The theology of religions revisited

This article begins by responding to the challenges and criticisms coming from those who reviewed The Second Vatican Council on Other Religions. It insists on the need to examine other living faiths as ways not only of salvation but also of (divine) revelation (which elicits human faith). A positive view of other religions (1) does not undermine missionary proclamation, and (2) should be strengthened by invoking the intercessory priesthood of Christ (the sacerdotal principle') and the force of love that empowers prayer for others. To conclude, the article pleads for an integral interpretation of Vatican II texts that examines not only the authorial intentions but also the reception of the texts and the insights coming from readers (including popes, bishops and theologians).