THE 614 The Church in the Modern World
The turn of the nineteenth century marked a new stage in the engagement of the Church with the modern world and with modern thought, influenced so profoundly in the West by the ‘Enlightenment.’ This course explores various dimensions of this engagement, especially as articulated in the Papal and Conciliar magisterium. Attention is also given to the emergence of a variety of new Christian movements and spiritualties, and the influence of notable saints of the period, and, where appropriate, to the contributions of some important theologians of the era. The course will seek to follow the engagement as it matures, addressing such topics as developments in economics, science and technology, culture, attitudes to other religions and Christian communities, and changes in the political landscape. Within the overall trajectory of the Church’s dialogue with the modern world, particular attention will be given to the documents of the Second Vatican Council as a high point in this engagement. Vatican II’s implementation and interpretation, in continuity with Catholic tradition, will be examined as an important key to understanding and guiding Catholic life, thought and action at the dawn of the third millennium. The response of the Church to new developments that have emerged since the Council will also be considered.