Before we look at the words of the Pope himself, we will first read an extract from the Declaration “Dominus Iesus” in the year 2000 from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It is an important declaration because it reflects the Church’s view about other religions, and significantly for us, Pope St. John Paul II ratified and confirmed this declaration and ordered it to be publicized. As a result, the declaration reflects Pope St. John Paul II’s personal view as well.
The declaration reads:
“The Church’s constant missionary proclamation is endangered today by relativistic theories which seek to justify religious pluralism, not only de facto but also de iure (or in principle). As a consequence, it is held that certain truths have been superseded; for example, the definitive and complete character of the revelation of Jesus Christ, the nature of Christian faith as compared with that of belief in other religions….
As a remedy for this relativistic mentality, which is becoming ever more common, it is necessary above all to reassert the definitive and complete character of the revelation of Jesus Christ. In fact, it must be firmly believed that, in the mystery of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God, who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6), the full revelation of divine truth is given””
[1]
A decade prior to this declaration, Pope St. John Paul II said the following in Redemptoris Missio in the year 1990:
“one of the most serious reasons for the lack of interest in the missionary task is a widespread indifferentism, which, sad to say, is found also among Christians. It is based on incorrect theological perspectives and is characterized by a religious relativism which leads to the belief that “one religion is as good as another.” We can add, using the words of Pope Paul VI, that there are also certain “excuses which would impede evangelization. The most insidious of these excuses are certainly the ones which people claim to find support for in such and such a teaching of the Council.” …
Conversion means accepting, by a personal decision, the saving sovereignty of Christ and becoming his disciple. The Church calls all people to this conversion…
it is claimed that it is enough to help people to become more human or more faithful to their own religion, that it is enough to build communities capable of working for justice, freedom, peace and solidarity. What is overlooked is that every person has the right to hear the “Good News” of the God who reveals and gives himself in Christ, so that each one can live out in its fullness his or her proper calling. This lofty reality is expressed in the words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman: “If you knew the gift of God,” and in the unconscious but ardent desire of the woman: “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst” (Jn 4:10, 15).”
[2]
The texts speak for themselves. Pope St John Paul II condemned religious indifferentism. He condemned religious relativism. He condemned the idea that “one religion is as good as another.” He condemned the idea that it is okay for people to just become better humans and more faithful to their own religions and build a better society of freedom, peace and solidarity.
Pope St. John Paul II is not against people becoming better humans and building a better society in terms of justice, freedom, peace and solidarity. But he says that this is only one aspect. People need to hear the Gospel. People need to become Catholic. People need to convert.
The CDF’s Declaration referenced above (Dominus Iesus), which Pope St. John Paul II ratified, confirmed and ordered to be publicized, summarized it well:
“the theory of the limited, incomplete, or imperfect character of the revelation of Jesus Christ, which would be complementary to that found in other religions, is contrary to the Church’s faith… Such a position is in radical contradiction with the foregoing statements of Catholic faith according to which the full and complete revelation of the salvific mystery of God is given in Jesus Christ.
…
With the coming of the Saviour Jesus Christ, God has willed that the Church founded by him be the instrument for the salvation of all humanity… it rules out, in a radical way, that mentality of indifferentism “characterized by a religious relativism which leads to the belief that ‘one religion is as good as another’”. If it is true that the followers of other religions can receive divine grace, it is also certain that objectively speaking they are in a gravely deficient situation in comparison with those who, in the Church, have the fullness of the means of salvation.
…
Indeed, the Church, guided by charity and respect for freedom, must be primarily committed to proclaiming to all people the truth definitively revealed by the Lord, and to announcing the necessity of conversion to Jesus Christ and of adherence to the Church through Baptism and the other sacraments, in order to participate fully in communion with God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus, the certainty of the universal salvific will of God does not diminish, but rather increases the duty and urgency of the proclamation of salvation and of conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
[3]
Now that we know with certainty the personal view of Pope St. John Paul II, individuals can no longer use ignorance as an excuse to interpret the Pope’s views and actions elsewhere in an uncharitable manner.
Sources:
[1] Declaration by the CDF, Dominus Iesus, 2000. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
[2] Pope John Paul II, Encyclical: Redemptoris Mission: On the permanent validity of the Church’s missionary mandate. Given in Rome at St. Peter’s on 7 December, 1990. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_07121990_redemptoris-missio.html
[3] Declaration by the CDF, Dominus Iesus, 2000. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
Terb Rust converted to Catholicism after being raised Protestant in a Calvinist church in South Africa. He vehemently opposed the Catholic faith, but in his search for the truth he was convicted by the very faith he used to attack. His ardent desire to share the faith with others and helping those seeking the truth, led him to create the YouTube channel Redeemed Catholic.
