Human dignity and religious freedom in light of Catholic theology after the Second Vatican Council

The Second Vatican Council pronounced itself in its declaration "Dignitatis Humanae" for the first time unreserved in favour of religious freedom. With that, the Catholic Church not only dissociated itself from the "Constantine Area". It also entered on a new way concerning the legal legitimation of religious freedom. The Council examined the tradition and the doctrine with regard to the question, to what extent the claim for religious freedom is rightful to the Christian revelation. The answer consisted in a christological defined conception of human dignity. This could become the point of reference to the relation of the Christian faith with the modern world.