John Paul II and the Legacy of Dignitatis Humanae

It was by far the controversial document to emerge from Vatican II--Dignitatis Humanae, or the Declaration on Religious Freedom. Drafted largely by prominent Jesuit theologian John Courtney Murray, it represented a departure from previous Catholic teachings in that it acknowledged and accepted as normative the separation between church and state and declared religious freedom a fundamental human right. In doing this, it set forth rigid guidelines for the role of the Carholic Church in secular liberal and pluralistic societies.

Nearly four decades later, Herminio Rico examines the continued relevance of this declaration in today's world, compares its most paradigmatic interpretations, and proposes a reconsideration of its import for contemporary church-society relationships. He offers a detailed analysis of how Pope John Paul II has appropriated, interpreted, and developed the main themes of the document, and how he applied them to such contentious modern issues as the fall of Communism and the rise of secular pluralism. Of interest to students of Catholic thought, church-society relationships, the legacy of John Courtney Murray, and the teachings of John Paul II.