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Important Viewpoints. Boiled down to resolutions, the ideas went to eleven separate working groups, where the proposals were attacked phrase by phrase as if the participants were drafting a new Nicene Creed. Afterward, each group reported its objections, and the resolutions were once again reworked. "It's impossible," moaned one participant as his group tried to revise three resolutions on the church in society. "We're trying to do in three paragraphs what Vatican II did in one of its longest documents." Yet the results, in the end, were substantial.
In a preamble to the final documents, the congress organizers said, "we do not wish to offer any theological definition or answers. But we are of the conviction that the following viewpoints are important in both theory and practice." Excerpts from their conclusions:
ON THEOLOGY. "The work of theology is to be carried out in the light of both the Gospel message and society, i.e., the contribution of various cultures, their sciences, arts, literature and religions. This implies a theological pluralism . . ."
ON THE NATURE OF CHRIST. Those who would speak of Jesus without taking into account his relation to God fail to recognize him as the Christ. Those who would speak of Jesus without taking into account his relation to men fail to recognize his relevance as the Christ."
ON POLITICAL ACTION. "Christian communities must acquire a critical awareness of their historically conditioned situations and take a position in favor of freedom in the various societies of which they are a part."
ON POLITICAL PRISONERS. "We express our solidarity with those who are actually working for the liberation of men, in particular with those who are exiled, imprisoned, or tortured because of this involvement." Among the prisoners singled out: Joaquim Pinto de Andrade, who for the past ten years has been either in prison or in exile in Angola, seven Brazilian Dominicans accused of being members of a terrorist group, and the Berrigan brothers, now in prison for destroying U.S. Government draft files. The resolution also referred to "many others whose names cannot be publicly mentioned"—a reference presumably including some imprisoned in Communist countries.
ON CHURCH ORGANIZATION. "The New Testament presents diverse types and even several principles of organization of the Christian communities. On this basis there have been developed, in the course of history, multiple forms of church order. In the light of history, we ought to respect and pursue diversity."
ON ELECTION IN THE CHURCH. "The nature of the church, the people of God and the evolution of history necessitate today a revision of the procedure by which a Pope, a bishop or a pastor is chosen. Thus, it would be appropriate if the members of the Christian community would be able to participate in the choice of their ministers."
ON WOMEN IN THE CHURCH. "We must denounce discrimination against women in the church, a discrimination which often exists also in the rest of society. The church should examine seriously the possible role of women in the ministries."