Reflections on John Paul II's theology of the laity: 20th anniversary of Christifideles laici (1989)

This essay argues that baptismal dignity is the theological motif that JohnPaul II employs in his Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici to explicate the status and role of lay people. For the Pope, the identity, vocation, mission, and spirituality of the laity spring from the dignity conferred by the sacrament of baptism.From this noblesse oblige or honor/onus logic the Pope expounds the theme of baptismal dignity by stressing its Trinitarian and ecclesiological dimensions. In his view, the identity of the laity is based on three pillars of baptism, secularity, and participation in Christs triple ministry; communion ecclesiology is the context for understanding the role of the laity; and, like Lumen Gentium, the universal call to holiness lies at the heart of Christifideles Laici.