HERETICAL DECLARATION OF 1965, MADE BY THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL:

 

 

STATEMENT

DIGNITATIS HUMANAE

ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

 

THE RIGHT OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND OF COMMUNITIES
TO SOCIAL AND CIVIL FREEDOM IN RELIGIOUS MATTERS

1. The people of our time are becoming ever more aware of the dignity of the human person, and the number of those who demand that people, in their actions, enjoy and use their own responsible judgment and freedom, guided by a sense of duty and not moved by coercion, is increasing. They likewise call for the legal delimitation of public power, so that the scope of just freedom, both of the individual and of associations, may not be unduly restricted. This demand for freedom in human society relates above all to the goods of the human spirit, especially those pertaining to the free exercise of religion in society. Diligently heeding these aspirations of the mind and aiming to declare how in conformity they are with truth and justice, this Vatican Council studies the sacred tradition and the doctrine of the Church, bringing to light new things, always in harmony with the ancient ones.

First, the sacred Council professes that God revealed to humankind the way by which, serving Him, people can be saved and find happiness in Christ. We believe that this one true religion subsists in the Catholic and Apostolic Church, to which the Lord Jesus entrusted the mission of spreading it to all people, saying to the Apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). For their part, all people are obliged to seek the truth, especially concerning God and His Church, and, once they have come to know it, to embrace and practice it.

The holy Council also acknowledges that these duties affect and bind the consciences of men, and that truth imposes itself only by the force of truth itself, which penetrates souls gently yet powerfully. Now, since the religious freedom that men require for the fulfillment of their obligation to worship God pertains to immunity from coercion in civil society, it leaves intact the traditional Catholic doctrine concerning the moral duty of individuals and societies toward the true religion and the one Church of Christ. Furthermore, in addressing this religious truth, the sacred Council intends to develop the doctrine of recent Popes on the inviolable rights of the human person and on the legal order of society.

CHAPTER I

GENERAL NOTION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Object and foundation of religious freedom

2. This Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom consists in the fact that all people are to be immune from coercion, whether on the part of individuals or social groups or any human authority, in such a way that, in religious matters, no one is to be forced to act against their conscience, nor is anyone prevented from acting in accordance with it, privately or publicly, alone or in association with others, within due limits. It further declares that the right to religious freedom is truly founded on the very dignity of the human person, as understood by the revealed word of God and by natural reason itself. This right of the human person to religious freedom must be recognized in the legal order of society, so that it becomes a civil right.

All people, by virtue of their inherent dignity as persons—that is, endowed with reason and free will, and thus enriched with personal responsibility—are driven by their very nature and morally obligated to seek the truth, especially that which pertains to religion. They are also obliged to accept the known truth and to order their entire lives according to its demands. But people cannot fulfill this obligation in a manner befitting their own nature unless they enjoy both psychological freedom and immunity from external coercion. Consequently, the right to religious freedom is not based on the subjective disposition of the person, but on their very nature. Therefore, the right to this immunity remains even for those who fail to fulfill the obligation to seek and adhere to the truth, and its exercise, provided that just public order is maintained, cannot be impeded.

Religious freedom and man's connection with God

3. All this becomes even clearer to those who consider that the supreme norm of human life is the same divine law—eternal, objective, and universal—by which God orders, directs, and governs the world and the paths of the human community according to the design of his wisdom and love. God makes humanity a sharer in this law, so that, by the gentle disposition of divine Providence, we may come to know the immutable truth more and more. Therefore, everyone has the obligation, and consequently also the right, to seek the truth in religious matters, so that, using appropriate means, they may prudently form upright and true judgments of conscience.

Now, the truth must be sought in a manner appropriate to the dignity of the human person and his social nature, that is, through free inquiry, making use of the teaching or education, communication and dialogue, by means of which some explain to others the truth they have found or believe they have found, to help each other in the search for the truth; and once this is known, it must be firmly accepted with personal assent.

Man perceives and recognizes the dictates of divine law through his conscience; a conscience which he is obliged to follow faithfully in all his activities in order to reach God, who is his end. Therefore, he cannot be forced to act against his conscience. Nor can he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters. For the practice of religion, by its very nature, consists above all in voluntary and free internal acts by which man relates directly to God: acts of this kind cannot be commanded or prohibited by a merely human authority. And the very social nature of man requires that he outwardly manifest his internal acts of religion, that he communicate with others in religious matters, that he profess his religion in a communal way.

It is therefore an affront to the human person and to the order that God has established for men, if, while preserving just public order, man is denied the free exercise of religion in society.

Furthermore, religious acts, through which people, based on their deepest convictions, relate privately and publicly to God, transcend by their very nature the earthly and temporal order. Consequently, civil authority, whose proper purpose is to safeguard the common good in time, must recognize and encourage the religious life of its citizens; however, it exceeds its authority if it attempts to direct or impede religious acts.

The freedom of religious communities

4. The freedom or immunity from coercion in religious matters, which belongs to individuals, must also be recognized when they act collectively. For the social nature of both humankind and religion itself requires religious communities.

These communities, provided that the just requirements of public order are not violated, are entitled by right to immunity to govern themselves according to their own rules, to honor the Divinity with public worship, to assist their members in the exercise of religious life and support them with doctrine, and to promote institutions in which members collaborate in order to order their own lives according to their religious principles.

Religious communities also have the right not to be prevented by legal means or by administrative action of the civil authority from the election, training, appointment and transfer of their own ministers, communication with religious authorities and communities based in other parts of the world, or the selection of religious buildings and the acquisition and use of appropriate property.

Religious communities also have the right not to be prevented from teaching and publicly professing their faith, both orally and in writing. However, in spreading religious faith and introducing customs, one must always abstain from any kind of actions that might smack of coercion or dishonest or less-than-righteous persuasion, especially when dealing with uneducated or needy people. Such behavior should be considered an abuse of one's own rights and an infringement of the rights of others.

Religious freedom also includes the right of religious communities to freely express the unique value of their doctrine for the ordering of society and for the vitalization of all human activity. Finally, the right of individuals, driven by their own religious sentiment, to freely assemble or establish educational, cultural, charitable, and social associations is founded on the social nature of humankind and the very nature of religion.

The religious freedom of the family

5. Every family, as a society possessing its own inherent and fundamental rights, has the right to freely order its domestic religious life under the guidance of the parents. The parents have the right to determine the form of religious education to be given to their children, according to their own religious convictions. Therefore, civil authority must recognize the right of parents to choose schools or other means of education with genuine freedom, without imposing unjust burdens, either directly or indirectly, on them for this freedom of choice. Furthermore, the rights of parents are violated if children are compelled to attend school lessons that do not correspond to the parents' religious beliefs, or if a single educational system is imposed that completely excludes religious instruction.

The promotion of religious freedom

6. Since the common good of society, which is the sum total of the conditions of social life by which men can more fully and easily achieve their own perfection, rests above all on the observance of the rights and duties of the human person, the protection of the right to religious freedom concerns citizens, civil authorities, the Church and other religious communities, according to the particular nature of each of them, taking into account their respective obligation towards the common good.

The protection and promotion of inviolable human rights is an essential duty of all civil authority. Civil power must, therefore, effectively assume responsibility for safeguarding the religious freedom of all citizens through just laws and other suitable means, and facilitate favorable conditions that promote religious life, so that citizens may effectively exercise their religious rights and fulfill their duties, and society itself may thus enjoy the blessings of justice and peace that flow from the fidelity of humankind to God and to His holy will.

If, considering the peculiar circumstances of the peoples, a religious community is given special civil recognition in the legal ordering of society, it is necessary that at the same time the right to freedom in religious matters be recognized and respected for all citizens and religious communities.

Finally, civil authority must ensure that the legal equality of citizens, which also belongs to the common good of society, is never, either openly or secretly, harmed for religious reasons, since no discrimination is made between them.

It follows that public authority cannot force citizens, through coercion, fear, or any other means, to profess or renounce any religion, nor can it prevent anyone from joining or leaving a religious community. And it is all the more contrary to the will of God and to the sacred rights of the human person and family when force is used in any form to eliminate or suppress religion, whether in the whole of humankind, in a particular region, or in a specific group.

The limits of religious freedom

7. The right to religious freedom is exercised in human society and, therefore, its use is subject to certain rules that regulate it.

In exercising all freedoms, one must observe the moral principle of personal and social responsibility: in exercising their rights, each individual and social group is bound by moral law to consider the rights of others, their own duties toward others, and the common good of all. One must act with justice and humanity toward everyone.

Furthermore, since civil society has the right to protect itself against abuses that may occur under the pretext of religious freedom, it is primarily the responsibility of civil authority to provide this protection. However, this must not be done arbitrarily, nor by unfairly favoring one side, but according to legal norms consistent with the objective moral order. These norms are required for the effective protection of these rights for all citizens and for the peaceful balance of such rights, for the proper promotion of honest public peace, which is orderly coexistence in true justice, and for the due safeguarding of public morality. All of this constitutes a fundamental part of the common good and is encompassed in the notion of public order. Moreover, the principle of integral freedom must be observed in society, according to which freedom must be recognized for humankind as broadly as possible and should only be restricted when and to the extent necessary. Education for the exercise of freedom

8. The men of our time are pressured in various ways and are in danger of being deprived of their own freedom of choice. Moreover, there are not a few who are inclined to reject all subjection under the pretext of freedom and to hold due obedience in low regard.

Therefore, this Vatican Council exhorts everyone, but especially those who are responsible for the education of others, to strive to form men in such a way that, respecting the moral order, they obey legitimate authority and are lovers of genuine freedom; men who judge things with their own criteria in the light of truth, who order their activities with a sense of responsibility, and who endeavor to support all that is true and just, gladly associating their actions with others.

Therefore, religious freedom should also be ordered to contribute to men acting more responsibly in fulfilling their own duties in social life.

CHAPTER II

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN THE LIGHT OF REVELATION

The doctrine of religious freedom
Its roots are deeply rooted in Revelation

9. When this Vatican Council declares on the right of man to religious freedom, it bases its declaration on the dignity of the human person, whose demands have become ever more evident to human reason through the experience of the centuries. Moreover, this doctrine of freedom is rooted in divine Revelation, and therefore must be observed all the more religiously by Christians. For although Revelation does not expressly affirm the right to immunity from external coercion in religious matters, it nevertheless manifests the dignity of the human person in all its fullness, demonstrates Christ's approach to human freedom in fulfilling the obligation to believe in the word of God, and teaches us the spirit that the disciples of this Master must recognize and follow in all things. All this clarifies the general principles on which the doctrine of this Declaration on religious freedom is founded. Above all, religious freedom in society is entirely in accord with the freedom of the Christian act of faith.

The freedom of the act of faith

10. It is one of the most important principles of Catholic doctrine, contained in the Word of God and constantly taught by the Fathers, that man, in believing, must respond voluntarily to God, and that, therefore, no one should be forced to embrace the faith against his will. For the act of faith is voluntary by its very nature, since man, redeemed by Christ the Savior and called by Jesus Christ to adoptive sonship, cannot adhere to God who reveals himself, unless, drawn by the Father, he renders to God the rational and free gift of faith. It is therefore entirely in accord with the nature of faith that any kind of imposition by men in religious matters be excluded. Consequently, a regime of religious freedom contributes significantly to fostering that state of affairs in which men can readily be invited to the Christian faith, embrace it of their own volition, and actively profess it in every aspect of their lives.

The behavior of Christ and the Apostles

11. God certainly calls men to serve him in spirit and in truth, and therefore they are bound in conscience, but not coerced. For God takes into account the dignity of the human person whom he himself created, who must be governed by his own will and enjoy freedom. This was made especially evident in Christ Jesus, in whom God perfectly revealed himself and made his ways known. Indeed, Christ, who is our Teacher and Lord, meek and humble of heart, patiently drew and invited the disciples. It is true that he supported and confirmed his preaching with miracles, to stir up and strengthen the faith of his listeners, but not to coerce them. He certainly reproved the unbelief of those who heard him, but left the punishment to God for the day of judgment. When he sent the Apostles into the world, he told them: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). But He, knowing that weeds had been sown among the wheat, commanded that both should be left to grow until the harvest, which will take place at the end of the age. Renouncing being a political Messiah and a ruler by force, He preferred to call Himself the Son of Man, who came “to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He revealed Himself as the perfect Servant of God, who “does not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick” (Matthew 12:20). He recognized civil authority and its rights, commanding that taxes be paid to Caesar, but He clearly warned that the superior rights of God must be respected: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Finally, by completing the work of redemption on the cross, to acquire salvation and true freedom for humankind, He completed His revelation. He bore witness to the truth, but he did not want to impose it by force on those who contradicted him. For his kingdom is not defended by force, but is established by bearing witness to the truth and listening to it, and grows by the love with which Christ, lifted up on the cross, draws people to himself.

The Apostles, taught by the word and example of Christ, followed the same path. From the earliest days of the Church, Christ's disciples strove to lead people to confess Christ as Lord, not through coercion or artifice unworthy of the Gospel, but above all through the power of God's word. They resolutely proclaimed to all the plan of God the Savior, "who desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4); but at the same time, they respected the weak, even those in error, thus demonstrating how "each one will give an account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12), and in the meantime, must obey his conscience. Like Christ, the Apostles were always committed to bearing witness to the truth of God, daring to proclaim with ever greater boldness before the people and the authorities, “the word of God with confidence” (Acts 4:31). For they believed with unwavering faith that the Gospel itself was truly the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. Therefore, despising all “the weapons of the flesh,” and following the example of Christ’s meekness and humility, they preached the word of God, trusting fully in its divine power to destroy the powers that are enemies of God and to lead people to faith in and obedience to Christ. The Apostles, like the Master, recognized legitimate civil authority: “There is no authority except that which God has established,” teaches the Apostle, who consequently commands: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities…” “Whoever resists the authority resists the order established by God” (Rom. 13:1-2). And at the same time, they were not afraid to contradict public power when it opposed the holy will of God: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Countless martyrs and faithful have followed this path throughout the centuries and throughout the world.

The Church follows in the footsteps of Christ and the Apostles

12. The Church, therefore, faithful to the Gospel truth, follows the path of Christ and the Apostles when she recognizes and promotes religious freedom as in accordance with human dignity and God's revelation. Throughout the ages, she has preserved and taught the doctrine received from the Master and the Apostles. Although in the life of the People of God, as they journeyed through the vicissitudes of human history, there have sometimes been behaviors less in accordance with the Gospel spirit, and even contrary to it, the Church has always maintained the doctrine that no one should be forced to embrace the faith.

In this way, the evangelical ferment acted for a long time in the minds of men and contributed powerfully to their being able, over the centuries, to perceive more fully the dignity of their person and to mature the conviction that, in religious matters, this dignity should be preserved within society immune from any human coercion.

The freedom of the Church

13. Among the things that pertain to the good of the Church, indeed to the good of temporal society itself, and which must be preserved at all times and in every place and defended against all injustice, it is certainly of utmost importance that the Church enjoy as much freedom of action as is required for the care of the salvation of humankind. For this is a sacred freedom, with which the Only Begotten Son of God enriched the Church, purchased with his blood. It is truly so intrinsic to the Church that those who oppose it act against the will of God. The freedom of the Church is a fundamental principle in the relations between the Church and public authorities and the entire civil order.

The Church claims for itself freedom in human society and before any public authority, since it is a spiritual authority, established by Christ the Lord, to whom by divine mandate belongs the duty to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Likewise, the Church claims for itself freedom insofar as it is a society of human beings who have the right to live in civil society according to the norms of the Christian faith.

Now, where religious freedom prevails as the norm—not merely proclaimed in words, nor merely sanctioned by laws, but also sincerely put into practice—there, ultimately, the Church achieves the stable condition, both in law and in fact, for the necessary independence in fulfilling its divine mission, an independence that ecclesiastical authorities have most insistently asserted within society. And at the same time, Christian faithful, like all other people, enjoy the civil right not to be prevented from living according to their conscience. There is, therefore, harmony between the freedom of the Church and that religious freedom which must be recognized as a right for all people and communities and sanctioned in the legal system.

Obligation of the Church

14. The Catholic Church, in order to fulfill the divine mandate: "teach all nations" (Mt., 18, 19-20), must strive diligently "so that the word of God may be spread and glorified" (2 Thess., 3, I).

He earnestly begs all his children to first of all to raise up "petitions, supplications, prayers and thanksgivings for all men... For this is good and acceptable to God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

For their part, the faithful, in the formation of their conscience, must diligently pay attention to the sacred and certain doctrine of the Church. For by the will of Christ, the Catholic Church is the teacher of truth, and her mission consists in authentically proclaiming and teaching the truth, which is Christ, and at the same time declaring and confirming with her authority the principles of moral order that flow from human nature itself. Furthermore, let the faithful, be wise in their dealings with unbelievers, and spread the light of life “in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love, in words of truth” (2 Cor. 6:6-7), with all confidence and apostolic zeal, even unto the shedding of blood.

For the disciple has a grave obligation to Christ the Teacher to know better each day the truth he has received from Him, to proclaim it faithfully, and to defend it courageously, excluding any means contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. At the same time, however, Christ's charity urges him to treat with love, prudence, and patience those who live in error or ignorance of the faith. Therefore, one must consider both the duties toward Christ, the life-giving Word that must be preached, and the rights of the human person and the measure of grace that God, through Christ, has bestowed upon humanity, which is invited to receive and profess the faith willingly.

CONCLUSION

15. It is evident, therefore, that the men of our time wish to be able to freely profess religion in private and in public; and even more, that religious freedom is declared as a civil right in many Constitutions and is solemnly recognized in international documents.

But there are regimes in which, although their Constitution recognizes freedom of religious worship, the public authorities themselves strive to prevent citizens from practicing religion and to make life extremely difficult and unsafe for religious communities.

Greeting with joy the auspicious signs of this time, but denouncing with sorrow these deplorable facts, the sacred Council exhorts Catholics and begs all men to consider with the utmost care how necessary religious freedom is, especially in the present conditions of the human family.

It is evident that all peoples are becoming increasingly united, that people of diverse cultures and religions are bound together by closer ties, and that awareness of individual responsibility is growing. Therefore, for peaceful relations and harmony among humankind to be established and consolidated, it is essential that religious freedom be protected by effective legal safeguards throughout the world and that the supreme duties and rights of individuals to freely develop their religious life within society be respected.

May God, the Father of all, grant that the human family, through the diligent observance of religious freedom in society, by the grace of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, may attain to the sublime and unfailing "freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Rom., 8, 21).

Every single thing in this Declaration was pleasing to the Fathers of the Most Holy Council. And We, with the Apostolic authority conferred by Christ, together with the Venerable Fathers, in the Holy Spirit, approve, decree, and establish them, and command that, having been synodally decreed, they be promulgated for the glory of God.

Rome, in St. Peter's, December 7, 1965.

I, PAUL, Bishop of the Catholic Church