Abstract

This paper elaborates upon the Catholic Church’s teachings on religious
freedom in the period from The French Revolution to The Second Vatican
Council. Based on quotations from the original documents, the author presents
the evolution of the Church’s position that switched from the initial
rejection to the final acceptance of the religious freedom over past two centuries.
The fact of this dramatic change begs the question about the continuity
of tradition and credibility of the contemporary stance of the Church. Based
on the document by the International Theological Commission, “Memory
and Reconciliation: The Church and the Faults of the Past”, as well as the
teaching of Pope Benedict XVI, the author demonstrates that – in contrast
to some contemporary interpretations – the hermeneutics of continuity is
possible regarding Church’s teaching on religious freedom.