rain and the rhinoceros

The movement from Pastor Aeternus of Vatican I to Lumen Gentium of Vatican II marks a significant shift of emphasis in Roman Catholic ecclesiology. Both documents reflect the mood and tone of the Councils in which they were promulgated. Pastor Aeternus is representative of the culmination of a long-standing concern of the Catholic Church to defend the legitimacy of the papacy against its detractors. Strong defenses are made for both Apostolic Succession and the primacy of the Roman Pontiff and the faithful are warned that if they do not comply they will be anathema. When the clergy and laity are mentioned it is only in reference to the importance of their submission and obedience to the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ (3:1; 3:2). All of this is emphasized for the sake of Christian unity.

When viewed side by side the documents appear to be coming from radically different worlds of thought. In terms of style and language, Lumen Gentium is more pastoral and homiletic in tone; it is written to persuade rather than to simply promulgate. Furthermore, there is a distinct focus on biblical images of the church, such as the people of God and mystical body of Christ. In contrast to Pastor Aeternus, Lumen Gentium emphasizes the role of the laity and the local church as playing a significant part in forging the identity of the Catholic Church. Perhaps the greatest shift in emphasis between the two documents is the recognition that the church is more than just an institution.

Upon closer investigation, a continuity becomes evident between the documents. In chapter three of Lumen Gentium, there is a reiteration of the Vatican I’s emphasis on the apostolic continuity of the hierarchal structure of the institutional Church. However, even these statements, in keeping with the general tone of the document, emphasize the role of the episcopate in the local Church and the building of the whole people of God.