PASTORAL CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH IN THE MODERN WORLD (Gaudium et Spes) 
Promulgated, Paul VI, Dec. 8, 1965

GS on the Church in the modern world. It describes the present world, in profound change and as place of hopes and anxieties, affirming the Church’s solidarity with all men. 

The Constitution acknowledges the profound changes humanity is experiencing and attempts to relate the church's concept of itself and of revelation to the needs and values of contemporary culture. 

The tone of the pastoral constitution on the church in the modern world was set in its opening words, which declared that the church shared the "joy and hope, the grief and anguish of contemporary humanity, particularly of the poor and afflicted." It began with a theological analysis of humanity and the world, then turned to specific areas such as marriage and family, cultural, social, and economic life, the political community, war and peace, and international relations. 

Among the outstanding topics, those contained in Schema 13 command the greatest interest. For this is the schema on the Church in the modern world. The Council must show that in its debates it is not moving on the abstract plane; the Church is in this world, committed to it by a divine commission. Of all the topics discussed, probably none has been more widely awaited. No schema has passed through more stages, none has suffered greater amendment. This schema is entrusted to two commissions working together -- the Commission for Theology and the Commission for the Lay Apostolate. In February 1965 the revised text (that is, the text in its fourth form) was examined by the mixed commission, and a further meeting was to be held before the text was to be sent to the bishops. In this text there are stated the questions and problems that the modern world puts to the Church, and the fields in which it seeks the Church's co-operation. Then the text outlines the things on which the Church is competent to pronounce, while a brief analysis of history shows how mistakes have been made in the past when the Church became involved in political systems. Under the headings of anthropology, sociology and cosmology, the text then details the attitude of the Church to the modern world.  

The extreme complexity of these problems is shown by the fact that seven distinct sub-committees are at work. These sub-committees deal with: the basis in theology; the general manner of presentation; the question of man's presence in society; marriage; social and economic questions; peace and war -- including nuclear war and disarmament; and finally questions of modern culture.

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Last Updated: Saturday, December 01, 2001 12:40:02 PM