Second Vatican Council

Dei Verbum holds that tradition and Scripture together form one deposit of the word of God, both to be received "with the same sense of loyalty and reverence." Interpreting that deposit authentically belongs to the church's living teaching office. The council adds a sentence Trent did not have: "This teaching office is not above the word of God, but serves it."

WORTH CORRECTINGReaders differ over how far the "serves it" sentence moves the stance toward scripture-primary. The constitution itself goes on to say that tradition, Scripture and the teaching office are so linked "that one cannot stand without the others," which keeps it at scripture-plus. Dei Verbum 1 says the council is "following in the footsteps of the Council of Trent and of the First Vatican Council."

Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church.Dei Verbum (1965), 10

Dei Verbum does not list the books. It says the church's "full canon of the sacred books is known" through tradition (section 8), and affirms that canon in wording that echoes Trent's: the books of both Testaments, "in their entirety, with all their parts," are sacred and canonical.

WORTH CORRECTINGThe stance rests on the canon the church already held. Dei Verbum 11's footnote cites "Council of Trent, session IV, Scriptural Canons", which is where the wider list is defined.

the books of both the Old and New Testaments in their entirety, with all their parts, are sacred and canonicalDei Verbum (1965), 11

Dei Verbum 6 repeats Vatican I: God "can be known with certainty from created reality by the light of human reason." Lumen Gentium 16 says those who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel, but seek God sincerely and, moved by grace, try to do his will as conscience shows it, can attain salvation. It adds the counterweight at once: "But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings." Gaudium et Spes 22 says the Holy Spirit, "in a manner known only to God," offers every person "the possibility of being associated with this paschal mystery."

WORTH CORRECTINGNot a claim that natural revelation saves. None of the stances fits without misdescribing the council. Its knowledge of God through creation is certain, which goes beyond clear-suppressed and rules out denied. It holds salvation possible without explicit knowledge of the Gospel, but it attributes that to grace and the Spirit, not to natural revelation, which is the claim the inclusivist label makes. Those who do not know the Gospel are "related in various ways to the people of God" (LG 16). Pius V's cell on this locus is blank for a similar reason.

Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.Lumen Gentium (1964), 16

Gaudium et Spes 13 says that though made in holiness, man "abused his liberty" from the start of his history, and so finds in himself "inclinations toward evil too": "Therefore man is split within himself." Section 17 says freedom has been damaged by sin and needs grace to reach its fullness. The council restates; it does not define.

Since man's freedom has been damaged by sin, only by the aid of God's grace can he bring such a relationship with God into full flower.Gaudium et Spes (1965), 17

Lumen Gentium speaks of election in the words of Scripture: the Father "chose us and predestined us," and Christ's followers are called "not because of their works, but according to His own purpose and grace." It does not say on what basis God chooses, whether his free choice or foreseen faith. Like Trent, the council leaves that question where the Catholic schools left it.

the Father chose us and predestined us to become adopted sonsLumen Gentium (1964), 3

Dei Verbum 5 describes faith as an obedience in which a person "commits his whole self freely to God," offering "full submission of intellect and will." That joins assent and self-entrusting, but the council does not take up the question this locus asks, whether faith saves as trust or as assent formed by love. Trent's answer is not revisited.

an obedience by which man commits his whole self freely to GodDei Verbum (1965), 5

Vatican II does not restate the doctrine of justification. The decree on ecumenism says baptized Christians outside the Catholic Church who "have been justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ's body." The council uses the word in passing and does not define it, and Trent's Sixth Session is left as it stood.

WORTH CORRECTINGThe 1999 Lutheran–Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification came thirty-five years after this decree and is not a conciliar act. It should not be read back into this column.

all who have been justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ's bodyUnitatis Redintegratio (1964), 3

Lumen Gentium 14 says that belonging to the church does not by itself save: a member who does not persevere in charity is not saved. Of the church's children who fail to respond to the grace given them, it says "not only shall they not be saved".

He is not saved, however, who, though part of the body of the Church, does not persevere in charity.Lumen Gentium (1964), 14

Baptism is rebirth. The decree on ecumenism calls it "a sacramental bond of unity" linking all "who have been reborn by it," including Christians outside the Catholic Church. The liturgy constitution orders the rite for infants revised so that it suits "the circumstance that those to be baptized are, in fact, infants," which assumes infant baptism continues.

Baptism therefore establishes a sacramental bond of unity which links all who have been reborn by it.Unitatis Redintegratio (1964), 22

The liturgy constitution teaches that Christ is present in the Mass in several ways, "especially under the Eucharistic species." Where it extends communion under both kinds, it does so with "the dogmatic principles which were laid down by the Council of Trent remaining intact." The stance rests on that reaffirmation of Trent.

WORTH CORRECTINGThe word transubstantiation was not found in the documents read for this entry, and it is widely noted that the council does not use it. In the same months, Paul VI's encyclical Mysterium Fidei (1965) used it, but that is a papal act, not a conciliar one. The council does not deny the doctrine and explicitly leaves Trent's eucharistic teaching in place, so the cell keeps the stance at the established tier rather than the researched one.

especially under the Eucharistic speciesSacrosanctum Concilium (1963), 7

Lumen Gentium 12 teaches that the Spirit gives charisms to the faithful of every rank, the outstanding and the ordinary, to be received with thanksgiving. Extraordinary gifts are not to be sought rashly, and judging them belongs to the church's leaders, "not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to that which is good."

WORTH CORRECTINGThe English on vatican.va reads "Extraordinary gifts are not to be sought after." The official Latin says they are not to be sought temere, rashly ("Dona autem extraordinaria non sunt temere expetenda"). The caution is against seeking them rashly, not against seeking them at all.

not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to that which is goodLumen Gentium (1964), 12

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1036) cites Lumen Gentium 48 for its teaching on hell, that the wicked are sent "into the eternal fire, into the outer darkness." Those words are the Catechism's, drawing on Matthew 25 and LG 48.