Man, a being called to plenitude

dialogue on anthropological aspects of Gaudium et Spes

Abstract

The Second Vatican Council was the most significant ecclesial event of recent centuries, during which the Church adopted an attitude of dialogue with Modernity. In this dialogue, the Church offers a qualified perspective on humanity, as it declares Christ Jesus, the human being in fullness. In harmony with philosophical thought, this article revisits some of the key anthropological principles found in Gaudium et Spes. The journey through the desert, following the example to the experience of the people of Israel, becomes an opportunity for purification, guiding the human person toward the fullness of existence. Thus, conciliar anthropology points to a human being who, by questioning its own existence, discovers its dignity in the relationship with God. In this way, human life becomes filled with hope and oriented toward a future that each person is called to build through ethical and evangelical principles.