Lumen Gentium – History, Ideas, Plan of the Revival of the Church Cover Image

Lumen gentium – historia, idee, program odnowy Kościoła
Lumen Gentium – History, Ideas, Plan of the Revival of the Church

Author(s): Przemysław Sawa
Subject(s): Theology and Religion
Published by: Księgarnia Świętego Jacka
Keywords: history of Lumen gentium; revival of the Church; identity and structure of the Church; hierarchy and charisms; the Second Vatican Council

Summary/Abstract: The Second Vatican Council became an important light for the Church in its inner revival and in focusing on the multidimensional world. It is expressed in 4 constitutions, 9 decrees and 3 declarations. The Constitution Lumen gentium presents the Church using the following categories: the mystery, the sacrament of salvation, The People of God, the divine-human reality, hierarchical and charismatic structure, various states on the way to the eschatological fulfillment, where Mary is the icon of believers. The Council also showed the important role of the laity in the identity of the Church. This new vision was not only a cosmetic change of the form of expression of the content of faith, but a new understanding of the Church, rooted in the Bible and the patristic teaching. At the same time some questions demand a further deepening and defining: the relationship between the Petrine Office and the college of bishops, the collegiality of bishops, the relationship between the office and the charism in practice, the form of responsibility of lay persons in the Church. It was courageous of the Second Vatican Council to show that the principle Ecclesia semper reformanda is real. The Church lead by the Holy Spirit transforms into new community, improves, converts, rejects what is not the essence of faith, but only a human form, good in a particular time and place. So there is no agreement on the revolution, but on the cleansing and progress.

  • Issue Year: 48/2015
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 283-303
  • Page Count: 21
  • Language: Polish