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4 Vatican II and a New Understanding of the Social Mission In the pre–Vatican II period the social mission of the Church was twofold— divinization and humanization. Divinization was the work of sanctifying God’s people, whereas humanization was the mission of working for the betterment of the world. This distinction, and even separation, between the spiritual and temporal served as the basis for the different roles of clergy and laity. Divinization was the work of hierarchy and clergy; humanization was the work of laity—and obviously the work of divinization was more important than that of humanization. The One Mission of the Church Vatican II and subsequent developments changed this understanding of the twofold mission of the Church. In the words of the 1971 International Synod of Bishops document Justitia in mundo: ‘‘Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church’s mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation.’’1 Three developments in Vatican II contributed to this newer understanding of the one mission of the Church, which was to include the transformation of the world. First, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church emphasizes the Church as the sign of the kingdom or reign of God. Jesus inaugurated the Church by preaching the good news of the coming of the kingdom of God. The kingdom shines out in the word and work of Jesus and in his very presence . Jesus, through the gift of the spirit, gave the community of his disciples   G Chapter  the mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God, with a realization that the fullness of the kingdom will come only at the end of time.2 Chapter 6 of the Constitution describes the different symbols that scripture uses for the revelation of the kingdom and the nature of the Church. The Church is a sign or sacrament of the kingdom. Just as Christ was sent to bring good news to the poor and to heal the brokenhearted, the Church encompasses with its love all those who are afflicted by human infirmity; it recognizes in the poor and suffering the likeness of its own founder, and so does all in its power to relieve their need.3 A second Vatican II development is the change in moral theology from an approach based almost entirely on natural law. Moral theology dealt with the temporal life of Catholics. Natural law recognizes that human reason reflecting on human nature can determine how God wants us to act in the world. Scripture , at best, was a proof-text to confirm the results of natural law. Grace and Christ played no significant role in this moral theology.4 The Decree on the Training of Priests (Optatam totius) of the Second Vatican Council called for the renewal of moral theology. Theological subjects were to be renewed by a more lively contact with the mystery of Christ and the history of salvation. The document points out moral theology for special consideration: ‘‘Its scientific presentation, drawing more fully on the teaching of holy Scripture, should highlight the lofty vocation of the Christian faithful and their obligation to bring forth fruit and charity for the life of the world.’’5 The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World pointed out that one of the gravest errors of our time is the dichotomy between the faith people profess and their daily lives.6 In its first three chapters—dealing with the human person, human community, and human action—the Pastoral Constitution employs a methodology that tries to overcome this dichotomy. The first chapter, for example, begins with an understanding of the human person based on creation in the image of God, but then recognizes the reality of sinfulness and the resulting dramatic struggle between good and evil in human life. The chapter closes with a consideration of Christ the new man. Only in light of the mystery of the Word made flesh does the mystery of humanity become clear. Christ, the New Adam, is the revelation of the mystery of the Father and his love, fully revealing humanity to itself and bringing to light humanity’s very high calling.7 A third Vatican II development that grounded the one mission of the Church in the transformation of the world comes from the understanding of...

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