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John Paul
II God Started
the Various Religions to Save People In John Paul II taught as
follows, in the General Audience copied beneath. “Every quest of the
human spirit for truth and goodness, and in the last analysis for God, is
inspired by the Holy Spirit. The various religions arose from this primordial
human openness to God. At their origins we often find founders who, with the
help of God’s Spirit, achieved a deeper religious experience. Handed on to
others, this experience took form in the doctrines, rites and precepts of the
various religions. […] Normally, it will be in the sincere practice of what
is good in their own religious traditions and by following the dictates of
their own conscience that the members of other religions respond positively
to God’s invitation and receive salvation in Jesus Christ, even while they do
not recognize or acknowledge him as their Savior.” John Paul II General Audience of 1. In Nostra aetate, the Declaration on
the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, the Second Vatican
Council teaches that “the Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and
holy in these religions. She has a high regard for the manner of life and
conduct, the precepts and doctrines which, although differing in many ways
from her own teaching, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that truth which
enlightens all men” (Nostra
aetate, n. 2). Taking up the Council’s teaching from the first
Encyclical Letter of my Pontificate, I have wished to recall the ancient
doctrine formulated by the Fathers of the Church, which says that we must
recognize “the seeds of the Word” present and active in the various religions
(Ad
gentes, n. 11; Lumen
gentium, n. 17). This doctrine leads us to affirm that, though the
routes taken may be different, “there is but a single goal to which is
directed the deepest aspiration of the human spirit as expressed in its quest
for God and also in its quest, through its tending towards God, for the full
dimension of its humanity, or in other words, for the full meaning of human
life” (Redemptor
hominis, n. 11). The “seeds of truth” present and active in the
various religious traditions are a reflection of the unique Word of God, who
“enlightens every man coming into world” (cf. Jn 1:9) and who became
flesh in Christ Jesus (cf. Jn 2. It must first be kept in mind that every quest
of the human spirit for truth and goodness, and in the last analysis for God,
is inspired by the Holy Spirit. The various religions arose precisely from
this primordial human openness to God. At their origins we often find
founders who, with the help of God’s Spirit, achieved a deeper religious
experience. Handed on to others, this experience took form in the doctrines,
rites and precepts of the various religions. In every authentic religious experience, the most
characteristic expression is prayer. Because of the human spirit’s constitutive
openness to God’s action of urging it to self-transcendence, we can hold that
“every authentic prayer is called forth by the Holy Spirit, who is
mysteriously present in the heart of every person” (Address to the Members
of the Roman Curia, 22 Dec. 1986, n. 11; L’Osservatore Romano English
edition, 5 Jan. 1987, p. 7). We experienced an eloquent manifestation of this
truth at the World
Day of Prayer for Peace on 3. The Holy Spirit is not only present in other
religions through authentic expressions of prayer. “The Spirit’s presence and
activity”, as I wrote in the Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio,
“affect not only individuals but also society and history, peoples,
cultures and religions” (n. 28). Normally, “it will be in the sincere practice of
what is good in their own religious traditions and by following the dictates
of their own conscience that the members of other religions respond
positively to God’s invitation and receive salvation in Jesus Christ, even while
they do not recognize or acknowledge him as their Saviour (cf. Ad
gentes, nn. 3, 9, 11)” (Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue – Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Instruction Dialogue
and Proclamation, 19 May 1991, n. 29; L’Osservatore Romano English
edition, 1 July 1991, p. Indeed, as the Second Vatican Council teaches,
“since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and
the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers
to all the possibility of coming into contact, in a way known to God, with
the paschal mystery” (Gaudium
et spes, n. 22). This possibility is achieved through sincere,
inward adherence to the Truth, generous self-giving to one’s neighbour and
the search for the Absolute inspired by the Spirit of God. A ray of the
divine Wisdom is also shown through the fulfilment of the precepts and
practices that conform to the moral law and to authentic religious sense.
Precisely by virtue of the Spirit’s presence and action, the good elements
found in the various religions mysteriously prepare hearts to receive the
full revelation of God in Christ. 4. For the reasons mentioned here, the attitude
of the Church and of individual Christians towards other religions is marked
by sincere respect, profound sympathy and, when possible and appropriate,
cordial collaboration. This does not mean forgetting that Jesus Christ is the
one Mediator and Saviour of the human race. Nor does it mean lessening our
missionary efforts, to which we are bound in obedience to the risen Lord’s
command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt
28:19). The attitude of respect and dialogue is instead the proper
recognition of the “seeds of the Word” and the “groanings of the Spirit”. In
this sense, far from opposing the proclamation of the Gospel, our attitude
prepares it, as we await the times appointed by the Lord’s mercy. “By
dialogue we let God be present in our midst; for as we open ourselves in
dialogue to one another, we also open ourselves to God” (Address to
Members of Other Religions, Madras, 5 Feb. 1986, n. 4; L’Osservatore
Romano English edition, 10 Feb. 1986, p. 14). May the Spirit of truth and love, in view of the
third millennium now close at hand, guide us on the paths of the proclamation
of Jesus Christ and of the dialogue of peace and brotherhood with the
followers of all religions! |
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