teaching in Germany
and knew very well what the rise of the Nazis meant for Europe.
After the war, in 1952, when the churches were once again contemplating a renewal of mission at
the Willingen Conference of the International Missionary Council in 1952, Barth's influence took
hold and his insight was expressed and developed in the conference resolution. It makes an explicit
and important connection between church missionary work and the nature of God as Trinity:
The missionary movement of which we are a part has its source in the Triune God himself. Out of
the depths of his love for us, the Father has sent forth his own beloved Son to reconcile all things to
himself. We who have been chosen in Christ are committed to full participation in his redeeming
mission. There is no participation in Christ without participation in his mission to the world. That by
which the Church receives its existence is that by which it is also given its world–mission. 4.
This was a highly significant moment in the genealogy of the word 'mission' because it was
reconnecting it

Second Vatican Council Research Paper
The Second Vatican Council, held in Rome in 1962 to 1965, is acknowledged as the most significant
ecclesial event of the 20th century as the Roman Catholic Church made a deliberate attempt to
gentrify and reformulate features of the Catholic Christian Tradition so as to address modernity. As a
result of this, the council had a significant impact on the Catholic Christian Tradition and its
adherents in regards to Roman Catholic thought, and fostering interfaith relations in a pluralistic
world.
With the rise of the 20th century, the Roman Catholic Church faced the issue of Modernity. As a
result of this, the stability of the Catholic Christian Tradition was threatened due to the church's
message of faith being not as relevant to the rapidly ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
O'Malley vindicates that the relationship between language and identity and how attention to the
language of the Second Vatican council showcases reason for its significant impact. He claims that
the council spoke like no other council prior to it; they offered no "condemnations... [and] defined
no new doctrines." He further asserts that the perceived successful reception of the Second Vatican
Council is due to the notion that the council painted an "idealistic portrait in order to excite
admiration and appreciation" in its adherents. As a result of this new approach taken by the Second
Vatican Council, the council was able to move away from what society expected of Vatican Councils
– to define, and instead asserted to modernise the Roman Catholic Church, without making any
condemnations or defining new doctrines. On the other hand, critics have condemned the work of
the Second Vatican Council, claiming that problems arose following the misinterpretation of the
documents that were promulgated by the council, especially around the document of 'Gaudium et
Spes'. Furthermore, critics have claimed this document to be too "optimistically naïve", while others
have felt that the new documents issued by the Vatican council went against prior teachings of the
church regarding religious freedom and

Describe The Implications Of The Reformation For The...
4. Describe the implications of the Reformation for the Catholic Church down to today.
The events of the church during the reformation and counter–reformation helps us see implications
on what the church did and how its benefitted the church we know today.
The Christian church is still divided today because of the effect of the reformation period, but still
works to build unity. The reformation period encouraged many people to interpret the likes of
Lutheranism and Calvinism in their own way, which is why there are now over 30,000 Christian
denominations since the reformation with each of them having their own set of teachings,beliefs and
practices. Although the church is still divided today it still works to build unity to help bring
christianity back together again after years of significant divisions. Learning from the split in the
church during the reformation period the church has acknowledged unity to help prevent events that
occurred during the reformation like the outbreak of violence between denominations that happened
because of the churches disagreements . The church had also recognised its role in government and
identified that the church should not involve itself with politics. Although the church is not
physically involved in government it does, however speak out and encourage major issues we face
today in our society like euthanasia. These changes in the church were Due to the counter
reformation as vatican I had not yet finished and dealt with all

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