The meeting which took place on Sunday, April 7, 2013 at St. Stanislaw Church in Rome, was dedicated to discuss the significance of the Second Vatican Council for the aspirations of Christians to the visible unity of the Church. It was the second meeting of the series “Second Vatican Council as the compass of the new evangelization” organized by the John Paul II Pontificate Center for Research and Documentation and by the Pastoral staff at St. Stanislaw Church. Fr. Zdzislaw Kijas was the honoured guest of this meeting. Hosting the meeting, Fr. Andrzej Dobrzyński presented the historical background of the Second Vatican Council’s ecumenism, and he briefly described the beginning of the ecumenical movement, creation of the World Council of Churches in Geneva in 1948 and the way in which Catholics started to be involved in ecumenism before the Second Vatican Council. Fr. Dobrzyński highlighted the role of the Secretariat for the Promotion of Christian Unity, created by John XXIII in 1960. The Secretariat was very involved in preparing the Decree Unitatis redintegratio promulgated by the Vatican II on November 21, 1964. Emphasis was given to the significance of the meeting between Paul VI and Athenagoras which was held in Jerusalem, January 5, 1964; and the mutual abolition of the XI centuries’ excomunicas, which took place in Rome and in Constantinople, December 7, 1965.
In his lecture Fr. Kijas indicated theological bases of the Council’s ecumenism which were founded in the broader concept of Revelation understood as the Divine Word which is contained in the Scriptures and in the Tradition; as well as in the concept of Salvation which calls for the Churches’ involvement in the dialogue with the pluralistic World. Ecumenism of the Second Vatican Council can not be reduced only to the Decree Unitatis redintegratio, because it is expressed in others documents as well, such as for example Dei verbum and Lumen gentium. The speaker drew to attention to the ecclesiological concept of the Church as “People of God” which served to the Council Fathers to show the full-membership of Catholics and not-full membership of other Christian to Christ’s Church. This indicated the common ground of all Christians and their responsibility for searching unity. The Catholic principles of ecumenical activity were stressed in the Decree Unitatis redintegratio. They can be enumerated as the following: conversion of individuals and renewal of Christian live in the Church, better and deeper knowledge of the Catholic faith, knowledge of the doctrines of other denominations, common prayer for unity and collaboration among Christians for the common good of society.
The Council started the dialogue of Catholic Church with other Churches and Christian communities. Fr. Kijas stressed that history of divisions brought so many different doctrines, traditions and customs. It is why in the theological dialogue it is very important to determine the truth with precision. The speaker remembered that there were three main Christian traditions: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. Each one is varied within itself. In the Decree of the Council we can find the approach to the Orthodox and Protestant traditions, showing a perspective of the future unity as well. “Today we know that the road to unity is not short, or easy – said Fr. Kijas – but the Church can not step back from this road”.
Some interesting questions were raised during the discussion period. With regard to the question on the Council’s concept of reunion of Christians, Fr. Kijas said that it was not about the simple conversion model in which other Christians had to become Catholics but rather the Council showed the unity of faith in plurality of lives as model of ecumenical activities. For this model very important is the concept of “hierarchy of truth” introduced by the Council Fathers in the Decree. Responding to the question regarding fruits of ecumenism after nearly 50 years passed, the theologian said that Christians know each other better than before the Council and because of that relationship, many meetings and contacts were established. The Council’s ecclesiology, our reflexion on the Church developed after the Council, is in great measure fruit of the ecumenism. There is always a fear to maintain the ones religious identity. The purpose of ecumenism is to build our identity with Christ and on this road we can meet each other and learn respect for each other preparing the future unity which at the end will be a gift of the Holy Spirit, not fruit of human works only. Fr. Kijas very eloquently finished the meeting as follows: “It is why we should know each other better and better, pray together, work together for the good of society and continue patiently the theological dialogue” .