Dmitrieva, V.D. (2022). The II Vatican Council in the history of Catholicism: the formation of the modern political doctrine of the Church. Review of the Russian Christian Academy for the Humanities, 23 (3–1), 111–121. (In Russian). DOI: 10.25991 ...

Abstract

The political doctrine of Catholicism is a part of the social teaching of the Church. It is a body of texts reflecting the position of the Holy See on issues of a political nature. Catholic doctrine is based on principles of solidarity, subsidiarity and the common good. However, the teaching also contains provisions of a transitory nature that met the needs of the Church at certain historical moments, in connection with which several stages of its formation can be distinguished. The starting point of the formation of the modern doctrine of Catholicism is the II Vatican Council (1962–1965). Among the most significant results of the adoption and implementation of the Council’s decisions are the definition of the nature of the relationship between the Church and state, the recognition of democracy as the best of the existing political regimes, as well as giving the Catholic teaching a global status. The last point is directly related to the incorporation of human rights issues into the doctrine, including the protection of the freedom of religion.