The book “Palavra & Espírito na Dei Verbum” (“Word and Spirit in the Dei Verbum”), by our brother Élcio Rubens Mota Felix sscc, published by Dialéctica, has just been presented in Patrocínio (Brazil).
Élcio’s work aims to examine the relationship between the Word and the Spirit in the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council. This research seeks to show that, although references to the Spirit in that document are scarce, its reading allows one to characterize or identify the forms of relationship between the Word and the Spirit. Even more so if one considers that Dei Verbum is essentially a document intended to present a doctrine on the revelation of the Word of God.
It also becomes clear that this doctrine assumes that the relationship between the Word and the Spirit arouses in the human being the listening of the Word, leading them, in turn, to offer a response: that of continuing to seek and to listen. From the genuine listening of the Word of God revealed in the Spirit —to which the human being opens themselves— may depend all other forms of relationship in which human beings are involved: the relationship with oneself, with others, with the world, with society, and even with things.
From the authentic capacity of humankind to listen to the Word of God may depend a new way of being and living in this world. Something that the Council itself had already anticipated—or rather, that was implicit in its deliberations. The conciliar spirit essentially proposed an updating of the relationship with society, with the world, and with science. And undoubtedly, it is listening that would give shape and meaning to that relationship.
10/08/2025