These noteworthy statements extend the traditional idea ofagnitio
veritatisto other religions and even to all human beings. While we can
detect some Enlightenment parallels to this extension in Spalding, for
instance, the Vatican Council very clearly uses the traditional biblical
terminology of the knowledge of the truth. This may be thefirst time
that the traditional terminology of religious recognition has been
employed for the purpose of making positive statements about other
religions. While it can be debated whether the acknowledgements
present in other religions pertain to the‘same’truth that is already
available in Christianity or extend the perspective towards a greater
plurality,^257 the use of this terminology is groundbreaking as such. The
reader immediately gets the impression that the vertical recognition of
honouring God entails a qualified horizontal recognition of those other
religions in which such a proper honouring takes place.
The tradition-based roots of this concept are also present in the
idea that the object of acknowledgement is in most cases God or
religious truth. The documents draw the conclusion that the church
should acknowledge the truth available in other religions. Fundamen-
tally, however, this is not a horizontal act of recognition of the other,
but represents the insight that different religions can acknowledge the
same or similar higher truths.
Another extensive area in whichagnoscois employed concerns
obedience to various authorities. The bishop of Rome and other
bishops need to be properly recognized.^258 ThePastoral Constitution
describes very different kinds of obedience and superiority. Human-
kind should recognize its superiority over material things as well as
the immortality of the soul. Humans need to acknowledge the love of
God freely.^259 The recognition of God (agnitio Dei) supports human
dignity and is incompatible with atheism. Humankind as a whole
should recognize God as Creator.^260 The autonomy of earthly realities
does not mean that they are separate from God, which anyone who
acknowledges God understands. When the laity recognizes what faith
demands, they can cooperate for that purpose.^261
14;Gaudium et spes, 20, 21.Agnosco:Lumen gentium, 25, 28;Nostra aetate,3;
Apostolicam actuositatem, 13, 30;Ad gentes divinitus, 21;Presbyterorum ordinis,9,
11, 16;Gaudium et spes, 14, 19, 21, 32, 34, 36, 43, 57, 92, 93.
(^257) For this, see Ruokanen 1992. (^258) Lumen gentium, 25, 28.
(^259) Gaudium et spes, 14, 19. (^260) Gaudium et spes,20–1, 34.
(^261) Gaudium et spes, 36, 43.
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