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Preface
After a preliminary study of the book Toward a Christian Theology of
Religious Pluralism (Orbis Book: Maryknoll, New York, 1997) by
Father Jacques Dupuis, S.J., the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith decided to proceed to a comprehensive examination of the text by
means of its ordinary procedure, in accordance with Chapter 3 of the Regulations
for Doctrinal Examination.
It must be emphasized that this text is an introductory reflection on a
Christian theology of religious pluralism. It is not simply a theology
of religions, but a theology of religious pluralism, which seeks to
investigate, in the light of Christian faith, the significance of the
plurality of religious traditions in God's plan for humanity. Aware of
the potential problems in this approach, the author does not conceal the
possibility that his hypothesis may raise as many questions as it seeks
to answer.
Following the doctrinal examination of the book and the outcome of the
dialogue with the author, the Bishop and Cardinal Members of the
Congregation, in the Ordinary Session of June 30, 1999, evaluated the
analysis and the opinions of the Congregation's Consultors regarding the
author's Responses. The Members of the Congregation recognized the
author's attempt to remain within the limits of orthodoxy in his study
of questions hitherto largely unexplored. At the same time, while noting
the author's willingness to provide the necessary clarifications, as
evident in his Responses, as well as his desire to remain faithful to
the doctrine of the Church and the teaching of the Magisterium, they
found that his book contained notable ambiguities and difficulties on
important doctrinal points, which could lead a reader to erroneous or
harmful opinions. These points concerned the interpretation of the sole
and universal salvific mediation of Christ, the unicity and completeness
of Christ's revelation, the universal salvific action of the Holy
Spirit, the orientation of all people to the Church, and the value and
significance of the salvific function of other religions.
At the conclusion of the ordinary procedure of examination, the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith decided to draft a Notification,1
intended to safeguard the doctrine of the Catholic faith from errors,
ambiguities or harmful interpretations. This Notification,
approved by the Holy Father in the Audience of November 24, 2000, was
presented to Father Jacques Dupuis and was accepted by him. By signing
the text, the author committed himself to assent to the stated theses
and, in his future theological activity and publications, to hold the
doctrinal contents indicated in the Notification, the text of
which must be included in any reprinting or further editions of his
book, as well as in all translations.
The present Notification is not meant as a judgment on the
author's subjective thought, but rather as a statement of the Church's
teaching on certain aspects of the above-mentioned doctrinal truths, and
as a refutation of erroneous or harmful opinions, which, prescinding
from the author's intentions, could be derived from reading the
ambiguous statements and insufficient explanations found in certain
sections of the text. In this way, Catholic readers will be given solid
criteria for judgment, consistent with the doctrine of the Church, in
order to avoid the serious confusion and misunderstanding which could
result from reading this book.
I. On the sole and universal salvific mediation of
Jesus Christ
1. It must be firmly believed that Jesus Christ, the Son of God made
man, crucified and risen, is the sole and universal mediator of
salvation for all humanity.2
2. It must also be firmly believed that Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Mary
and only Saviour of the world, is the Son and Word of the Father.3 For
the unity of the divine plan of salvation centred in Jesus Christ, it
must also be held that the salvific action of the Word is accomplished
in and through Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of the Father, as
mediator of salvation for all humanity.4 It is therefore contrary to the
Catholic faith not only to posit a separation between the Word and
Jesus, or between the Word's salvific activity and that of Jesus, but
also to maintain that there is a salvific activity of the Word as such
in his divinity, independent of the humanity of the Incarnate Word.5
II. On the unicity and completeness of revelation of
Jesus Christ
3. It must be firmly believed that Jesus Christ is the mediator, the
fulfilment and the completeness of revelation.6 It is therefore contrary
to the Catholic faith to maintain that revelation in Jesus Christ (or
the revelation of Jesus Christ) is limited, incomplete or imperfect.
Moreover, although full knowledge of divine revelation will be had only
on the day of the Lord's coming in glory, the historical revelation of
Jesus Christ offers everything necessary for man's salvation and has no
need of completion by other religions.7
4. It is consistent with Catholic doctrine to hold that the seeds of
truth and goodness that exist in other religions are a certain
participation in truths contained in the revelation of or in Jesus
Christ.8 However, it is erroneous to hold that such elements of truth and
goodness, or some of them, do not derive ultimately from the
source-mediation of Jesus Christ.9
III. On the universal salvific action of the Holy
Spirit
5. The Church's faith teaches that the Holy Spirit, working after the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, is always the Spirit of Christ sent by the
Father, who works in a salvific way in Christians as well as
non-Christians.10 It is therefore contrary to the Catholic faith to hold
that the salvific action of the Holy Spirit extends beyond the one
universal salvific economy of the Incarnate Word.11
IV. On the orientation of all human beings to the
Church
6. It must be firmly believed that the Church is sign and instrument of
salvation for all people.12 It is contrary to the Catholic faith to
consider the different religions of the world as ways of salvation
complementary to the Church.13
7. According to Catholic doctrine, the followers of other religions are
oriented to the Church and are all called to become part of her.14
V. On the value and salvific function of the religious
traditions
8. In accordance with Catholic doctrine, it must be held that
"whatever the Spirit brings about in human hearts and in the
history of peoples, in cultures and religions, serves as a preparation
for the Gospel (cf. Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium,
16)".15 It is therefore legitimate to maintain that the Holy Spirit
accomplishes salvation in non-Christians also through those elements of
truth and goodness present in the various religions; however, to hold
that these religions, considered as such, are ways of salvation, has no
foundation in Catholic theology, also because they contain omissions,
insufficiencies and errors16 regarding fundamental truths about God, man
and the world.
Furthermore, the fact that the elements of truth and goodness present in
the various world religions may prepare peoples and cultures to receive
the salvific event of Jesus Christ does not imply that the sacred texts
of these religions can be considered as complementary to the Old
Testament, which is the immediate preparation for the Christ event.17
The Sovereign Pontiff John Paul II, at the Audience of 19 January 2001,
in the light of the further developments, confirmed the present
Notification, which had been adopted in Ordinary Session of the
Congregation, and ordered its publication.
Rome, from the Offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith, 24 January 2001, the Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales.
Joseph Card. Ratzinger
Prefect
Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B.
Archbishop Emeritus of Vercelli
Secretary
Notes
1 Because of tendencies in some circles which have become
increasingly evident in the thinking of the Christian faithful, the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published the Declaration "Dominus
Iesus" on the Unicity and Salvific Universality of Jesus Christ and
the Church (AAS 92 [2000], 742-765) in order to protect
essential truths of the Catholic faith. The Notification draws
from the principles expressed in Dominus Iesus in its evaluation
of Fr Dupuis' book.
2 Cf. Council of Trent, Decree De peccato originali, DS
1513; Decree De iustificatione, DS 1522, 1523, 1529, 1530;
Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes, n.
10; Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, nn. 8, 14, 28, 49, 60;
John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, n. 5:
AAS 83 (1991), 249-340; Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in
Asia, n. 14: AAS 92 (2000), 449-528; Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus Iesus, nn. 13-15.
3 Cf. First Council of Nicaea, DS 125; Council of
Chalcedon, DS 301.
4 Cf. Council of Trent, Decree..De iustificatione, DS
1529, 1530; Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Liturgy Sacrosanctum
Concilium, n. 5; Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes, n.
22.
5 Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, n.
6; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus
Iesus, n. 10.
6 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Dei
Verbum, nn. 2, 4; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Fides et
ratio, nn. 14-15, 92: AAS 91 (1999), 588; Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus Iesus, n. 5.
7 Cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus
Iesus, n. 6; Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn.
65-66.
8 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen
gentium, n. 17; Decree Ad gentes, n. 11; Declaration Nostra
aetate, n. 2.
9 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen
gentium, n. 16; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris
missio, n. 10.
10 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium
et spes, n. 22; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris
missio, nn. 28-29.
11 Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, n.
5; Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Asia, nn. 15-16; Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus Iesus, n. 12.
12 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen
gentium, nn. 9, 14, 17, 48; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris
missio, n. 11; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
Declaration Dominus Iesus, n. 16.
13 Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, n.
36; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus
Iesus, nn. 21-22.
14 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen
gentium, nn. 13, 16; Decree Ad gentes, n. 7; Declaration
Dignitatis humanae, n. 1; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris
missio, n. 10; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
Declaration Dominus Iesus, nn. 20-22; Catechism of the
Catholic Church, n. 845.
15 John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, n.
29.
16 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen
gentium, n. 16; Declaration Nostra aetate, n. 2;
Decree Ad gentes, n. 9; Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii
nuntiandi, n. 53: AAS 68 (1976), 5.76; John Paul II,
Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, n. 55; Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus Iesus, n. 8.
17 Cf. Council of Trent, Decree De libris sacris et de
traditionibus recipiendis, DS 1501; First Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution Dei Filius, n. 2, DS 3006; Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dominus Iesus, n.
8.
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