Dominus Iesus

Introduction

I. The Fullness and Definitiveness of the Revelation of Jesus Christ

II. The Incarnate Logos and the Holy Spirit in the Work of Salvation

III. Unicity and Universality of the Salvific Mystery of Jesus Christ

IV. Unicity and Unity of the Church

V. The Church: Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Christ

VI. The Church and Other Religions in Relation to Salvation

Conclusion

(This outline retains the original chapter titles, but subtitles have been added under each chapter.)

INTRODUCTION

The Church's Mission and Other Religions

command of the Lord Jesus [1, par 1]:
fundamental contents found in the Creed [1, par 2 & 3]
the task is not yet finished [2, par 1]
it is still a grave responsibility of the Church [2, par 1]
esp. Catholic faith vis-a-vis other religions [2, par 2]
principles governing this relationship [2, par 2]:
hence [2, par 2]:

Threats to This Mission

Why this document? [3, par 1] To remind everyone about certain essential points of faith to ensure both
present-day threats to Church's mission by relativistic theories justifying religious pluralism, both in fact and in principle [4, par 1]
consequently, they deny some truths, [4, par 1] e.g.
What are the roots of the problem? Certain philosophical and theological presuppositions which hinder the understanding and acceptance of revealed truth. [4, par 2]
Examples of these philosophical and theological presuppositions [4, par 2]:
1. divine truth is elusive and inexpressible--it cannot be expressed even by Christian revelation
2. what is true for you may not be true for me
3. the symbolic mentality of the East is worlds apart from the logical mentality of the West
4. reason is the only source of knowledge, but it cannot rise to the truth of being
5. it is difficult to understand and to accept the presence of defnitive and eschatological events in history
6. the Incarnation is not a real historical event, but an appearing of God in history
7. we ought to take on ideas from different philosophies and theologies, ignoring consistency, systematic connection or compatibility with Christian truth (eclecticism)
8. Sacred Scripture can be read and interpreted outside the Tradition and Magisterium of the Church
in such contexts, Christian revelation and the mystery of Jesus Christ and the Church cease to be absolute and universal; at least they are open to doubt [4, par 3]

I. THE FULLNESS AND DEFINITIVENESS OF THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ Has Fully and Definitively Revealed Everything We Need to Know for Salvation

What do we need to reassert? The definitive and complete character of the revelation made by Jesus Christ [5, par 1]
"...it MUST BE FIRMLY BELIEVED that, in the mystery of Jesus Christ ... the full revelation of divine truth is given" [5, par 1; caps supplied]
"we now await no further new public revelation before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum) [5, par 2]
the Church, therefore, cannot but proclaim the Gospel (cf John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, 5) because only the revelation made by Jesus Christ "introduces into our history a universal and ultimate truth" (John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Fides et ratio, 14) [5, par 3]

Errors that Deny This

What error is to be avoided? To think that this revelation is limited, incomplete, or imperfect and can only be completed through the dialogue with other religions [6, par 1]
this is so even if the divine mystery revealed is, in itself transcendent and inexhaustible; and even if it is spoken in human language [6, par 2]
right response to God's revelation is the obedience of faith, of man's submitting his intellect and will to God [7, par 1]
it is a double adherence [7, par 2]:

The Difference Between Catholic Belief and Belief in Another Religion

QUESTION 1: theological faith vs. belief in other religious [7, par 3]:
not distinguishing between the two erases the difference between them, between the Catholic Faith and other religious [7, par 4]
"For this reason, the distinction between theological faith and belief in the other religions, MUST BE FIRMLY HELD" [7, par 3; caps supplied]

The Difference Between Catholic Scriptures and Other Religious Literature

QUESTION 2: sacred writings of other religions: inspired like the Bible?
The books of the Old and New Testament "FIRMLY, FAITHFULLY, AND WITHOUT ERROR, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution Dei verbum, 11)" [8, par 2; caps supplied]

II. THE INCARNATE LOGOS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE WORK OF SALVATION

More than One Unique Logos?

There is a present theological posture that considers Jesus Christ to be only one among many manifestations of the Absolute or the Logos. In other words, it is not true that Jesus Christ = Word/Logos [9, par 1]

Two Plans of Salvation?

Supposition: there exist two economies or plans of salvation [9, par 2]
Why this? To justify [9, par 2]
What does the Church say about these postures? They are "IN PROFOUND CONFLICT WITH THE CHRISTIAN FAITH" [10, par 1; caps supplied]

Jesus, the Christ: Only Son of the Father

"The doctrine of faith MUST BE FIRMLY BELIEVED which proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary, and he alone, is the Son and the Word of the Father." [10, par 1; caps supplied]
Proofs from Sacred Scripture (e.g. Jn 1:18) [10, par 2]
Proofs from the Magisterium

Jesus, the Christ: Only One Person

"It is likewise CONTRARY TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH to introduce a separation between the salvific action of the Word as such and that of the Word made man." [10, par 7]
two natures (human and divine), but only one Subject, one Person acts [10, par 7]
"Therefore, the theory which would attribute ... a salvific activity to the Logos [as God] ..., exercised 'in addition to' or 'beyond' the humanity of Christ, is NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE CATHOLIC FAITH." [10, par 8; caps supplied]

Only One Plan of Salvation

"...the doctrine of faith regarding the unicity of the salvific economy willed by the One and Triune God MUST BE FIRMLY BELIEVED, at the source and centre of which is the mystery of the incarnation of the Word" [11, par 1]
Proofs from Sacred Scripture [11, par 1]
Proofs from the Magisterium (e.g. Council of Trent, Decretum de peccato originali, 3; Vatican Council II, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes, 45) [11, par 2]

Holy Spirit's Salvific Action More Universal?

"...the hypothesis of an economy of the Holy Spirit with a more universal breadth than that of the Incarnate Word...is CONTRARY TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH, which, on the contrary, considers the salvific incarnation of the Word as a trinitarian event." [12, par 1; caps supplied]
Proof from Magisterium (Vatican Council II, Gaudium et spes, 22;; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 28.
We affirm that [12, pars 2-8]

III. UNICITY AND UNIVERSALITY OF THE SALVIFIC MYSTERY OF JESUS CHRIST

Jesus, the Christ: Only Saviour and Mediator

The thesis which denies that the mystery of Jesus Christ is not unique and is not universally salvific "HAS NO BIBLICAL FOUNDATION" [13, par 1; caps supplied]
that "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Lord and only Saviour, ... through the event of his incarnation, death and resurrection has brought the history of salvation to fulfillment,, and which has in him its fullness and centre, MUST BE FIRMLY BELIEVED as a constant element of the Church's faith." [13, par 1; caps supplied]
Proofs from Scripture [13, pars 2-5]
1. "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12; cf I Jn 4:14; Jn 1:29; Acts 10: 36,42,43)
2. "God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all" (I Tim 2:4-6; cf I Cor 8:5-6; Jn 3:16-17). Note the connection between the universal salvific will of God and the sole mediation of Jesus Christ.
Proofs from Tradition (cf, for example, St Augustine De civitate Dei): "apart from this way [Christ] no one has been set free, no one is being set free, no one will be set free." [13, footnote 42]
Proofs from Magisterium (cf, for example, Vatican II, Gaudium et spes, 10. [13, par 5]

Other Mediators?

"It MUST therefore BE FIRMLY BELIEVED ... that the universal salvific will ... is offered and accomplished once for all in the mystery of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of the Son of God." [12, par 1]
other religions are "participated forms of mediation" which "acquire meaning and value only from Christ's own mediation" [12, par 2]
to think that there exists "a salvific action of God beyond the unique mediation of Christ would be CONTRARY TO CHRISTIAN AND CATHOLIC FAITH." [12, par 2]

Unique and Singular, Exclusive, Universal, Absolute

theology cannot avoid these terms because they reflect reality [15, par 1]
Proof from Sacred Scripture (Mt 11:27; Jn 1:12; 5:25-26; 17:2) [15, par 1]
Proof from Magisterium (Vatican Council II, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et spes, 45) [15, par 2]

IV. UNICITY AND UNITY OF THE CHURCH

Church is One with Christ

Jesus Christ "is in the Church and the Church is in him (cf Jn 15:1ff; Gal 3:28; Eph 4:15-16; Acts 9:5)" [16, par 1]
"Therefore, the fullness of Christ's salvific mystery belongs also to the Church [16, par 1]
Images used of the Church which show her unity with Christ: [16, par 1]

Only One Christ, Only One Church

"...the unicity of the Church founded by [Christ] MUST BE FIRMLY BELIEVED as a truth of Catholic faith.

Catholic Church Historically Continuous with the Church Founded by Christ

"The Catholic faithful ARE REQUIRED TO PROFESS that there is a historical continuity--rooted in the apostolic succession--between the Church founded by Christ and the Catholic Church." [16, par 3; caps added]
Church founded by Christ subsists in the Catholic Church
the phrase "subsists in" brings together two doctrinal statements: [16, par 3]
"...the thesis that the one Church of Christ could subsist also in non-Catholic Churches and ecclesial communities is therefore CONTRARY TO the authentic meaning of Lumen gentium" [16, footnote 56]

Status of Non-Catholic Denominations?

They are true particular Churches which [17, par 1]
They are not Churches in the proper sense which [17, par 2]
What Christian faithful cannot hold as true:
lack of unity among Christians = wound for the Church [17, par 5]

V. THE CHURCH: KINGDOM OF GOD AND KINGDOM OF CHRIST

"Church" and "Kingdom"

Church: Sacrament and Sign, Present Reality, Preparation for Glory [18, par 1-2]
"Kingdom", "Christ", "Church": Distinct Yet United [18, par 3-4]
"Church" is not Christ, is not the kingdom, but is indissolubly united to both [18, par 4]

Serving the Kingdom but Forgetting Christ and the Church

Denying the unicity of the relationship which Christ and the Church have with the kingdom of God is CONTRARY TO CATHOLIC FAITH. [19, par 3]
Stress on the kingdom not concerned about itself: "Church for others" [19, par 2]
Consequent theses: [19, par 3]

VI. THE CHURCH AND OTHER RELIGIONS IN RELATION TO SALVATION

Can Everyone Be Saved? What Need Is There for the Church?

"Above all else, IT MUST BE FIRMLY BELIEVED that 'the Church ... is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church.'" [20, par 2]
Proofs from Sacred Scripture (words of Jesus Christ himself):
Proofs from recent Magisterium: "real possibility of salvation in Christ for all mankind AND necessity of the Church for this salvation" [20, par 2, and footnotes 77 and 78]
everyone can draw from the fruits of Christ's sacrifice which has an infinite merit, but these fruits are channeled through the one Church he founded [20, par 3]

How does Christ's Grace Come to Non-Christians?

this question is the subject of more reflection and study because it touches the mystery of God's saving will
nonetheless, "...it is clear that it would be CONTRARY TO THE FAITH to consider the Church as one way of salvation" together with other religions which complement the Church or are substantially equivalent to her [21, par 1]

How About Rituals of Other Religions?

They are a preparation for the Gospel: they are occasions or pedagogical aids which help the human heart open up to God's action [21, par 2]
"One cannot attribute to these, however, a divine origin or an ex opere operato salvific efficacy, which is proper to the Christian sacraments." [21, par 2]
It must be remembered as well that, insofar as they derive from superstitions or other errors, rituals can be an obstacle to salvation. [21, par 2]

Respect vis-a-vis Indifferentism, Dialogue Plus Mission

respect for all religions [22, par 1]; respect for freedom, and charity above all [22, par 2]
indifferentism = "one religion is as good as another" [22, par 1]
Dialogue should be inspired by a search for the truth: "God 'desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth' (I Tim 2:4)" [22, par 2]
hence, the "Church must be missionary" [22, par 2]
"Equality ... refers to the equal personal dignity of the parties in dialogue, not to doctrinal content, nor even less to the position of Jesus Christ ... in relation to the founders of the other religions." [22, par 2]

CONCLUSION

Intention of this Declaration: "I handed on to you as of first importance what I myself received (I Cor 15:3)" [23, par 1]
"... all persons are required to seek the truth, and when they come to know it, to embrace it and hold fast to it." [23, par 2]
"Jesus destroys the walls of division and creates unity in a new and unsurpassed way..." [23, 3]

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