Original scientific paper
CHARACTER OF DIALOGUE OF THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF PASTORAL CONSTITUTION “GAUDIUM ET SPES” OF II. VATICAN COUNCIL
Đuro Zalar
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb
Abstract
In this work the author speaks about the character of dialogue of
the anthropology of Pastoral Constitution “Gaudium et Spes”, which
is revealed primarily in its addressees, and also in the starting point,
language, structure and method of presentation. The focus of the world
is the first part of the Constitution and is divided into four parts.
In the first part the author presents a gradual opening of
the Church towards the world, initiated by pope John XXIII. and
continued by his successor Paul VI. In such atmosphere emerged
the Pastoral Constitution “Gaudium et Spes” about the Church in
contemporary world by which the Church revealed its wish to get into
conversation with the world.
The aim of the Council to turn to all the people determined
the starting point of presentation, which is dealt with in the second
part of the work. Namely, dialogue could start from what both the
Church and the world share, from man, concretely, from the idea of
humaneness/humanity.
In the third part the author treats the structure and method
of presentation of the first part of the Constitution, which contains
Christian anthropology. The method of presentation is inductive
starting from generally adopted anthropological values. The Council
wants to form a judgement on these values in the light of faith and
connect them with their divine origin. The structure of presentation
has a historical-redemptive character: at the beginning of each unit
the anthropological presentation is founded on creation through the
idea of God’s image, and it reaches its fullness and meaning eventually
in Christology.
In the last, the fourth part, the author gives critical review on the
work as a whole. At it he emphasizes that each unit of the first part
of Constitution finishes with a glimpse of Christ. The subject is, then,
christologically oriented anthropology.
Keywords
anthropology; Church; man; dialogue; council; world
Hrčak ID:
23628
URI
Publication date:
21.6.2006.
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