Article 12
“In faithfulness therefore to the truth of the Gospel, the Church is following the way of Christ and the apostles when she recognizes and gives support to the principle of religious freedom as befitting the dignity of man and as being in accord with divine revelation.”
A restatement of the prior two articles. Notice the continuity: 1) “the principle of religious freedom,” not the dogma; 2) the Church “recognizes and supports” the principle, not originates it; 3) “as befitting the dignity of man,” not the dignity of God; and 4) “being in accord with divine revelation,” not contained in divine revelation.
“Throughout the ages the Church has kept safe and handed on the doctrine received from the Master and from the apostles.”
A religious statement akin to those marshalled in the last article.
“In the life of the People of God, as it has made its pilgrim way through the vicissitudes of human history, there has at times appeared a way of acting that was hardly in accord with the spirit of the Gospel or even opposed to it.”
A vague sentence. The actor is not clearly identified, and “a way of acting that was hardly in accord with the spirit of the Gospel or even opposed to it” is not defined. To the extent the council fathers meant sin, an educated Catholic layperson would understand its existence.[1] But to say sin has appeared only “at times” is confusing. An educated Catholic layperson would expect that sin has more or less continuously produced bad acts.[2]
“Nevertheless, the doctrine of the Church that no one is to be coerced into faith has always stood firm.”
As already established, an educated Catholic layperson would understand this sentence.
“Thus the leaven of the Gospel has long been about its quiet work in the minds of men, and to it is due in great measure the fact that in the course of time men have come more widely to recognize their dignity as persons, and the conviction has grown stronger that the person in society is to be kept free from all manner of coercion in matters religious.”
Reminiscent of the document’s opening sentence: “A sense of the dignity of the human person has been impressing itself more and more deeply on the consciousness of contemporary man, and the demand is increasingly made that men should act on their own judgment, enjoying and making use of a responsible freedom, not driven by coercion but motivated by a sense of duty [footnote omitted].” Here, however, the council fathers ascribe progressive insight regarding human dignity to the “leaven of the Gospel.” Who had these insights, and whether the insights occurred inside or outside the Church, are left unaddressed.
Conclusion to Article 12
Repetitious and conclusory, this article does not advance the council fathers’ argument.
[1] “In consequence of original. sin human nature, without being totally corrupted, is wounded in its natural powers. It is subject to ignorance, to suffering, and to the dominion of death and is inclined toward sin. This inclination is called concupiscence. [Emphasis in original.]” Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ¶ 77, retrieved on March 6, 2024, from: https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html.
[2] “Sin is present in human history. This reality of sin can be understood clearly only in the light of divine revelation and above all in the light of Christ the Savior of all. Where sin abounded, he made grace to abound all the more. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, ¶ 73, retrieved on March 6, 2024, from: https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html.