Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, issued on December 7, 1965, the final month of the last session of the Second Vatican Council, is addressed to all of humanity.
It seeks to lay out the Catholic vision of the human person, made in the image of God and redeemed in Christ, and to address the current challenges and problems of the age in light of Catholic social teaching.
Gaudium et Spes, because it speaks to more practical concerns, is probably the most quoted and read document of the council.
In light of the vast changes wrought in the 20th century through technological advances, increased communication, the beginning of a cultural globalization, as well as the vast challenges of the rise of Communism, the devastation of the world wars, the surge of atheism as a system of thought, the increasing economic imbalances of the world, and the impact of the sexual revolution, which was just beginning, the Council Fathers sought to reiterate the ancient wisdom of the Church regarding human identity, the need for a just social order, the importance of marriage and family as the building block of society, and the urgency of a lasting peace.
A message to the modern world
When I reread Gaudium et Spes, I was reminded how traditional it is; the document seeks to help modern humanity understand themselves and the vast fields of culture, politics, economics, and history through the lens of God’s plan and purpose.
In 1965, the world stood on a precipice of possibilities, in a Dickens’ “It was the best of times and the worst of times” scenario.
“In no other age has mankind enjoyed such an abundance of wealth, resources and economic well-being; and yet a huge proportion of the world is plagued by hunger and extreme need . . . At no time have men had such a keen sense of freedom, only to be faced by new forms of slavery in living and thinking. There is on the one hand a lively feeling of unity and of compelling solidarity, of mutual dependence, and on the other a lamentable cleavage of bitterly opposing camps.” (#4)
Gaudium et Spes sought to teach the modern world that only by knowing our deepest identity as children of God, created in His image and likeness and redeemed by Christ, could the human project progress in justice, mercy and love.
Ceaselessly proclaiming the salvation offered us by Christ, the Church lifts up the gift of the intellect to know the truth, the responsibility of moral conscience to choose the good, the excellence of freedom to achieve true greatness, the belief in the immortality of the soul as the pillars to build a society in which every person is welcomed, nurtured, and able to realize their potential as a child of God.
Modern atheism, agnosticism, and religious indifferentism all push God out of the equation, either asserting that our human existence has no inherent meaning or that life’s purpose is left to each individual to create.
This radical rejection of God and absolute Truth was the source of the violence, war, injustice, poverty, fear, and despair which afflicted modern man.
In the last 60 years, we can certainly observe how secularity, relativism, materialism, and a growing indifference to religion have eroded the very foundations of our society.
The goodness of the world
Gaudium et Spes affirms the goodness of the world and frames the Church as a servant of the common good and the dignity of the human person.
In that context, all political, cultural, and economic activity must have the flourishing of every individual as its ultimate purpose.
An absolute respect for human life from the moment of conception, the goodness of marriage and family in God’s plan of salvation, the need to purify culture in light of the Gospel, especially regarding human rights and responsibilities, the right for everyone to both participate and benefit from the economy through the dignity of work, and the requirement of just and participative political systems which authentically seek the common good, are all substantial themes of the document.
Gaudium et Spes finishes with an articulate definition of authentic peace and a plea for an end to war.
The fact that the Second Vatican Council opened the same week as the Cuban Missile Crisis was unfolding in October 1962, gives a startling context to this urgent call for a new social order, where violence and aggression no longer exist.
Only two months before Gaudium et Spes was promulgated, St. Paul VI had addressed the United Nations in New York City, famously exhorting, “No more war; war never again.”
In many ways, the ideals and teachings of Gaudium et Spes are both affirmations of the progress and fruitfulness of the Church’s mission for the last 57 years, as well as a reminder that we have a long way to go.
I encourage everyone to not only read and study this document, but also the social teachings of the Church in general.
They have much to teach and inspire us, as we seek to build a civilization of love and a culture of life, ready for the coming of the Kingdom of God.