Lumen Gentium
The Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution on the church, promulgated on 21 November 1964. It describes the church as the people of God, teaches that the bishops form a college with the pope at its head, and speaks of a call to holiness for all.
The constitution has eight chapters: on the mystery of the church, the people of God, the hierarchy, the laity, the universal call to holiness, religious, the pilgrim church and the Virgin Mary. Article 8 says that the one church of Christ “subsists in” the Catholic Church, while many elements of sanctification and truth are found outside its visible structure. Article 22 teaches that the bishops as a body, together with the pope and never without him, hold supreme power over the whole church, and that the pope’s own primacy remains intact.
Its third chapter opens (article 18) by saying that the council follows in the footsteps of the First Vatican Council, teaches again its doctrine of the Roman primacy, and goes on to declare the doctrine concerning bishops. See the Second Vatican Council.
Cited in
- 1869 to 1870, firm date
- 1960 to 1967, firm date
- 1962 to 1965, firm date