Roman Catholic Church Christianity in the 20th century

1 roman catholic church

1.1 india , china
1.2 second vatican council
1.3 modernism , liberation theology
1.4 social , sexuality issues
1.5 persecutions of roman catholic clergy

roman catholic church
india , china

in 1939 pope pius xii, within weeks of coronation, radically reverted 250-year-old vatican policy , permitted veneration of dead family members. church began flourish again twenty new arch-dioceses, seventy-nine dioceses , thirty-eight apostolic prefects, until 1949, when communist revolution took on country.

second vatican council

a major event of second vatican council, known vatican ii, issuance pope paul vi , patriarch athenagoras of joint expression of regret many of past actions had led great schism between western , eastern churches, expressed catholic-orthodox joint declaration of 1965. @ same time, lifted mutual excommunications dating 11th century.

intended continuation of vatican i, under pope john xxiii council developed engine of modernisation. tasked making historical teachings of church clear modern world , made pronouncements on topics including nature of church, mission of laity , religious freedom. council approved revision of liturgy , permitted latin liturgical rites use vernacular languages latin during mass , other sacraments. efforts church improve christian unity became priority. in addition finding common ground on issues protestant churches, catholic church has discussed possibility of unity eastern orthodox church.

vatican ii reaffirmed vatican taught papal primacy , infallibility, added important points bishops. bishops, says, not vicars of roman pontiff . rather, in governing local churches vicars , legates of christ . together, form body, college , head pope. episcopal college responsible well-being of universal church. here in nutshell basic elements of council s much-discussed communio ecclesiology, affirms importance of local churches , doctrine of collegiality.

changes old rites , ceremonies following vatican ii produced variety of responses. stopped going church, while others tried preserve old liturgy of sympathetic priests. these formed basis of today s traditionalist catholic groups, believe reforms of vatican ii have gone far. liberal catholics form dissenting group feel vatican ii reforms did not go far enough. liberal views of theologians such hans küng , charles curran led church withdrawal of authorization teach catholics. according professor thomas bokenkotter, catholics accepted changes more or less gracefully . in 2007, benedict xvi reinstated old mass option, celebrated upon request faithful.

a new codex juris canonici - canon law called john xxiii, promulgated pope john paul ii on january 25, 1983. includes numerous reforms , alterations in church law , church discipline latin church. replaced 1917 version issued benedict xv.

modernism , liberation theology

in 1960s, growing social awareness , politicization in latin american church gave birth liberation theology. peruvian priest gustavo gutiérrez became primary proponent, , in 1979 bishops conference in mexico officially declared latin american church s preferential option poor . archbishop Óscar romero, supporter of movement, became region s famous contemporary martyr in 1980, when murdered while saying mass forces allied government.

both pope john paul ii , pope benedict xvi (as cardinal ratzinger) denounced movement. brazilian theologian leonardo boff twice ordered cease publishing , teaching. while pope john paul ii criticized severity in dealing proponents of movement, maintained church, in efforts champion poor, should not resorting violence or partisan politics. movement still alive in latin america today, though church faces challenge of pentecostal revival in of region.

social , sexuality issues

quadragesimo anno issued pope pius xi on 15 may 1931, 40 years after rerum novarum. unlike leo, addressed condition of workers, pius xi concentrated on ethical implications of social , economic order. called reconstruction of social order based on principle of solidarity , subsidiarity. noted major dangers human freedom , dignity, arising unrestrained capitalism , totalitarian communism.

the social teachings of pope pius xii repeated these teachings , applied them in greater detail not workers , owners of capital, other professions such politicians, educators, housewives, farmers bookkeepers, international organizations, , aspects of life including military. going beyond pius xi, defined social teachings in areas of medicine, psychology, sport, tv, science, law , education. there virtually no social issue, pius xii did not address , relate christian faith. called pope of technology , willingness , ability examine social implications of technological advances. dominant concern continued rights , dignity of individual. beginning of space age @ end of pontificate, pius xii explored social implications of space exploration , satellites on social fabric of humanity asking new sense of community , solidarity in light of existing papal teachings on subsidiarity.

the sexual revolution of 1960s brought challenging issues church. pope paul vi s 1968 encyclical humanae vitae reaffirmed catholic church s traditional view of marriage , marital relations , asserted continued proscription of artificial birth control. in addition, encyclical reaffirmed sanctity of life conception natural death , asserted continued condemnation of both abortion , euthanasia grave sins equivalent murder.

efforts consider ordination of women led pope john paul ii issue 2 documents explain church teaching. mulieris dignitatem issued in 1988 clarify women s equally important , complementary role in work of church. in 1994, ordinatio sacerdotalis explained church extends ordination men in order follow example of jesus, chose men specific duty.

persecutions of roman catholic clergy

during mexican revolution between 1926 , 1934, on 3,000 priests exiled or assassinated. in effort prove god not defend church , president plutarco elías calles ordered hideous desecration of churches ... there parodies of (church) services, nuns raped , priests captured ... shot ... . calles deposed, , despite persecution, church in mexico continued grow. 2000 census reported 88% of mexicans identify catholic.

in 1954, under regime of general juan perón, argentina saw extensive destruction of churches, denunciations of clergy , confiscation of catholic schools perón attempted extend state control on national institutions. cuba, under atheist fidel castro, succeeded in reducing church s ability work deporting archbishop , 150 spanish priests, discriminating against catholics in public life , education , refusing accept them members of communist party. subsequent flight of 300,000 people island helped diminish church there.

persecutions of catholic church took place not in mexico in 20th-century spain , soviet union. pius xi called terrible triangle . harsh persecution short of total annihilation of clergy, monks, , nuns , other people associated church began in 1918 , continued 1930s. spanish civil war started in 1936, during thousands of churches destroyed , thirteen bishops , 6,832 clergy , religious spaniards assassinated.

after church persecutions in mexico, spain , soviet union, pius xi defined communism main adversary of catholic church in encyclical divini redemptoris issued on march 19, 1937. blamed western powers , media conspiracy of silence on persecutions carried out communist, socialist , fascist forces.