Slide 1: Unitatis Redintegratio, The restoration of unity, the church documents are written in latin, So

obviously the first significant words that are found in the first line of the first paragraph of an official
church document , this latin titles are lifted from the first significatnt phrases or words as it where
penned in latin.together with Lumen Gentium and Orientalium Ecclesiarum, the decree on ecumenism
titled Unitatis Redintegratio establishes the Second Vatican Council’s position on the Church’s relation to
other Christians. This decree sets forth the over arching pastoral tone of the chruch in pursuit of the
Christic mandate of unity. Unitatis Redintegratio calls for the reunion of Christendom and is similar to a
previous call for unity by Pope Leo XIII in his 1894 encyclical letter Praeclara gratulationis publicae.
However, Unitatis articulates a different kind of ecclesiology from Praeclara. It focuses on the unity of the
people of God and on separated Christian brethren rather than insisting according to the classical
formulation that schismatics must return to the fold under the unity of the Vicar of Christ.

Slide 2: Unitatis Redintegratio is Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism. It was promulgated on 21 November
1964 by Pope Paul VI and represented a huge shift in the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church,
although signs of change had been evident earlier. Unitatis Redintegratio officially recognised that
ecumenism is a priority for the Roman Catholic Church which no longer understood unity as ‘separated
brethren’ returning to the fold, but as restoration, a way forward to a unity which is not uniformity.

Slide 3: It was passed by a vote of 2,137 to 11 of the bishops assembled at the Council.

Slide 4-6 - It was on 11 October 1962 Between 2,000 and 2,500 Catholic cardinals, patriarchs and
bishops from all over the world, assisted by 460 theological experts, attended each session. For the first
time Protestants, Orthodox and other non-Catholic observers were invited to assist. 42 lay and religious
listeners, men and women, also attend. the Council of Trent issued nothing but Decrees; yet it approved
documents with this title that were both dogmatically important and binding. As compared with Trent,
the Second Vatican Council made a distinction between Constitutions and Decrees During the second
Vatican II. Unitatis Redintegration is one of the nine Decrees issued by the council during that time and
16 constitution. Ecumenical 'rapprochement', one of the main purpose of Vatican II. The vatican II
reminds all and teaches that it is by the Grace of God that all had been moved by this remorse of division
and to eventually long for the restoration of Christian unity.

INTRODUCTION

Slide 11 BASA! that behind the whole of the Second Vatican Council there is a clear intention to seek and
promote the reintegration of the unity of all Christians which focuses on mission and ecumenism. The
ecumenical openness of the Second Vatican Council is not a break with Tradition in the theological sense
of the word; but it is certainly an intentional modification of individual traditions, for the most part
relatively recent. The introduction practically underscores there can ‘t be but only one church because
there is only one christ.

Slide 12 naa globe The first important clarification needed is that ecumenism, as understood in Unitatis
Redintegratio, applies only to Christians. It is not a generic term for good relations with people of other
religions, which are to be discussed later in Nostra Aetate. Ecumenism is specifically Christian, as it
comes from Christ’s wish that all who believe in him should be gathered into one flock. This wish is both
a reality and an aspiration:
Slide 12 : Second point there are many other communions of Christian believers who live in division,
contrary to Christ’s will. This division is a scandal to the rest of the world, since it cannot discern which
Church or communion is the true inheritor of Christ, and perceives only a dismembered body whose
parts are in opposition to each other. Unitatis Redintegratio does not mean that a solution to every
problem has been found. On the contrary, it is at this very point that the task of the correct
interpretation of the Decree begins. The Scandalous divided for one reason cannot but seek for
restortion to the unity willed by Christ, there are defining moment in the Church history ,

Slide 12 point: In recent times, many separated Christians have developed a longing for the restoration
of unity among all Christians. They profess their Christian faith individually and as corporate bodies. The
Council does not repeat the teaching here, for it has already declared its teaching on the Church. (UR, 1)
Every Christian thinks of his communion as being the Church of God. The Council does not confirm this
belief, for that would contradict its previous assertion that Christ established only one Church. Rather,
this belief is itself evidence that all Christians yearn to belong to the one visible and truly universal
Church of God. This Church, the Council has said in Lumen Gentium, is the Catholic Church. (LG, 8)

Important point the realization for restoration comes from the fact that disunity is self - contradictory to
the very Christian faith that Christianity has embrace

To settle this inconsistency and self negation divided Christianity cannot be embark on an ecumical
movement “ to the very best of this capacity”

Chapter 1: Chapter I: The first chapter is Catholic Principles on Ecumenism

Chapter 1: 2 Christ’s desire for unity is expressed explicitly in his prayer: that they all may be one; even as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that
thou hast sent me. (John 17: 21)

Here the Council is speaking of the time shortly after the Ascension, when all believers belonged to the
one Church of Christ. Yet we can already anticipate some implications for the ecclesiology of the later
Church, as we notice that the unifying sacraments of the Eucharist and baptism are found even outside
the visible structure of the Catholic Church.

Most importantly, the Holy Spirit, who is the principle of the Church’s unity, bestows grace even outside
the visible Catholic communion, impelling separated Christians toward unity.

Which is stated in Unitatis Redintegratio Christ established the Church to last forever, entrusting its
governance to the apostles and building it upon Peter, with Christ Himself as the cornerstone. He
entrusted to Peter all His sheep… to be confirmed in faith, and shepherded in perfect unity. This
government was passed on to their successors: it is clear that Christ’s will for His Church’s unity is
expressed in the government of the apostles and their successors, headed by the successor of Peter. It is
only in this structure that Christian unity is perfected.

UNITY AND ONENESS OF THE CHURCH Visible elements of unity found in the Catholic church: confession
of faith, common worship, institutional unity. We have point out baptism and holy spirit in communion
with God and the holy spirit dwelling in thos who have embraced christian faith who brings them into
intimate union with christ and who engenders communion with Him and one another.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE VERY PRINCIPLE OF THE UNITY OF CHRISTIANITY.

Chapter 1 3: RELATIONSHIP OF SEPARATED BROTHERS WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURC ECUMENISM The one
flock is not something that ended to exist, but continues even today. It is not an concept, but something
visible to all nations. This exclusivist claim for the Catholic Church does not come out of nowhere, but is
consistent with all previous Catholic teaching, as well as that of Lumen Gentium. While the Church is the
one flock, however, the Council will illustrate how other Christians remain in imperfect communion with
this one Church founded by Christ upon Peter. Ecumenism no longer as a process in which the Catholic
church waits for the coming of non-Catholics: need for action and initiative in Catholic community.
Although there is an asymmetry between the Catholic Church and other Christians with respect to
ecclesial unity, it does not follow that all blame for separation rests on the dissenters. The Council says,
often enough, men of both sides were to blame. The Council candidly acknowledges that there are
obstacles to full communion with the Catholic Church, caused by differences in doctrine, discipline, and
ecclesiology. These obstacles, however serious, do not abolish the fact that the separated communities
have members who deserve to be called Christian and are to be accepted as brethren by Catholics,
insofar as they are all justified by faith in baptism. (UR, 3) This is only logical and consistent with the
decree’s earlier statement that there is only one flock, as well as with the conclusion that Christ’s will for
the Church’s unity is not an empty wish, not required to salvation. In short, whatever salvific activity is
present in other Christian communities comes from their imperfect communion with the Catholic
Church. The divine economy of salvation co piring creation , incarnation , redemption and salvation is the
coverage of Catholicism. One common point we have with our seperated bethren is indeed new life.

Picture: Thankfully, we do not need to guess about which is the correct interpretation, not only because
of the clarification in Dominus Iesus, but also because the text of Unitatis Redintegratio itself resolves
the matter. Since the Catholic Church alone is the all-embracing means of salvation. The Church then is
God’s only flock serving all mankind through the Gospel of peace, which is the fruition of unity in love of
Christ.

Chapter 1 4: The community of salvation is the Church, so these salvific liturgical actions are evidence of
communion with the one Church and participation in her unique mission of salvation. Again, the Council
explicitly states that whatever is salvific in the other communities derives its efficacy from the fullness of
grace and truth entrusted to the Church. Since only the Catholic Church possesses this fullness of grace,
as discussed above, it follows unequivocally that the Church here is the Catholic Church.

“The ecumenical movement understands the activities and initiatives that are undertaken and organized
to foster Christian unity, according to the diverse needs of the Church and the various temporal
circumstances."

1. Eliminate words, judgments and actions

The first point, suppression of certain expressions, judgments and actions that complicate
ecumenical relations, is perhaps the most visibly implemented in the modern Church.
2. Dialogue between experts and technicians.

ecumenical dialogue among experts, is hardly less public, but it only involves relatively few members
of the Churches or communities involved. It is essential that this be a dialogue, where both parties
respectfully hear each other instead of merely asserting what they believe. The purpose of such
dialogue is to gain a greater appreciation of the other’s perspective, so the obstacles to unity are
 more accurately perceived. In this way, genuine disagreements can be distinguished from
misunderstandings, and each side may explain the reasons for their position, in a fraternal and non-
polemical tone. The immediate purpose of such dialogue is not to convert the other party, but at
least to persuade them of one’s reasonableness and good will, as well as to highlight shared values,
in order to facilitate working for common goals.

3. Joint collaboration for the common good

This leads to the third point, where communions in ecumenical dialogue act cooperatively for the
common good, and may even pray in common. Although ecumenical meetings are organized in a
religious spirit, the Council does not seem to envision a specifically religious course of cooperative
action, instead making a vague call to work for the common good.

4. Examination of one's own fidelity

ecumenism also entails that each community of Christians should look to renew and reform
itself in order to better obey Christ’s will for all his flock to be united. In the Catholic Church, this
imperative informed the post-Conciliar reform of liturgy and catechesis, which removed or de-
emphasized elements that might lead to hostility toward other Christians.

however, many Christians do not acknowledge this jurisdiction, and have broken communion with the
Catholic Church to varying degrees. This does not diminish the catholicity of the Church in the sense of
her universal mission, as she still reaches out to all nations, and has a global extent unmatched by any
other Christian communion. Nor does she cease to contain all who are saved, for any separated
Christians who are saved receive their reward by honoring the Church through which all saving grace
comes.

Rather, the fullness of catholicity is compromised in the plain sense that the Church’s universal
jurisdiction is not acknowledged by all Christians. This is indicated by the qualifying phrase: in those of
her sons who, though attached to her by Baptism, are yet separated from full communion with her. That
is to say, the Church’s catholicity is deficient only in separated Christians, so this is not a deficiency in the
Church as such, but in the imperfect communion of the separated Christians.

Chapter II: The Practice of Ecumenism

Chapter2 5- 6

5. Union affects everyone

6. The Reformation of the Church

The Church, in her dimension as a human institution, may need to correct deficiencies in moral conduct
or in church discipline, or even in the way that church teaching has been formulated—to be carefully
distinguished from the deposit of faith itself. Among the renewal activities oriented toward ecumenism,
the Council enumerates: Biblical and liturgical movements, the preaching of the word of God and
catechetics, the apostolate of the laity, new forms of religious life and the spirituality of married life, and
the Church’s social teaching and activity… (UR, 6) Reforms in these areas had already taken place in the
years preceding the Council, and these are pledges and signs of the future progress of ecumenism.

7. Conversion of the heart

The soul of the ecumenical movement, according to the Council, is a spiritual ecumenism which is a
reform of the heart. This requires the grace to become

self-denying, humble, gentle in the service of others, and to have an attitude of brotherly generosity
towards them. (UR, 7)

At its core, ecumenism entails a change in interior disposition toward one of greater humility, charity,
and service toward others. Instead of boasting of the greater graces they have received, Catholics should
humble themselves to engage other Christians as equals. Catholics are called to recognize what is good
in other Christian traditions, and to acknowledge that not all errors are culpable, while at the same time
faithfully representing the truth of Catholic tradition. Most importantly, we must recognize that the gifts
of the Church are ordered not so that we may lord them over others, but to dispose us for the service of
others. It is in this sense that Catholic triumphalism has been abandoned, in favor of a more perfect
emulation of the humility and service shown by Christ and the apostles.

8. 8. Unanimous Prayer

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (UR, 8)

The Council confines common prayer to special circumstances oriented toward Christian unity, as
opposed to having Catholics participate in Protestant prayer meetings, for the latter have a sectarian
character. Nonetheless, common prayer in an ecumenical context is positively encouraged, since this
certainly can obtain the grace of unity. Worship in common is not an end in itself, nor is it oriented
toward the merely human concerns of making friendly relations and being inoffensive to others. It is
subordinate to the aim of restoring Christian unity, and thus should only be used when it helps and does
not hinder this aim. Note the Council says that, in general, bearing witness to the Church’s unity forbids
common worship to Christians. The Council would not say this if it conceived of the Church as some
composite of all the various Christian denominations. Rather, the Council considers the Church to already
possess full unity in the Catholic Church, and so common worship with other Christians would generally
serve to deny the Church’s real, visible unity, by giving the impression that Catholic unity is deficient.
Still, common worship may be commendable in certain instances due to the sharing in the means of
grace. By such common worship, separated Christians may share in the graces of the Church, including
that of unity, albeit imperfectly. This ecumenical worship is motivated by the desire to serve and minister
even to separated Christians, sharing whatever graces of the Church they are equipped to receive. Which
also lead us to the point of number 9

10 Understanding the perspectives of non-Catholic Christians is not an end in itself, but is a necessary
condition for conveying the true situation and belief of the Catholic Church to them. Without such
understanding, Catholics will find themselves talking past the other party, as the conventional
formulations of belief might not address the concerns specific to a denominational tradition.

10. Ecumenist formation

Sacred theology and other branches of knowledge, especially of an historical nature, must be taught
with due regard for the ecumenical point of view, so that they may correspond more exactly with the
facts. (UR, 10)
This ecumenizing of theology and ecclesiastical history does not entail falsification for the sake
of diplomacy. Rather, these studies should take into account the perspectives of other Christians
when making evaluations. The moral status of an act cannot be separated from intent, and the
only way we can grasp the intent of other Christians is to learn something of their psychology,
their cultural history, and their spiritual traditions. In this way, we may more accurately and
fairly assess their condition with respect to the Catholic Church.
11. The method of expressing Catholic theology is to be changed in a way so that dialogue with
separated Christians is not needlessly impeded. Yet at the same time the doctrine should be
clearly presented in its entirety. There is no hint that any doctrine of the Church should be
hidden or obscured from the view of non-Catholics. On the contrary, the purpose of reforming
theological expressions is to make them more clearly understood to those who conceptualize the
faith in different terms. For example, after the Council of Ephesus, John of Antioch was
reconciled to the Church by a formula of union using terms distinct from the Ephesian doctrine
he had misconstrued. The purpose of ecumenism is to bring all Christians to the one faith, so we
must try to overcome verbal and conceptual obstacles to assenting to the faith. 11. The way to
express and expound the doctrine of the faith
12. 12. Cooperation
In these days when cooperation in social matters is so widespread, all men without exception are
called to work together, with much greater reason all those who believe in God, but most of all,
all Christians in that they bear the name of Christ. Cooperation among Christians vividly
expresses the relationship which in fact already unites them, and it sets in clearer relief the
features of Christ the Servant. (UR, 12)
Christians have a special calling to cooperate in social matters, to show that they all serve in the
name of the same Christ.
There are two aspects of Christian social activity listed here: (1) activities which apply
specifically Christian principles to the public sphere, and (2) corporal works of mercy. The latter,
no less than the former, are required by Christian duty. Catholics, or Christians more generally,
may disagree as to the most effective or moral means of addressing social problems, but they are
not permitted to ignore them as something extraneous to their religious duty.