Marc Jade Giduquio

Theology II

A Reflection on Dominus Iesus

First and for most, Dominus Iesus is a clarification and reaffirmation of the Churchs
constant teachings and positions that it affirms. For instance, the revelation of Christ Jesus as
Gods complete message of Gods salvific act for the salvation of the entire human race. And that
mans acceptance of that truth that God has revealed is his faith to God. However, this document,
though recognizes the fullness of Christs, revelation claims no exclusivity of salvation but
openness and dialogue among variant believers. Nonetheless, this document disagrees to
relativistic approaches that justifies the plurality of truth present in different religions.
The fullness and definitiveness of the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though the Church is
very open to religious dialogue, the reaffirmation of the fullness of Gods revelation in Christ is
also necessary because it leads us to the universal and ultimate truth that man has to seek. In the
same manner that the fullness of Gods revelation is Christ, it does not mean that divine realities
are reduced because it has become known and spoken in human language. Furthermore, in
Gods fullness of revelation in Christ, man has to respond to this in faith, for the obedience of
faith implies acceptance of truth of Christs revelation, guaranteed by God who is the Truth
itself.1
The Incarnate Logos and the Holy Spirit in the work of salvation. In the advent of contemporary
theological understanding, there comes a lot of ideas that Gods divine revelation may manifest
in many ways so also in different historical figures and Jesus is just one among many others.
Thus, with regard to the pluralistic approach that Jesus is just one among them or that the
economy of revelation is much greater in him compared to the others or by the Spirit is not but
contradicts to what the Church has believed and affirmed in the councils, like of Nicaea and
Chalcedon which is Trinitarian in principle but not pluralistic. Hereby, in the economy of
salvation, there is only one but Trinitarian economy, willed by the Father and realized in the
mystery of Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, this economy of salvation
must not be understood as a distinct act of the Father, the Son, or of the Holy Spirit, but instead
of One and Triune God.
Unicity and universality of the salvific mystery of Jesus Christ. There are positions that
deny the unicity and universality of the mystery of Christ, however, with regard to unicity, many
times it is affirmed in the scriptures that economy of salvation is not just an exclusive work of a

1 Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 144.

particular person of the Trinity or of Jesus alone. 2 Thus, in relation to the unicity and universality
of salvific will of God One and Triune is fulfilled in Christ, in the mystery of his incarnation,
death, and of his resurrection.
Unicity and Unity of the Church. The salvific mediation of Christ, the Church firmly
believes in its fullness and continued in the Church (Roman Catholic Church) by which he,
himself, has established and where also the fullness of the Church of Christ subsists. 3 However,
even with those who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, they derive their
efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted in the Catholic Church. 4 For this
matter, though this full communion is not held by other churches with the Catholic Church, the
grace of God is still operative in them since, in the proper sense, the real Church is not identified
only according to its physical character, but rather also as Christ himself, the head of the body.
The Church: kingdom of God and Kingdom of Christ. The Church which Christ has
founded [so to speak his kingdom] has the mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and
eventually the Church here on Earth is also the seed of that kingdom. So to speak, the kingdom
of God is already present, but its fullness has yet to come. In other words the presence of this
kingdom is proleptic, or much known by many as the already but not yet presence. However,
though this kingdom is present in the Church of Christ, it is not also to be identified with the
church, because the fullness of the kingdom of God is not fulfilled here in the physical world.
The Church and other religions in relation to salvation. The Church, a pilgrim now on
Earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is
present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith
and baptism, and hereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter
through baptism as through a door.5 Here, though the Church is inclusive in its approach to
salvation, it should also be instill that the Church is not unimportant for the salvation. But in fact,
it is in the Church, the sacrament of salvation, and that its head is present and at the same time
the mediator between man and God, Christ. Thus, the church being the body of Christ is in
constant relationship with the salvation of humanity.
To conclude, Dominus Iesus is very definite in its affirmation about the salvific act of
God and the mission of the Church [who is Christ himself is the head] for the kingdom of God.
The Church, though has become open to the inclusivity of other faith traditions, maintains and
2 See Jn 3;16; 1 TIM 2:4-6; Eph 1:3-14; 2 Cor 5:15
3 Lumen Gentium, 8
4 Cf. Vatican II, Unitatis Redintegrtio, 3
5 Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 14; Cf. Decree Ad Gentes, 7; Decree Unitatis
Redintegratio, 3.

defends against the pluralistic approaches that may cause relativistic claims of salvation. For this
reason, the church retains its stance on the unicity and universality of salvation mediated by
Christ, and in the Roman Catholic Church where the fullness of the Church of Christ truly
subsists.