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noiembrie 19, 2025

The Evolution of Yves Congar’s Thought Regarding the Church’s Catholicity and its Implications

This article studies the evolution of Yves Congar’s thought regarding the catholicity of the Church over the period of two decades (1937-1959). According to his understanding, catholicity is not a quantitative dimension of the Church (which is present in all parts of the world), but rather a qualitative dimension. However, even as such, he defines catholicity in two ways: first, catholicity is understood as a qualitative universality of the Church in which all humanity is assimilated and taken up to God. This understanding is present mainly in the early writings of Congar. Second, catholicity is presented as a differentiated unity animated by the Holy Spirit, and is found preponderantly in the late works of Congar. This study aims to show the implications of this evolution: different understandings of catholicity point to different models of the Church. It means that Congar moves from a Christological model of the Church (based on the Incarnation) in which diversity can be assumed by the church towards a pneumatological (and therefore, trinitarian) model in which diversity is stimulated by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the relation between the economic missions of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is understood clearer and more nuanced. This study presents also some of the theological reasons and historical conditions that contributed to the development of Congar’s thought regarding the catholicity of the Church: ecumenism, eschatology, pneumatology, and the relationship between the world and the Kingdom of God.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/POIH1936

Dialog 56-10 Paulet

noiembrie 4, 2025

Fraternità e umanità nel rapporto tra vescovo e sacerdoti

The Synod on Synodality (2021–2024), through its deepening of the concepts of communion, participation, and mission, has generated reflections and debates concerning the revision of relationships within the Church. Naturally, the synodal process could not overlook an analysis of the relationship between bishops and priests, viewed within a horizon of fraternity and humanity.
The relationship between bishops and priests constitutes a fundamental aspect of the Church’s structure and life, being essential for ecclesial communion and the effectiveness of pastoral mission. However, the significance and implications of this relationship, so crucial in practical terms, are not exhausted by canonical and administrative regulations, as they are rooted in Revelation and in the very being of the Church, as well as in the humanity created by God and sanctified by grace.
This is precisely the theme of our article, which seeks to explore a theological and spiritual perspective specific to the priesthood. The structure of the article will include a brief reflection on the development of this theme in Catholic theology, followed by an exposition of the theological foundations of fraternity between bishops and priests and an emphasis on the importance of human values in the concrete experience of this fraternity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/YTQG7840

Dialog 56-6 Barta

aprilie 7, 2025

Le Comunità Gerachiche “abituali”

At a time when the Italian Church is suffering from a drastic decline in the number of priests, when for decades the pastoral care of parish Units has been tried, when pastoral conversion is necessary to develop existing ministries and create new ones so as to witness a concrete synodality and active co-responsibility, this study on Hierarchical Communities fits in. Conceived by Prof. Valdrini, Hierarchical Communities, habitual and intermediate, become valuable tools for a structural organization of dioceses. Moreover, a characteristic feature of them is that they consider not only the territorial aspect, but also the theological aspect of Communities gathered around the Risen One. They help to set up an organization in “concentric circles” so as to make visible both the hierarchical and the co-responsible and synodal aspects. What the study attempts to do, besides reaffirming the substantial importance of dioceses and parishes, is to give a universal norm to Pastoral Zones, Foranies and Pastoral Units. This becomes, thus, a practical solution, not only for the decline in priests, but for a rethinking of Church as a Community of believers.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/QEAR4654

Dialog 55-4 Buzziol

decembrie 26, 2024

The Church–The Mystical Body of Christ: Friend or Enemy? On Scandals in the Church

This article deals with the problem of scandals in the Church; however, it does not treat about individual scandals in the Church, no matter how appalling they may be, but about the scandal of scandals: the Church herself is holy but also sinful at the same time. This is not a new topic in ecclesiology, yet in recent studies on this paradox, or scandal of the Church, there are divergent points of view. Charles Journet, André de Bovis, Yves Congar, Karl Rahner, Gustave Martelet, and Hans Küng have studied the problem. Despite the divergences, there is a general agreement on several points. This article will show that two points of them are the most important: first, sin cannot be attributed to the Church as such. That is, the subject who sins is not the whole Church but a person or a group of persons. Secondly, the Church, in its constitutive and formal principles, is holy despite the sinfulness of her members. On the institutional level, the Church’s response to sin is through reforms, through which the Church returns to her initial task: holiness. On a personal level, it is helpful to realize that, in spite of the human mistakes of the Church’s members, she is more than a community made of sinners; she is a presence of God, grace, forgiveness, and charity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/TLKT4851

Dialog 54-8 Paulet

 

februarie 6, 2023

Ştefan Lupu: L’autorità, la coscienza comune e l’infallibilità della Chiesa, nella visione di Dumitru Staniloae

This article presents the vision of the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae about the authority, the common sense, and the infallibility of the Church. According to the Romanian theologian, the authority of the Church results from its quality as the mystical body of Christ in the Holy Spirit and refers to the ability to know and preserve without alteration the revealed truth, as well the ability to interpret authentically the Holy Scripture and Tradition. From the fact that the Church is the mystical body of Christ in the Holy Spirit results, apart from the ability to know, preserve and interpret the truth, also the common sense of the believers, that is, the common responsibility for the faith of each and every one, before God and the Church. In the Orthodox conception, infallibility refers to the ability of the Church to preserve without error the apostolic faith, that is, the authentic understanding of Revelation. This capacity of the Church results from the fact that, thanks to the gift of the Holy Spirit, it immutably experiences the fullness of life in Christ. The infallibility of the Church is exercised in respect of the revelation contained in Scripture and in Tradition and consists in the ability to remain in the truth and in the humility to submit to it, without adding anything, but teaching only what is contained in it.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/IGQO1649

Dialog 50-9 Lupu

februarie 6, 2023

Lucian Păuleţ: Tradition and traditions: From a Model of the Church to a Model of Society – A Response to Challenges in the Black Sea Region

It is a common perception that some of the most conservative institutions in the world are the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. As some say: In 2.000 years, the Church has not changed anything. On the one hand, the statement is true as regards the Tradition of the Church, that is, all that was handed on by the Apostles and contributes toward the holiness of life and increase in faith of the peoples of God (Dei Verbum 8). On the other hand, there is a growth in the understanding of the realities and the words which have been handed down (Dei Verbum 8). In other words, the Church remains the same as regards her essence (this is preserved by Tradition), while she needs to change as regards her historical forms of life (these are traditions).
This conference will show the distinction between Tradition and traditions according to Yves Congar, one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century. His thesis is that the Church must preserve Tradition and reform traditions. To accomplish this goal, that is a true reform within Church without schisms, Congar proposes four conditions for an authentic reform.
This conference claims that this model of reform in the Church can be transferred to the present societies in the Black Sea Region. Mutatis mutandis, the four conditions of true reform are applicable to modern societies. Thus, distinguishing between Tradition and traditions, each society can preserve what is essential to its’ own identity and ethos, while accepting the changes suggested by the present and future situations of life.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/EYAF1140

Dialog 50-5 Paulet

februarie 6, 2023

Ştefan Lupu: I ministeri ecclesiastici che assicurano la vita sinodale della Chiesa, nella visione di Dumitru Staniloae

In the point of view of the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae, the synodal unity of the Church is ensured by the ecclesiastical hierarchy, a hierarchy that is divided into a sacramental hierarchy and a jurisdictional hierarchy. The sacramental hierarchy has its origin in the sacrament of Priesthood and includes three fundamental degrees: the episcopate, the presbyterate and the diaconate. From these three fundamental degrees derives the jurisdictional hierarchy which, in addition to some administrative tasks, has the mission of preserving the communion between the members of the sacramental hierarchy. The theological principles on which the synodality of the hierarchy is based are three: the principle of communion, the principle of the transcendent origin of the ecclesiastical ministry and the principle of complementarity between the episcopal synodality and the general synodality of the Church.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/HEYZ1330

Dialog 49-9 Lupu

ianuarie 27, 2022

Ştefan Lupu: L’unità e la cattolicità sinodale della Chiesa Universale nella visione di Dumitru Staniloae

The relationship between the local Church and the universal Church was treated by Staniloae in the light of the traditional ecclesiological vision on the Church unity and synodal catholicity. Referring to the characteristic features of this synodal universality of the Church, Staniloae emphasizes, firstly, the ecclesial integrity of the local Church, an integrity that derives from the integral presence of the Holy Spirit in it, from the profession of apostolic faith and from the communion with the universal Church. The second aspect that characterizes the universality of the Church refers to the unity of all Christian communities in the same apostolic faith, a faith that is constituted not only by doctrine, but also by the sacraments celebrated by the hierarchy. The third aspect concerns the possibility of excommunication of a local Church if it departs from the integrity of the apostolic faith. Finally, the fourth aspect of the universality of the Church affirms the equal dignity of all local Churches.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/CZLN9013

Dialog 48-9 Lupu

ianuarie 10, 2022

Gabriel-Iulian Robu: La Iglesia, la fe y la realidad de la crisis

The Church, Holy, catholic and apostolic, built on the unbreakable foundation of the Apostles, faithfully transmits the truth that has been entrusted to her and the richness of the deposit of faith that she has preserved intact throughout time. This truth is infallibly transmitted. If there is this authentic transmission of revealed truth, why is there still a crisis of faith in the lives of believers? Where do crises come from? Are crises of faith beneficial? Is the Church going through moments of crisis? Why does God allow moments of crisis in the lives of his loved ones? Speaking of the crisis as a phenomenon that can have both positive and negative effects, depending on how it is managed, we can intuit that the most appropriate attitude to go through the crisis is hope. With this in mind, I ended my article by referring to the Pope’s audience on September 20, 2017: do not give up on the night, remember that the first enemy to defeat is not outside of you: it is within. Therefore, do not give space to bitter, dark thoughts. This world is the first miracle that God made; He placed in our hands the grace of new wonders. This is our hope in the moments of crisis: God never disappoints. Hope is the attitude with which we go through times of crisis, hope and trust in God. We know that with God everything is possible, and that where our strength is weakened, His grace comes to our aid.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/DPFX6201

Dialog 48-1 Robu

ianuarie 10, 2022

Lucian Păuleţ: The Holy Spirit Makes the Church One by Making her Catholic, Apostolic, and Holy According to Yves Congar’s Latest Vision

Yves Congar’s scholars agree that there is “no “Copernican turn” in his ecclesiological itinerary. While this is true, nonetheless, there is also significant evolution in his ecclesiology. One of the reasons of this progress is due to Congar’s continuously evolving understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Therefore, this article shows Congar’s later pneumatological ecclesiology with regard to the four notes of the Church which are contained in each other. Thus, Congar moved from a mainly Christological position to a more pneumatological one, in three directions. First, if catholicity was comprehended as the capacity of the Church to assimilate in its unity all the values of the world (in the first Christological model), now the Holy Spirit is the principle that stimulates diversity and guarantees the Church’s unity (in the second model). For Congar, the Spirit stimulates and resolves the fruitful tension between the universal and particular (churches). Ecclesial unity and pluralism are both necessary—pluralism in unity and unity without uniformity.
Second, for Congar, apostolicity means the continuity between the Alpha and the Omega of the Church, and the Holy Spirit is the principle of this substantial identity throughout history. Therefore, the Holy Spirit keeps the Church one by making her apostolic. In turn, apostolicity means that the unity of the Church is original and eschatological.
Third, the Holy Spirit purifies and sanctifies the Church by giving her new life. Doing so, the Spirit makes the Church the bride of Christ, his mystical body. It can be concluded that, sanctifying the Church, the Holy Spirit makes her one because he makes her “one flesh” with her bridegroom, Christ.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/YHXC6959

Dialog 47-10 Paulet