Vatican II and Religious Liberty

Overview of Dignitatis Humanae

• Most revised, debated, and controversial document of the Second Vatican Council.
• Aimed to defend the rights of conscience while respecting 19th-century Church teachings.

Controversy Regarding Doctrine

• Accusations that the declaration reversed earlier Church teachings.
• Critics include both progressives and ultra-traditionalists.
  • Father Charles Curran sees it as precedent for future changes.
  • Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre viewed it as a betrayal.
• Supporters include Dietrich von Hildebrand who saw it as overdue.

Historical Context

• 19th-century popes faced massacres, persecutions, and the overthrow of Papal States.
• New philosophy challenged religious traditions, equating them as enemies of freedom.
• Pope Leo XIII argued for state responsibility in maintaining conditions for eternal life.

New Teachings from Old Doctrines

• Modern man has a duty to pursue truth, linked to freedom of conscience.
• Emphasis on freedom from coercion in religious beliefs.
• Right to religious freedom tied to the duty to seek objective truth.
• Faith must be entered freely, echoing teachings from early Church.
• Advocates for freedom of public worship and limits to state interference.

Limits and State Obligations

• Council reaffirms state obligation to protect religious practice.
• Introduces "within due limits" as a condition for religious freedom.
• Public order (defined as objective moral order) as a component of common good.

Relevance Today

• HHS mandate and religious liberty debates in contemporary context.
• Dignitatis Humanae argues that religious freedom applies to individuals and groups.
• Declaration seen as a blend of traditional teachings with new expressions for modern times.

Conclusion

• Dignitatis Humanae recognized as a cornerstone for religious freedom.
• Acknowledged as a triumph for human rights during the Year of Faith.

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