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

Il programma di pontificato e il magistero di Giovanni Paolo I alla luce delle carte d’archivio: i sei «vogliamo» e la via ecumenica

Can we speak of novelty regarding the magisterium of a pope, more than forty-five years after his death? Yes, if we are talking about John Paul I, a pontiff who adopted a colloquial style in his speeches, who often modified the written text, or even renounced it in order to speak off the cuff. With the help of transcripts of archive television recordings, the magisterium of John Paul I has been reconstructed and published as he delivered it, along with the pontiff’s personal notes, written in a notebook and in the pontificate agenda. The teaching of John Paul I is presented here, therefore, in its authenticity, particularity and integrity.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/UOCY5100

Dialog 53-6 Falasca

Ştefan Lupu: „La cattolicità aperta”, quale apertura dogmatica e spirituale delle Chiese cristiane, nella visione del teologo ortodosso Dumitru Staniloae

In this study, I intend to present, firstly, the ecumenical vision of the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae about the open catholicity [sobornicity] as a dogmatic and spiritual openness of the Christian Churches that aims to find their unity and, secondly, about Eucharistic intercommunion. At the base of this open catholicity there is the fact that in Holy Scripture we notice a diversity of traditions and connotations, diversity that comes from the diversity of God’s actions in the history of salvation. Having the intention to overcome the dogmatic differences that separate the Churches and to reach full Eucharistic communion, many people have fallen into an easy enthusiasm, thinking that the differences can be overcome with the warmth of love, or in a diplomatic spirit, achieving a compromise between divergent positions. The result of these two trends, which are based on a different ecclesiological conception, is known by the term eucharistic intercommunion. According to Stăniloae, intercommunion is not full eucharistic communion and, therefore, the groups that intend to be in intercommunion cannot be in total communion, as, instead, Eucharistic communion is conceived.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/XCAS4922

Dialog 52-9 Lupu

Ştefan Lupu: Il principio della sinodalità nella prospettiva ecumenica secondo il teologo ortodosso Dumitru Staniloae

The Romanian Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae stated that the main task of the next ecumenical synod should be the reunification of the Christian Churches and that this union should be done under the emblem of Orthodoxy. Until that happy event, a long road of preparation and rapprochement between the Christian Churches is needed. Inspired by this deep conviction, he wanted to offer his own contribution, not only by studying the doctrine of the other Christian Churches and bringing to the knowledge of the faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Church the results obtained by the ecumenical dialogue, but also by presenting solutions, from the Orthodox perspective, to the problems raised by this dialogue. In this study I intend to present the contribution offered by this Romanian theologian to the cause of Christian unity. After a brief presentation of the ecumenical relations achieved by the Romanian Orthodox Church in this century, we will present, in the second part, the principles which, according to him, should guide the progressive rapprochement of the Christian Churches.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53438/QXOF8339

Dialog 51-10 Lupu

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

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

Mihai Pătraşcu: „Communication in sacris”

Normele canonului 844 sunt rodul a peste 20 de ani de experienţă cu noile orientări ale Conciliului al II-lea din Vatican, referitor la comunicarea sacramentală şi îndeosebi, euharistică. Canonul 844 dă un cadru în care trebuie să fie reglementată comunicarea în sacramentele Euharistiei, Penitenţei şi Maslului şi diferitele norme ce privesc persoanele implicate în acest „communicatio”. Botezul, „poarta pentru a intra în Biserică” (LG 14) conferă celui ce-l primeşte dreptul la celelalte sacramente, cât timp comuniunea cu Biserica este menţinută. Canonul are o preocupare cu adevărat ecumenică. În problema comunicării „in sacris” este foarte importantă consultarea reciprocă dintre responsabilii pastorali ai Bisericii Catolice şi ai altor biserici sau comunităţi creştine.

DT0610_Pr

Wilhelm DANCĂ: Dimensiunea cristologică a dialogului teologic

Dialogul teologic este una din formele prin care se manifestă mişcarea ecumenică, iar principiul călăuzitor al dialogului teologic este căutarea împreună a adevărului. Dialogul teologic internaţional şi local a primit un impuls particular în urma vizitei istorice a Sfântului Părinte în România. Dialogul trebuie să respingă compromisul, deoarece adevărul credinţei are un caracter unitar, care poate fi cules doar pornind de la evenimentul istoric, de la Revelaţia creştină şi de la valorile pe care Biserica le-a oferit: adevărul şi iubirea. Caracterul unitar al adevărului găseşte fundamentul său ultim în Adevărul lui Dumnezeu Tatăl, revelat în Isus prin opera Duhului Sfânt. Asumarea dimensiunii cristologice a adevărului poate deveni într-un anumit fel mediul deschis al dialogului teologic şi inima întregii mişcări ecumenice.

DT0410_Wilhelm Dancă

Gheorghe Popa: Înnoirea morală şi spirituală: o exigenţă actuală pe calea unităţii creştine

Societatea modernă se caracterizează printr-o tensiune acută între morala tradiţională creştină şi morala post-tradiţională seculară. Morala îşi pierde caracterul ei normativ şi devine o realitate convenţională, legată de categoriile sociale ale binelui şi răului şi nu de realitatea ontologică a omului. Alături de morala creştină mai există şi alte sisteme morale sau amorale care-şi dispută întâietatea în crearea unui anumit comportament uman. Creştinul trebuie să demaşte comportamentul idolatru şi fals al unor sisteme ce tind să ia amploare, printr-o atitudine fraternă iubitoare şi dreaptă, atât pe plan moral, cât şi spiritual. Este nevoie de o sinteză între morală şi spiritualitate, între dreptate şi sfinţenie, atât pe plan individual cât şi social, şi aceasta este posibilă doar prin asumarea celor trei vocaţii specifice vieţii creştine: împărat, preot şi profet, exigenţe prioritare pentru înnoirea vieţii morale şi spirituale contemporane.

DT0512_Gheorghe Popa

Petru Gherghel: Ca toţi să fie una

DT012_PS Gherghel Ca toti sa fie Una