The missionary character of the church according to the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium

Abstract

This article returns to the renowned dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium in order to shed light on the missionary nature of the Church, as presented in number seventeen of the document. It aims to demonstrate that the text articulates the theological foundation of the Church’s mission as understood by the Second Vatican Council, which conceives the Church as the People of God. From this perspective, the Church is called to continue fulfilling Christ’s mandate to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples, not by suppressing their cultural expressions, but by elevating them to their fullness in Christ. To achieve this objective, the article is structured into three parts: first, it examines the conciliar movements and their relevance to the composition of the final document; second, it offers an analysis focused on the concept of mission as presented in Lumen Gentium; finally, it demonstrates how the conciliar Fathers sought to present the mission of the laity within the life and evangelizing action of the Church as a whole, reinforcing a renewed understanding of the People of God.