Name: Br. Winston C.

Quilaton (ESHT)
Subject: Ecclesiology
Teacher: Rev. Fr. Julius Chelanga, SMA
Date: April 16, 2024

Explain in 2 pages only Vatican 2 understanding of the people of God and how this image of the
church promotes ecumenism that is inclusion of all people as the people of God while giving
importance to the baptized as the people of God; What are the inclusion and exclusion criteria of
membership in the document?

The People of God and Ecumenism: Vatican II’s Vision of Inclusion

The Second Vatican Council, more commonly known as Vatican II, is a significant
moment in the history of the Catholic Church, marking a moment of transformation in the
Church’s relationship with the modern world. One of the key aspects of this transformation was
the Council’s view of the Church as the “People of God,” an idea with far-reaching implications
for the Church’s approach to ecumenism and the inclusion of all individuals.

The document Lumen Gentium, which expounds on the Church, emphasizes the concept
of the Church as the People of God, signifying unity and equality and countering the restrictive
image of the Church as a hierarchical institution exclusive only to clergy. Instead, this view
promotes the inclusion of all baptized individuals in the life and mission of the Church, defining
the members of the Church as dignified equals.

This understanding of the Church as the People of God has significant implications for
ecumenism, particularly in terms of the pursuit of Christian unity. By seeing all baptized
individuals as members of the People of God, the Vatican II vision of the Church advocates for
the inclusion of Christians from different denominations instead of the exclusion of those who do
not belong to the Catholic Church. The recognition of this broader perspective allows for more
flexible boundaries, which are consistent with those of the covenant with Christ, “that is to say,
in His Blood, calling together a people made up of Jew and gentile, making them one, not
according to the flesh but in the Spirit. This was to be the new People of God” (Lumen Gentium
9) and the early Church envisioned in the Acts of the Apostles (2:42). In Lumen Gentium 15, it is
stated that the faithfully baptized are “honored with the name of Christian, though they do not
profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of
Peter,” suggesting that the Church’s boundaries are not as rigid as they might have been viewed
before.

In addition, the document underscores the importance of the “universal call to holiness”
and invites all members of the People of God, irrespective of their role within the Church, to
strive for holiness and contribute to the Church (Lumen Gentium 39-42).

The criteria for membership in the People of God are relatively broad, as the document
states that “All men are called to be part of this catholic unity of the people of God which in
promoting universal peace presages it. And there belong to or are related to it in various ways,
the Catholic faithful, all who believe in Christ, and indeed the whole of mankind, for all men are
called by the grace of God to salvation” (Lumen Gentium 13) - highlighting that the Church is
not restricted to only Catholics. This comprises people who have been baptized in other Christian
denominations as well as those who are seeking the truth and are open to the Gospel, even if they
have not yet been baptized.

Membership in the People of God does come with an acceptance of the teachings of the
Church and the sacraments, particularly baptism (Lumen Gentium 14), but the emphasis is on the
inclusion of all who are willing to embrace the faith, rather than exclusion based on certain
criteria.

In conclusion, the understanding of the Church as the People of God has significant
implications of the Second Vatican Council towards ecumenism and the inclusion of all people.
The recognition of the call to holiness and the dignity of every baptized individual is a major step
forward, promoting unity among all Christians and leaving room for the inclusion of those
seeking the truth but have not yet joined the Church. Furthermore, this paradigm shift in the
Church’s approach echoes a sense of unity and cooperation among Christians and has far-
reaching implications for the way in which the Church continues to interact with the world today.

Primary Reference:

Pope Paul VI (1964). Lumen Gentium. Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. Vatican II.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-
ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html.