edmund waldstein - religious liberty and tradition

8/10/2019 Edmund Waldstein - Religious Liberty and Tradition

1/24


2/24

Does not Vatican $$ here affirm precisel! that which /ius $>& citing 9regor! >V$& calls a

deliramentum "his ostensile contradiction madeDignitatis !uman" the most contro*ersial

document at the Council. So man! douts were raised aout the first three schemata that =l. /ope

/aul V$ decided to dela! *oting on it& mo*ing the *ote from the third to the fourth and final session

of the Council.[5]0t this a large group of council fathers protested& egging the /ope with the *er!

greatest urgenc! )instanter& instantius& instantissimus'7 to re*erse his decision& lest pulic opinion

turn against the Council.[2](e*ertheless& the *ote did not ta'e place till the *er! end of the lastsession.[3]

0fter the Council the Euestion of the relation ofDignitatis !uman" to pre*ious teachings remained

contro*ersial.[4]0n! interpretation ofDignitatis !uman" has to deal with this Euestion& and

interpreters ha*e proposed *arious approaches that all gi*e different answers to the EuestionFfrom

the assertion of a radical rea' with tradition to that of complete continuit! with tradition. $ shall

now consider se*eral answers that $ consider inadeEuate /art $7 efore turning to an e:planation

and defense of the answer proposed ! the %nglish philosopher "homas /in' /art $$7. 0ccording to

/in' there is continuit! at the le*el of principles& ut discontinuit! at the le*el of Church polic!

toward the state. #e shows this first ! gi*ing a new interpretation of the condemnation of religious

freedom on the part of the popes of the /ian 0ge& showing its roots in counter-Reformation politicaltheolog!. 0nd then he applies 'e! distinctions ta'en from that anal!sis toDignitatis !uman"

0fter e:plaining /in'$$$


3/24

reformale. "he! argue that onl! the most solemn definitions of the agisterium are infallile& and

that man! )authentic+ teachings of the Church are not finall! inding. "hus Reinhold Seott& S.I.&

argues as follows?

$f we do not consider #uanta $ura infallile& then of course we will not consider a great

man! other magisterial decisions infallile. Onl! *er! few teachings can e descried as

dogmas in the strict sense.[1]

Such positions ha*e een used not onl! to Hustif! a hermeneutic of rupture in the reading of Vatican

$$& ut also to put into Euestion much of the Church


4/24

worship 9od& has to do with immunit! from coercion in ci*il societ!. "herefore it lea*es

untouched traditional Catholic doctrine on the moral dut! of men and societies toward

the true religion and toward the one Church of Christ.[65]

0mong the duties of societies toward true religion& Storc' includes the limiting of the spread of

false religions ! wa! of censorship and such measures& as called for ! the 14 thcentur! popes.[62]

"hus Storc' mo*es the apparent contradiction intoDignitatis !uman" itself. =ut he finds a 'e! tounderstanding wh! the contradiction is onl! apparent ! his interpretation of the )due limits+ on

religious freedom mentioned in the central statement ofDignitatis !uman"6? )no one is to e

forced to act in a manner contrar! to his own eliefs& whether pri*atel! or pulicl!& whether alone

or in association with others& within due limits.+Dignitatis !uman"2 further e:plicates these

limits. "he e:ercise of religious liert! must )respect oth for the rights of others and for their own

duties toward others and for the common welfare [bonum commune] of all.+ "he state is reEuired to

preser*e )genuine pulic peace& which comes aout when men li*e together in good order and in

true Hustice+ and )pulic moralit!.+ Storc' argues that preser*ation of the bonum commune of a

Christian societ! would in practice allow for *er! hea*! restrictions on religious freedom?

the )Hust reEuirements of pulic order&+ the )due limits&+ and considerations of the rightsof others and of the common good *ar! consideral! from societ! to societ!& and that in

a societ! o*erwhelmingl! and traditionall! Catholic the! could easil! include

restrictions& and e*en an outright prohiition& on the pulic acti*ities of non-Catholic

sects& particularl! on their prosel!ti8ing acti*ities.[63]

0ccording to Storc'& the condemnation of religious freedom in earlier ages of the Church was not

the complete denial of any such right&ut rather the denial of an unlimited right. [64]On his

interpretation pre*ious teachings were not concerned with the pri*ate right of persons to elie*e

what the! thought to e true& ut rather precisel! with the necessit! for pulic order of limiting the

spread of false religion?

0 non-Catholic has the real right& e*en in a Catholic state& to pri*atel! profess his own

religion and pri*atel! meet with his co-religionistsB in a lieral regime he has a right to

consideral! more freedom. $n oth cases the freedom is real& simpl! that the

)reEuirements of pulic order+ and of the common good differ.[;G]

$ do not thin' that Storc'


5/24


6/24

ma'e use of the state as bracchium s"cularefor such coercion. #e thin's thatDignitatis !uman"

corrects pre*ious teaching on )the mission and function of the state.+[;4],hile certain pre*ious

popes taught that the state must suordinate itself to the Church&Dignitatis !uman" denies this and

demands a legitimate secularit! for the state. "his is not a rea' with principles deri*ed from Sacred

Scripture or the 0postolic tradition& which according to Rhonheimer )suggest a separation etween

the political and religious spheres.+[@G]=ut it is a rea' with earlier and less perfect applications of

those principles. Rhonheimer argues thatDignitatis !uman"stands at the end of a long processthrough which the Church re-disco*ers the original meaning of the IesusV$& )-.pergiscere !omo? 0ddress to the College of Cardinals and the

Roman Curia&+ Decemer 66& 6GG& in?Acta Apostolic" )edis 4&1 6GG57 @G-;B translation?

http?www.*atican.*ahol!fatherenedict:*ispeeches6GGdecemerdocumentshfen:*ispe6GG1666roman-curiaen.htmlaccessed (o*emer 14& 6G1@7.

[;]See? artin Rhonheimer& $hristentum und s/+ularer )taatreiurg ;6G167 1;@-1;4& 1@;B

%erhard Schoc'enhoff& PDas Recht& ungehindert die ,ahrheit 8u suchen? Die %r'lQrung er die

ReligionsfreiheitDignitatis humanae&) in? Ian-#einer "c' ed.7&-rinnerung an die 0u+unft% Das

1weite vati+anische 2on1il& 3ndedreiurg 6G1;7 2G6.

[@]Dignitatis !umanae& 6& in?Acta Apostolic" )edis 3 14557 464-4@5& at 4;GB translation?

http?www.*atican.*aarchi*ehistcouncilsii*aticancouncildocuments*at-

iidecl14516G2dignitatis-humanaeen.htmlaccessed (o*emer 14& 6G1@7.

[]/ope /ius $>& #uanta $ura& in? #erert Vaughan ed.7& The 4ear of 5reparation for the Vatican$ouncil% Including the (riginal and -nglish of the -ncyclical and )yllabus& and of the 5apal

Documents $onnected with its $onvocation London 13547 i*-::& at *iii.

[5]See? /ietro /a*an& %inleitung 8ur %r'lQrung er die Religionsfreiheit& in? Le:i'onf6r

Theologie und 2irche& 6nded.& %rgQn8ungsand $$ reiurg 14527 2G5-2G2.

[2]See? /a*an& %inleitung 2G5.

[3]See? /a*an& %inleitung 2G4-211.

[4]See? Schoc'enhoff& )Das Recht+ 2G;.

[1G]=enedict >V$&-.pergiscere !omo@5.[11]=enedict >V$&-.pergiscere !omo@5.

[16]See? Chad C. /ec'nold& )/ope =enedict


7/24

Reflections on "heological ethod&+ presentation atReform and Renewal% Vatican II After 78

4ears& S!mposium at "he Catholic Mni*ersit! of 0merica& ,ashington DC& Septemer 65-64& 6G16?

http?!outu.eTi$5INeV0accessed (o*emer 13& 6G1@7.

[1;]=enedict >V$&-.pergiscere !omo@2.

[1@]See? Schoc'enhoff& )Das Recht+ 56;-56. Schoc'enhoff mentions %rnst-,olfgang

=Uc'enfUrde& Jlaus Schat8& ran8 >a*er =ischof& and Iosef $nsensee as e:amples.[1]),enn man C uanta cura7 nicht als unfehlar Eualifi8iert& dann wird man natrlich auch

eine enge anderer Lehrentscheidungen nicht als unfehlar Eualifi8ieren drfen. Der Jreis des

Dogmas muss also sehr eng ge8ogen werden.+ Reinhold Seott& )Dignitatis humanW und uanta

cura? Die Verurteilung der Religionsfreiheit *or dem Nweiten Vati'anischen Jon8il&+ in? /.

=oe'holt and $. Riedel-Spangenerger ed.7&Iustitia et 9odestiaunich 14437 13;-146B at 146.

[15]See? Ianet %. Smith& #umanW VitW& a 9eneration Later ,ashington 14437 especiall! 1-154.

[12]Seott& )Dignitatis humanW+ 146.

[13]See? Congregation for the Doctrine of the aith& )Doctrinal Commentar! on the Concluding

ormula of the /rofessio idei&+ online access?http?www.*atican.*aromancuriacongregationscfaithdocumentsrcconcfaithdoc1443profe

ssio-fideien.htmlaccessed 61 (o*emer& 6G1@7.

[14]See? 0*er! Cardinal Dulles& )De*elopment Or Re*ersal+ in?:irst Things Octoer 6GG7 ;-

51.

[6G]arcel Lefe*re& )Duia sur la DXclaration conciliaire sur la liertX religieuse& prXsentXs Y la

S.C.R. pour la Doctrine de la oi&+ %cZne& (o*emeer 5& 143?

http?lacriseintegriste.t!pepad.frduia.pdfaccessed Octoer 13& 6G1@7B %nglish translation?

Religious Liberty #uestioned Jansas Cit! 6GG17.

[61]Congregation for the Doctrine of the aith& )LiertX religieuse? RXponse au: Duia prXsentXs

par S.%. gr Lefe*re&+ Rome& arch 4& 1432? http?lacriseintegriste.t!pepad.frwelog1432G;rC;04ponses-de-la-congrC;04gation-pour-la-doctrine-de-la-foi-au:-duia-prC;04sent

C;04s-par-mgr-lefe*re.htmlaccessed (o*emer 61& 6G1@7.

[66]See the documentation collected at the wesiteLa crise int;griste?

http?lacriseintegriste.t!pepad.frwelogle-dialogue-a*ec-Heanpaul-ii-14231432.htmland

http?lacriseintegriste.t!pepad.frwelogle-schisme-14336GGG.htmloth accessed (o*emer 61&

6G1@7.

[6;])%n fournissant une interprXtation personnelle des te:tes du agist\re& *ous ferie8

parado:alement preu*e de ce liXralisme Eue *ous comatte8 si fortement& et agirie8 contre le ut

Eue *ous poursui*e8.+ Letter of Ioseph Cardinal Rat8inger to 0rchishop arcel Lefe*re& Iul! 63&

1432? http?lacriseintegriste.t!pepad.frwelog1432G2lettre-du-car.htmlaccessed (o*emer 61&

6G1@7.

[6@])%s stellt sich een die rage& wie D# [Dignitatis humanW] an'ommen soll gegen die er

Iahrhunderte *erindlich *orgetragene Lehre& und 8war *or dem #intergrund 'irchenamtlich

gestt8ter /ra:is& wonach es gerade 'ein natrliches Recht git& 8umal Uffentlich7 unehelligt *on

der staatlichen 9ewalt das Dissidententum 8u pra'ti8ieren. $ch sage? Pes stellt sich die rage& wie).

Mnd eantwortet ist die is 8ur Stunde nicht.+ Jlaus Oenauer& )/iusruderschaft? Der angehaltene

Nug oder? ,ie e'ommt man das Signal wieder auf 9rn+

http?www.'atholisches.info6G161161piusruderschaft-der-angehaltene-8ug-oder-wie-e'ommt-

man-das-signal-wieder-auf-grunaccessed Octoer 13& 6G1@7.

[6]Some other e:amples are mentioned ! Schoc'enhoff )Das Recht+ 262-2637& including

0rthur Mt8& Roert Spaemann& =asil Valuet& and =etrand de argerie.
http://youtu.be/YiI_6JZebVAhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref13http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref14http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref15http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref16http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref17http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref18http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_1998_professio-fidei_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_1998_professio-fidei_en.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref19http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref20http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/dubia.pdfhttp://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/dubia.pdfhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref21http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/03/r%C3%A9ponses-de-la-congr%C3%A9gation-pour-la-doctrine-de-la-foi-aux-dubia-pr%C3%A9sent%C3%A9s-par-mgr-lefebvre.htmlhttp://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/03/r%C3%A9ponses-de-la-congr%C3%A9gation-pour-la-doctrine-de-la-foi-aux-dubia-pr%C3%A9sent%C3%A9s-par-mgr-lefebvre.htmlhttp://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/03/r%C3%A9ponses-de-la-congr%C3%A9gation-pour-la-doctrine-de-la-foi-aux-dubia-pr%C3%A9sent%C3%A9s-par-mgr-lefebvre.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref22http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/le-dialogue-avec-jeanpaul-ii-19781987.htmlhttp://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/le-schisme-19882000.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref23http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/07/lettre-du-car.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref24http://www.katholisches.info/2012/11/21/piusbruderschaft-der-angehaltene-zug-oder-wie-bekommt-man-das-signal-wieder-auf-grun/http://www.katholisches.info/2012/11/21/piusbruderschaft-der-angehaltene-zug-oder-wie-bekommt-man-das-signal-wieder-auf-grun/http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref25http://youtu.be/YiI_6JZebVAhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref13http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref14http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref15http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref16http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref17http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref18http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_1998_professio-fidei_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_1998_professio-fidei_en.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref19http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref20http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/dubia.pdfhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref21http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/03/r%C3%A9ponses-de-la-congr%C3%A9gation-pour-la-doctrine-de-la-foi-aux-dubia-pr%C3%A9sent%C3%A9s-par-mgr-lefebvre.htmlhttp://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/03/r%C3%A9ponses-de-la-congr%C3%A9gation-pour-la-doctrine-de-la-foi-aux-dubia-pr%C3%A9sent%C3%A9s-par-mgr-lefebvre.htmlhttp://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/03/r%C3%A9ponses-de-la-congr%C3%A9gation-pour-la-doctrine-de-la-foi-aux-dubia-pr%C3%A9sent%C3%A9s-par-mgr-lefebvre.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref22http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/le-dialogue-avec-jeanpaul-ii-19781987.htmlhttp://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/le-schisme-19882000.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref23http://lacriseintegriste.typepad.fr/weblog/1987/07/lettre-du-car.htmlhttp://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref24http://www.katholisches.info/2012/11/21/piusbruderschaft-der-angehaltene-zug-oder-wie-bekommt-man-das-signal-wieder-auf-grun/http://www.katholisches.info/2012/11/21/piusbruderschaft-der-angehaltene-zug-oder-wie-bekommt-man-das-signal-wieder-auf-grun/http://thejosias.com/2014/12/31/religious-liberty-and-tradition-i/#_ftnref25


8/24

[65]Dignitatis !uman" 1B cf. "homas Storc'&:oundations of a $atholic 5olitical (rder

=elts*ille 14437 62.

[62]Storc'&:oundations61-65.

[63]Storc'&:oundations63-64.

[64]Storc'&:oundations64? )an


9/24

Religious Liberty and Tradition IIThis is the second of four parts of an essay on the interpretation of Vatican IIs Declaration on

Religious Liberty& Dignitatis !uman"5art I considered inade*uate interpretations

Part II: Thomas Pin!"s #rea!through"he %nglish philosopher "homas /in' has recentl! de*eloped a new account ofDignitatis

!uman"s continuit! and discontinuit! with pre*ious teaching.[1]/in' is an e:pert on the

philosoph! of "homas #oes 13315247& and it was #oes that led him to a new approach to

the prolem. One of #oes


10/24

,e must distinguish etween those who ha*e alwa!s een outside the Church& namel!

infidels and Iews& and those who ha*e suHected themsel*es to her through =aptism.

"he former ought not to e compelled to profess the Catholic aith& the later howe*er

are to e coerced sunt cogendi7. St. "homas pro*es this with his usual solidit!.[4]

During the Counter Reformation such teachings were used to Hustif! coercing /rotestants to accept

the Catholic faith. Since there is onl! one =aptism& apti8ed /rotestants are suHect to theHurisdiction of the Catholic Church.[1G]0s /in' points out& one can of course Euestion the prudence

and moralit! of the inEuisitorial methods of appl!ing this teaching& ut such Euestioning need not

necessaril! entail a reHection of the teaching itself.[11]

"he idea that persons should e coerced not onl! in their e:ternal actions& ut e*en in the *er! act of

faith itself is unusual toda!. /in' shows that the influence of the philosophies of #oes and Loc'e

ha*e had an important role in ma'ing such an idea seem strange. #oes and Loc'e argue that such

coercion ought to e foridden de ?ureecause it is impossile de facto[16]=ut according to

scholastic philosoph! legal coercion has a pedagogical function&[1;]and therefore it can help

persons to accept the truth. Since =aptism infuses the *irtue of faith& coercion need not necessaril!

lead to h!pocris!. Coercion can force the apti8ed to e:amine the e*idence of the faith.$n e:ercising coercion the Church has historicall! made use of the right to use the temporal power

as an instrument or organ secular arm7. "his does not howe*er impl! that the temporal power was

seen as ha*ing a nati*e Hurisdiction in religious matters. $nsofar as the temporal power acts as an

instrument of the Church it is precisel! not acting on its nati*e authorit!. $n the 14thcentur! this

distinction was *er! emphaticall! taught ! /ope Leo >$$$?

"he 0lmight!& therefore& has gi*en the charge of the human race to two powers& the

ecclesiastical and the ci*il& the one eing set o*er di*ine& and the other o*er human&

things. [K] ,hate*er& therefore in things human is of a sacred character& whate*er

elongs either of its own nature or ! reason of the end to which it is referred& to the

sal*ation of souls& or to the worship of 9od& is suHect to the power and Hudgment of theChurch. ,hate*er is to e ranged under the ci*il and political order is rightl! suHect to

the ci*il authorit!.[1@]

"hus the temporal power has no authority whatsoever in religious matters. (e*ertheless& this does

not e:clude the temporal power acting as an agent of the Church in such matters.

$n the light of this distinction /in' can show the continuit! ofDignitatis !uman" with pre*ious

teaching or precious teaching would agree that in religion e*er!one should e )immune from

coercion on the part of indi*iduals or of social groups and of an! human power&+ Dignitatis

!uman" 67 if )human power+ is ta'en to mean worldl! or temporal power. "husDignitatis

!uman" ; is entirel! traditional when it teaches that )religious acts+ )transcend ! their *er!

nature the order of terrestrialand temporalaffairs&+ and that the state would )transgress the limits

set to its power&+ were it to command or forid such acts.[1]

=ut such a statement aout the limits of the authorit! of the temporal power in no wa! restricts the

authorit! of the Church. orDignitatis !uman" e:plicitl! states that it is treating of )immunit!

from coercion in ci*il societ!+ and lea*ing untouched traditional teaching on duties toward the

Church& and therefore ! implication the rights of the Church.[15]So on /in'


11/24

here& nor is the Euestion of freedom within the Church herself.+[13]

=ut& /in' argues& ! not mentioning the right of the Church to ma'e use of the state as secular arm

Dignitatis !uman" changes Church polic!. "hat is& the Church no longer ma'es use of that rightB

she no longer authori8es the temporal power to act as her agent?

the Church


12/24


13/24

Religious Liberty and Tradition IIIThis is the third of four parts of an essay on the interpretation of Vatican IIs Declaration on

Religious Liberty& Dignitatis !uman"5art Iconsidered inade*uate interpretationsC5art II

considered Thomas 5in+s interpretive brea+through

Part III: $piritual and temporal po%er: a

glance at history"he ancient world did not distinguish etween spiritual and worldl! power. $n the 9ree' cit!-states

and later in Rome the worship of the gods was an important element of political or imperial life& and

was therefore considered to fall under political or imperial authorit!. 0ristotle considers worship to

e an essential function of thepolis? )ifthl!& or rather first& there must e a care of religion& which

is commonl! called worship.+[1]0lthough the Romans distinguished etween res divina and res

publica these two were not distinct powers with distinct endsB[6]the function of di*ine worship waslargel! to secure politicalimperial success.[;]0ncient $srael re*ersed this orderB the worship of

9od is the primar! thing to which all of life is suordinated. =ut here too there was no distinction

etween spiritual and temporal power.[@]

"he distinction etween spiritual and temporal or worldl! power was an inno*ation of Christianit!.

0nd& as Rhonheimer argues& it was ale to ma'e this distinction ecause Christianit! is a religion of

redemption.[]Christianit! did not den! the legitimac! of the e:isting political order& it recogni8ed

therein an authorit! founded in 9od


14/24

allow for a role of the temporal power in helping to preser*e the true faith. "hus the imperial power

was used to suppress the 0rian heres!.[1G]Rhonheimer considers the )enthusiasm+ with which the

athers saw worldl! power as an instrument of orthodo:! prolematic and )astonishing&+ ut his

astonishment rests on apetitio principii.[11]$t is onl! ecause Rhonheimer first interprets the

direct (ew "estament deri*ation of worldl! power from 9od as )so*ereignt!+ and )independence

of religious claims to ordering authorit!+[16]that the patristic willingness to ma'e use of the state

as an instrument for the suppression of heres! seems wrong to him. =ut one should rather ta'e thepatristic application of (ew "estament principles as an authoritati*e guide to meaning of those

principles.

"he sac' of Rome ! the Visigoths in @1G seemed to man! Romans to e a refutation of

Christianit!. Clearl! Christianit! was not ale fulfill the classic function of religion? preser*ing the

cit! from catastrophe. St 0ugustine answered this argument in his great wor' The $ity of God "he

true religion does not e:ist for the sa'e of securing the transitor! order of this world& ut rather for

the sa'e of uilding up the Cit! of 9od& which will onl! e full! reali8ed after the passing of this

world. "he Cit! of 9od is founded on a lo*e of 9od that leads its citi8ens to contempt for

themsel*es& counting all earthl! things as worthless.[1;]"hus 9od allows )temporal+ catastrophes

to distur the reign of Christian rulers& thus teaching all not to ser*e 9od for the sa'e of worldl!ad*antages $iv Dei V&67. 0ugustine argues that temporal ought to e ordered to eternal ones $iv

Dei >$>&127& ut that this ordering will ne*er e achie*ed entirel! harmoniousl! till the second

coming of the Lord. or& there is a second cit! here on earth in addition to the cit! of 9odF the

civitas terrena& the earthl! cit!. "his cit! is founded on a lo*e of self to the contempt of 9od $iv

Dei >$V&637. 0nd these two cities are in conflict. 0lthough oth cities are for different reasons7

interested in conser*ing temporal peace& so that a limited cooperation etween them in temporal

matters is possile $iv Dei >$>&127& ne*ertheless& this cannot e ta'en as allowing for a neutral

temporal realm& as Rhonheimer would ha*e itB[1@]"he earthl! cit! is alwaysopposed to true

religion. [1]"hus 0ugustine argues that it is fitting for temporal things to e ordered ! Christian

rulers.[15]0nd these rulers ought not to e neutral in religious matters. Rather the! should promote

the true religion and e*en punish heretics. [12]Iustice consists in gi*ing each his own& thus nosociet! is Hust that does not gi*e 9od the worship due to #im $iv Dei >$>&61[13]7.

Since Christian rulers must see to it that societ! gi*es 9od #is due& it might seem that the! must of

themsel*es ha*e a certain authorit! in spiritual matters& that is& an episcopal authorit!. =ut this idea

was reHected ! the Church. $n @4@ /ope St 9elasius $ taught that the ro!al power and priestl!

authorit! are two distinct principles& oth instituted ! 9od& and that the suordination of temporal

to spiritual good implies that the temporal rulers must e suHect to the priestl! authorit! in matters

that concern eternal sal*ation.[14]

=ut Christian rulers oth in the =!8antine %mpire& and& after the translatio imperiiof 3GG& in the

#ol! Roman %mpire& did not alwa!s accept the 9elasian teaching. $n the ,est a conflict etween

pope and emperor de*eloped that came to a head in the #igh iddle 0ges in the $n*estitureContro*ers!. "he popes from St 9regor! V$$ to =oniface V$$$ de*eloped pre*ious teaching on the

relation of the two powers& and taught that the suordination of temporal under the spiritual ought to

e preser*ed ! a?uridical suordination of worldl! under priestl! authorit!. /riestl! authorit! is

seen not Hust as auctoritas&ut as a genuinepotestas& a coerci*e power. Rhonheimer argues that

calling the priestl! authorit!potestas is contrar! to the actual meaning of 9elasian diarch!&[6G]ut

one can also see it as a de*elopment of what was implicit in pre*ious teaching. $f one considers the

*er! high degree of magisterial authorit! with which theplenitudo potestas of the pope was taught

from St 9regor! V$$


15/24

potestas indirecta7. 9iles of Rome& who ga*e an important theoretical defense of the claims of

nam )anctam& argued that the pope


16/24

not destro!ed. Christ comes to heal and re-estalish nature. =ut not onl! to re-estalish it the wa! it

was efore the allB Christ ele*ates nature& granting a etter 'ind of eing a supernatural eing. 0nd

in fact nature was alwa!s intended as a sign and preparation for the supernatural. So& for e:ample&

marriage is a communion of persons that flows from nature and is good. =ut in the second coming

of Christ marriage is shown to ha*e een onl! a temporar! realit! a sign of the wedding of Christ

and #is ride the Church. %*er!thing that was good in marriage will e present in a more eminent

mode in the union of Christ and #is ride& ut natural marriage itself will e no more cf. t66?;G7. (ature is thus a shadow and image of the realit! that is to come through grace. "he natures

of things are not destro!ed ! grace& ut the! are so transformed that much that elonged to them

efore is replaced ! that of which it was the image. $n the present time though oth realities are

present at onceB the new realit! of grace is present as a seed along side the old realit! of nature.

"hus the ,edding of the Lam is present as a seed in the Church


17/24


18/24

[6]See? $tai 9radel&-mperor =orship and Roman Religion O:ford 6GG67 @-5.

[;]See (uma Denis ustel de Coulange


19/24

[6]De ecclesiastica potestate& $&2.

[65]See? Christopher Dawson& The :ormation of $hristendomSan rancisco 6GG3 [145]7 615-

662B The Dividing of $hristendomSan rancisco 6GG3 [145]7 ;G& ;3.

[62]Dawson& The Dividing@1-@;.

[63]Dawson& The Dividing ;-5.

[64]See? Dawson& The Dividing ;G& @6-@;.

[;G]See? Ste*en ,edgeworth and /eter %scalante& )Iohn Cal*in and the "wo Jingdoms&+ /art 6&

in? The $avinist Internationala! 6G167? http?cal*inistinternational.com6G16G64cal*in-6'-

6accessed (o*emer 4& 6G1@7.

[;1],edgeworth and %scalante& )Iohn Cal*in+ 6.

[;6]See? /eter %scalante& )"wo %nds or "wo Jingdoms+ in? The $alvinist International0pril

6G1;7? http?cal*inistinternational.com6G1;G@G3two-ends-or-two-'ingdomsaccessed

(o*emer 1G& 6G1@7.

[;;]See? %scalante& )"wo %nds.+[;@]See? Charles "a!lor& )ources of the )elfCamridge& assachusetts 14347 /art $$$? )"he

0ffirmation of Ordinar! Life.+

[;]See? Rhonheimer& $hristentum und s/+ularer )taat25-23.

[;5]See? %scalante& )"wo %nds.+

[;2]Charles "a!lor&A )ecular AgeCamridgeassachusetts 6GG27 chapter 6? )"he Rise of the

Disciplinar! Societ!.+

[;3]See? =rad 9regor!& The nintended Reformation% !ow a Religious Revolution )eculari1ed

)ocietyCamridgeassachusetts 6G167.

[;4]9regor!& The nintended Reformation15G-126.

[@G]/apst =enedi't >V$& )pe )alviRome 6GG27 12.

[@1]See? ichael =urleigh&-arthly 5owers% Religion and 5olitics in -urope from the

-nlightenment to the Great =arLondon 6GG7B )acred $auses% The $lash of Religion and

5olitics& from the Great =ar to the =ar on TerrorLondon 6GG57.

[@6]See? /in'& )Suare8 and =ellarmineB+ cf. /art $$ ao*e.

[@;]See? /art $$ ao*e.

[@@]See? /in'& )Conscience and Coercian.+

[@]/in'& )Conscience and Coercian.+
http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref25http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref26http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref27http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref28http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref29http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref30http://calvinistinternational.com/2012/05/29/calvin-2k-2/http://calvinistinternational.com/2012/05/29/calvin-2k-2/http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref31http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref32http://calvinistinternational.com/2013/04/08/two-ends-or-two-kingdoms/http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref33http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref34http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref35http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref36http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref37http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref38http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref39http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref40http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref41http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref42http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref43http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref44http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref45http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref25http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref26http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref27http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref28http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref29http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref30http://calvinistinternational.com/2012/05/29/calvin-2k-2/http://calvinistinternational.com/2012/05/29/calvin-2k-2/http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref31http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref32http://calvinistinternational.com/2013/04/08/two-ends-or-two-kingdoms/http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref33http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref34http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref35http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref36http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref37http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref38http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref39http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref40http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref41http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref42http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref43http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref44http://thejosias.com/2015/01/02/religious-liberty-and-tradition-iii/#_ftnref45


20/24

Religious Liberty and Tradition I&This is the last of four parts of an essay on the interpretation of Vatican IIs Declaration on

Religious Liberty& Dignitatis #umanW5art I considered inade*uate interpretationsC5art II

considered Thomas 5in+s interpretive brea+throughC5art IIIconsidered the history of the relation

of spiritual and temporal power A printable version of the whole essay can be foundhere

Part I&: The concerns of the conciliar

theologiansDignitatis !uman"egins with an optimistic reading one of the signs of the times? )0 sense of the

dignit! of the human person has een impressing itself more and more deepl! on the consciousness

of contemporar! man.+[1]0 footnote referring to /ope /ius >$$


21/24

this separation on a strict distinction of nature and graceF the state as a communit! rooted in

natural law has a different end from the Church& the ChurchV$

re-called the atmosphere at the time of the eginning of the Council with the following words?

"here was an incredile sense of e:pectation. [K] we 'new that the relationship

etween the Church and the modern period& right from the outset& had een slightl!

fraught& eginning with the Church


22/24

modern& de Luac complained of a )rising tide of immanentism&+ that was tr!ing to )dissol*e the

Church into the world&+[16]and against which de Luac wanted to preser*e the distinction etween

nature and grace. =efore and during the Council& howe*er& he saw the danger as coming primaril!

from the other directionF from those who made that distinction too sharp& separating nature and

grace too much.[1;]"his is the prolem that we saw in Iohn Courtne! urra!. ,hile de Luac

recogni8ed this prolem clearl!& recent wor' ! theologians such as Ste*en Long suggests that he

misidentified its roots. De Luac argued that the prolem la! in the idea of )pure nature+ ordered toa natural end intelligile in astraction from grace. =ut Long has con*incingl! argued that the real

prolem lies in a conception of nature that is not theonomic enough& a conception that ma'es nature

appear as a closed s!stem indifferent toward the di*ine. De Luac


23/24

"his solution enaled the post-conciliar Church to engage in an energetic defense of religious

liert! around the gloe without gi*ing up the continuit! of her teaching. =ut sinceDignitatis

!uman" did not e:plain its solution clearl! enough to a*oid the impression of discontinuit!& it

contriuted to a crisis of authorit! in post-conciliar theolog!.[6;]

otes

[1]Dignitatis !uman" 1.

[6]See? %dmund ,aldstein& )"he /apac! 0gainst the alse 9ospel of /rogress&+ )ancrucensis

log7& eruar! 66& 6G1;? http?sancrucensis.wordpress.com6G1;G666the-papac!-against-the-

false-gospel-of-progressaccessed Decemer 64& 6G1@7.

[;]See? 0lan imister&Robert )chuman% >eo )cholastic !umanism and the Reunification of

-urope=russels 6GG37.

[@]imister&Robert )chuman 1G5-1G3.

[]See? /in'& )IacEues aritainB+ imister&Robert )chuman11;-16.

[5]See? "homas ,. OV$&- per me un dono& 0ddress to /arish /riests and the Clerg! of Rome& 1@.

eruar 6G1;?

http?www.*atican.*ahol!fatherenedict:*ispeeches6G1;feruar!documentshfen-:*ispe6G1;[email protected] Decemer 64& 6G1@7.

[1G]Gaudium et )pes ;2& ;4.

[11]Cf. /ope =enedict >V$& 0ddress to Representati*es from the ,orld of Culture& Coll\ge des

=ernardins& /aris& Septemer 16& 6GG3?

http?www.*atican.*ahol!fatherenedict:*ispeeches6GG3septemerdocumentshfen-

:*ispe6GG3G416parigi-culturaen.htmlaccessed (o*emer 12& 6G1@7B cf. also idem& )pe )alvi

1;-1& note especiall! the references to de Luac& 1;-1@.

[16]#enri de Luac&Die -rbe Augustins& trans. #ans Mrs *on =althasar %insiedeln 14217& Vorwort

des Verfassers 8ur deutschen 0usgae 4-11.

[1;]De Luac& Die %re 0ugustins 2-3.

[1@]See? Ste*en 0. Long&>atura 5ura% (n the Recovery of >ature in the Doctrine of Grace(ew

Tor' 6G1G7. ,hile $ agree with Long


24/24