The purpose of the present essay is not to present any personal views of the author. Nevertheless, there is general agreement on the necessity of reaching a consensus and on the means of doing so, namely, the freedom of the conciliar dialogue, and the willingness of the Fathers to rise above any sort of apologetic complex and to approach the problem in the spirit of genuine theological inquiry. The fact was clearly demonstrated by the variant reactions to the three draft texts submitted in succession by the Secretariat for the Promotion of Christian Unity. The fact is that serious differences of opinion presently exist within the Church. The second source of difficulty is the contemporary state of Catholic doctrine on religious freedom. The scope of the Council calls for a pastoral act, which will at once clarify the doctrine of the Church and also demonstrate her concern for human freedom in this perilous age of ours. If the Council were simply to say to him that he is the enemy of the common good and therefore cannot be granted freedom, it would reveal itself as insensitive to the religious problem of today, of which the atheist and the secularist form so large a part.įinally, there is the problem of making a declaration on religious freedom that will appeal to the common consciousness of all men of good will and furnish the basis of a badly needed dialogue between the Church and the world on this acute and universal problem.
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If the Council were to declare, explicitly or implicitly, that the atheist is not free to profess his ideology and to make it the basis of a socialist-materialist society, the retort might well be: "The freedom that you solemnly deny to us, we shall deny to you with equal solemnity and considerably more effect." There is also the more general problem of the atheist himself, and the secularist too. Still others consider that it would do more harm than good. Others are inclined to doubt the value or prudence of such a condemnation. Some conciliar Fathers are in favor of a strong condemnation of Communism, both as an ideology and as a regime, precisely in the name of religious freedom. In these circumstances, opposition, based on an appeal to religious freedom, might be considered disloyalty to the state.įurthermore, there is the still more difficult problem of the Church in countries under Communist domination. The case may be different in those countries in which government is undertaking the task of constructing the social order, in the name of an ideology of which government is the representative. Opposition on Christian grounds to governmental policies is an accepted phenomenon in those countries in which government pretends to do no more than administer the affairs of society it is considered a legitimate exercise of religious freedom. The result might possibly be governmental legislation against conversion to Christianity, as well as severe restrictions on missionary activity. A declaration on religious freedom might be understood to signify the will of Christians to constitute a "state within a state," and to withdraw from solidarity with the existent national community.
Elsewhere, perhaps chiefly in Spain, the institution is alien the very notion connotes a hated Liberalismo, pernicious both to the Church and to a cherished national religious unity.Īgain, there is the more difficult problem of Christian communities in lands of non-Christian tradition and culture–Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist.
They arise from two general sources.įirst, there is the variety of religio-social situations throughout the world, and the differences among political traditions and regimes, and the divergences in the historical experiences of the nations.įor instance, religious freedom has been an integral part of the Catholic experience in the United States the institution is considered to have made a contribution to the vitality of the Church. This essay may serve to illuminate the formidable difficulties that the problem itself presents. It is legitimate to expect the promulgation of a text on the subject that will be of great import not only for the Church but also for all those-countless in number-who feel that an authoritative declaration on the subject is a matter of concern to them. The importance and amplitude of the question are so great that it has claimed the attention of the Ecumenical Council. In a recent address to a seminar of the United Nations on freedom of information Paul VI said: As you know, the Church also is busy with a somewhat different problem but one that is not without affinity with the present object of your research. The Problem of Religious Freedom by JOHN COURTNEY MURRAY, S. Booth Family Center for Special Collections.Rare Books, Manuscripts, Art & Archives.
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