Original scientific paper

The Theology and Human Activities in Gaudium et Spes and Post-Council Reception. Man's Share in Shaping the World

Nela Gašpar ; Theology in Rijeka, Dislocated Studies of Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

Even though in the very first lines of the Book of Genesis, man's work is portrayed as a constitutive part of life that cannot be avoided, theological thought of human activity begins only after World War II. It experiences its climax in the Pastoral Constitution: Gaudium et spes which attempts to show the connection between human work and the Christian calling. Forty years of distance, new circumstances and legislature concerning human work imposing different and additional parameters of thought demand a critical review by the theologian. Even though the eschatological perspective exists, we can rightly say that the Gaudium et spes puts emphasis on man's creativity that moves from creating to shaping to thoughtful planning. Forty years later, the »Compendium of Social Teaching«, surmises theological thought of the past period and puts emphasis on the eschatological perspective of human activities. While in the Gaudium et spes man primarily is a co-creator, the builder of God's Kingdom, forty years later the focus of theological thought is man as a participant in the »new creation«. Participation is a form of inter-human relations that are in keeping with God's vision of man redeemed. The option of man as a participant in addition to a personal and communicative dimension, his openness towards the transcendental is pointed out and this remains the founding principle of the theology of human activity. Current theological thought of human activities rest upon a triple theological principle that pervades the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes: Creation - Embodiment/Redemption - Completion.

Keywords

Gaudium et spes; human activities; co-creator; participant; responsibility

Hrčak ID:

24203

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/24203

Publication date:

1.8.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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