THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Introduction
... Therefore, We think it Our duty to explain the more important headings of the true Catholic doctrine on the nature of the Church, its properties, and its power; the growing errors opposed to these, We shall condemn in articles sub-joined in the form of canons.
Chapter 1. The Church Is the Mystical Body of Christ
The only-begotten Son of God who enlightens every man who comes into this world (see John 1:9) and who has never in any age failed to proffer his help to the wretched sons of Adam, now in the fullness of time, which had been determined in the eternal plan, being made like unto man in a visible way (see Phil. 2:7), appeared visibly in the assumed form of our body so that carnal men of this earth might put on the new man, who has been created according to God in justice and holiness of truth (see Eph. 4:24), and form a mystical body whose head would be Christ himself. Indeed, to bring about this union of a mystical body, Christ the Lord instituted the holy washing of regeneration and renovation so that the sons of men, divided among themselves for many different reasons, especially because they are sunk in sin, being cleansed from all stain of guilt, might be members of one another (see Eph. 4:25); and, being joined to their divine Head by faith, by hope, and by charity, they all might be given life in His one spirit, and receive copiously the gifts of heavenly graces and charisms. And this is the magnificent beauty of the Church, whose head is Christ (see Col. 1:18), from whom the whole body—fitted together and connected by the aid of every joint with a view to the operation in due measure of each one of its parts—from whom the whole body takes its growth, so as to build itself up in charity (see Eph. 4:16). And We cannot recommend sufficiently that this idea be presented to the minds of the faithful and there be deeply and firmly rooted.
Chapter 2. The Christian Religion Cannot Be Practiced Except in and Through the Church That Christ Founded
The author and perfecter of faith, Jesus himself, founded and instituted this Church, which He purchased for himself with His own blood, and loved it eternally as His only chosen spouse. And He gave the command that it should be gathered from the whole human race, taught, and guided perpetually throughout the whole world until the end of time by His apostles and their successors, that there might be one holy nation, one acceptable people, pursuing good works (see Titus 2:14). And it is not the doctrine of the law of the gospel that true worshippers, taken singly and alone, adore the Father in spirit and in truth without any kind of society; but our Redeemer determined his religion to be so much a part of the society He founded that it was to be intimately connected to and, as it were, grown together with his society, and that outside this society there would be no true religion of Christ.
Chapter 3. The Church Is a True, Perfect, Spiritual, and Supernatural Society
The Church has all the qualities of a true society. Christ did not leave this society indeterminate and without form. But just as it has its existence from Him, so too it has received its form of existence and its constitution according to His will and His law. The Church is not a member or a part of any other society whatsoever, and it does not and cannot coalesce with any other. But it is so perfect in itself that, although it is distinct from all other human societies, it is nevertheless far superior to them. For, having proceeded from the never-failing font of mercy of the divine Father, and established through the ministry and work of the very Word Incarnate, this society rests on the Holy Ghost. This Holy Ghost, who first was given in such fullness to the apostles, now also is perpetually given in abundance to the sons of adoption so that, shining with His light and with one faith in their minds, they both adhere to God and remain united. Thus, bearing within their hearts the assurance of their inheritance, they can free the desires of the flesh from that corruption of concupiscence which is in the world. And strengthened in one holy and common hope, they may desire the promised eternal glory of God, and as a consequence make their calling and election sure by good works (see II Pet. 1:10). Since, however, in the Church men are multiplied by these treasures through the Holy Ghost and held together in unity by these ties of the Holy Ghost, the Church is a spiritual society and entirely of the supernatural order.
Chapter 4. The Church Is a Visible Society
No one should ever believe that the members of the Church are united with merely internal, hidden bonds and that, therefore, they constitute a hidden and completely invisible society. For the eternal wisdom and power of the Godhead willed that, to these spiritual and invisible bonds by which the faithful through the Holy Ghost adhere to the supreme and invisible head of the Church, there should be corresponding external, visible bonds also in order that this spiritual and supernatural society might appear in external form and be conspicuously evident. Consequently, there is a visible teaching authority which publicly proposes dogma that must be interiorly believed and openly professed. There is a visible priestly office which publicly supervises and takes care of the visible mysteries of God by which interior sanctification is conferred on men and due worship is paid to God. There is a visible governing body which orders the union of the members among themselves and which guides and directs the whole external and public life of the faithful in the Church. Finally, the whole body of the Church is visible; and not only the just or the predestined belong to it, but also those who are in sin, but who are linked with it by their common profession of faith. Thus the Church of Christ on earth is neither invisible nor hidden; but it is placed in clear view like a city set upon a mountain, high and brilliant, impossible to hide, and like a lamp on a lampstand (see Matt. 5:15) that is illuminated by the sun of justice and shines on the whole world with the light of its truth.
Chapter 5. The Visible Unity of the Church
Since this is the nature of the true Church of Christ, We declare that this visible and conspicuous society is that very same Church of the divine promises and mercies, which Christ willed to characterize and adorn with so many prerogatives and privileges. We declare that it has been so plainly determined in its founding that any societies whatsoever that are separated from the unity of faith or from communion with this body cannot in any way be said to be a part or a member of it. And it cannot be said to be diffused and distributed among the various Christian denominations; but it is an integrated unit, entirely coherent; and, in its conspicuous unity, it shows itself an undivided and indivisible body, which is the true mystical body of Christ. The Apostle says of it: "One body, one spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and throughout all, and in us all" (Eph. 4:4-6).
Chapter 6. The Church Is a Society Absolutely Necessary for Salvation
Therefore, let all understand how necessary a society the Church of Christ is for obtaining salvation. Indeed, it is just as necessary as participation in, and conjunction with, Christ the head and His mystical body is necessary. Christ Himself nourishes and fosters as His Church no communion other than this body. He loved it and delivered himself up for it that he might sanctify it, cleansing it in the washing of water by means of the word of life, so that he might present to himself the Church in all its glory, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it might be holy and with-out blemish (see Eph. 5:25-28). Therefore, We teach that the Church is not a free society, as if it were a matter indifferent to salvation whether it were known or ignored entered or abandoned; but the Church is absolutely necessary, and, indeed, not just with a necessity coming from the precept of the Lord by which the Savior commanded all nations to enter it; but it is also necessary as a means because, in the order of salvation established by Providence, the communication of the Holy Ghost and the participation of truth and life is not had except in the Church and through the Church of which Christ is the head.
Chapter 7. Outside the Church No One Can Be Saved
Furthermore, it is a dogma of faith that no one can be saved outside the Church. Nevertheless, those who are invincibly ignorant of Christ and His Church are not to be judged worthy of eternal punishment because of this ignorance. For they are innocent in the eyes of the Lord of any fault in this matter. God wishes all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth; and if one does what he can, God does not withhold the grace for him to obtain justification and eternal life. But no one obtains eternal life if he dies separated from the unity of faith or from communion with the Church through his own fault. If anyone is not in this ark while the flood rages, he will perish. Therefore, We reject and detest that irreverent and irrational doctrine of religious indifferentism by which the children of this world, failing to distinguish between truth and error, say that the gate of eternal life is open to anyone, no matter what his religion. Or else they say that, with regard to religious truth, only opinion in varying degrees of probability is possible and certainty cannot be had. Likewise, We condemn the ungodliness of those who shut the door to the kingdom of heaven to their fellow men with the false pretense that to desert the religion in which one was born, or educated and brought up, even if that religion is false, is unbecoming; or that it is not at all necessary for salvation. They blame the Church for professing itself to be the only true religion and for condemning and proscribing all religions and sects separated from communion with it, as if justice could ever have anything in common with iniquity, or light associate with darkness, or Christ meet with Belial.
Chapter 8. The Indefectibility of the Church
We declare, moreover, that, whether one considers its existence or its constitution, the Church of Christ is an everlasting and indefectible society, and that, after it, no more complete nor more perfect economy of salvation is to be hoped for in this world. For, to the very end of the world the pilgrims of this earth are to be saved through Christ. Consequently, His Church, the only society of salvation, will last until the end of the world ever unchangeable and unchanged in its constitution. Therefore, although the Church is growing—and We wish that it may always grow in faith and charity for the upbuilding of Christ's body—although it evolves in a variety of ways according to the changing times and circumstances in which it is constantly displaying activity, nevertheless, it remains unchangeable in itself and in the constitution it received from Christ. Therefore, Christ's Church can never lose its properties and its qualities, its sacred teaching authority, priestly office, and governing body, so that through his visible body, Christ may always be the way, the truth, and the life for all men.
Chapter 9. The Infallibility of the Church
Furthermore, the Church would lose its immutability and dignity and it would cease being a life-giving society and a necessary means of salvation if it could wander from the safe path of truth in matters of faith and morals and if, in preaching and explaining these matters, it could deceive or be deceived. But it is the pillar and mainstay of the truth (see I Tim. 3:15); and therefore it is free and immune from every danger of error and untruth. With the approval of the sacred general council, We teach and declare that the quality of infallibility, which has been revealed as a perpetual prerogative of the Church of Christ, which should not be confused with the charism of inspiration, and which does not look to enriching the Church with new revelations, has been conferred for this reason that the word of God, whether it be written or handed down, may in the whole Church of Christ be proclaimed in its entirety and kept immune from any corruption of novelty and change, according to the command of the Apostle: "O Timothy, guard the trust and keep free from profane novelties in speech and the contradictions of so-called knowledge, which some have professed and have fallen away from the faith" (I Tim. 6:20). And the Apostle again emphasizes this when he writes: "Hold to the form of sound teaching which thou hast heard from me, in the faith and charity which are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good trust through the Holy Ghost, who dwells in us" (II Tim. 1:13 f.).
We teach, therefore, that the object of infallibility extends as far as the deposit of faith and as far as the office of guarding it demands. And so We teach that the prerogative of infallibility with which Christ's Church is endowed embraces not only the whole revealed word of God but also everything that, although in itself not revealed, is necessary for safe-guarding the revealed word, for certainly and definitively proposing and explaining it for belief, or for legitimately asserting and defending it against the errors of men and the contrary oppositions of so-called knowledge. However, this infallibility, the purpose of which is to maintain in the society of the faithful unsullied truth in its teaching of faith and morals, belongs to the teaching authority which Christ instituted in perpetuity in His Church when He said to the apostles: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world" (Matt. 28:19 f). And Christ promised them the Spirit of His truth who would dwell with them forever, would be in them, and would teach them all truth (see John 14:16 f.; 16:13).
Chapter 10. The Power of the Church
Christ's Church is not a society of equals as if all the faithful in it had the same rights; but it is a society in which not all are equal. And this is so not only because some of the faithful are clerics and some laymen, but especially because in the Church there is a power of divine institution, by which some are authorized to sanctify, teach, and govern, and others do not have this authority. Since, however, there is a twofold power in the Church, one called the power of orders and the other called the power of jurisdiction, We teach with regard to this latter power in particular that it is jurisdiction that is absolute and perfectly complete, legislative, judicial, and coercive, and that it pertains not only to the internal and sacramental forum but also to the external and public. The subjects of this power are the pastors and teachers appointed by Christ; and they exercise it freely and independently of any secular control; and, therefore, with all authority (see Titus 2:15), they rule the Church of God with laws that are necessary and binding in conscience, with judicial decrees, and, finally, with salutary punishments for offenders even though they are unwilling; and this applies not only in matters of faith and morals, of worship, and of sanctification, but also in those matters which pertain to the external discipline and administration of the Church. Hence, we must believe Christ's Church is a perfect society. This true and highly favored Church of Christ is none other than the one, holy, Catholic, apostolic, and Roman Church.
From The Church Teaches: The third session of the Vatican Council on April 24, 1870, dealt primarily with faith and revelation (see introd. to 58), but in the same place it dealt with the position of the Church as guardian and teacher of the revealed word (see 67, 80) and as a visible proof of its own divine mission (see 68). Originally the council, the twentieth ecumenical council of the Church, had planned to define much more on the constitution and nature of the Church; but there was not enough time to complete its work. The first draft of the constitution (see Collectio Lacensis, VII, 567g.) contains no official teaching on the part of the Church, since it was never voted upon by the fathers in solemn assembly. However, since it had been carefully prepared by theologians and presented to the fathers of the council, the draft may be said to reflect the mind of the teaching Church at that time. Its theological value is further attested by the conformity evident between it and later papal pronouncements on the nature and properties of the Church.
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