Abstract
When the Second Vatican Council (1962–65) broke new ground with its teaching on other religions, it drew on biblical and other ancient sources. It made minor use of three themes from St Paul: Christ as the agent of creation, as the reconciler of the world, and as the last Adam. Through the Areopagus speech in Acts 17, St Luke gave shape and scriptural backing to Vatican II’s teaching about the followers of other religions. But it was the prologue of John’s Gospel, with its language about the Word being ‘the true light enlightening everyone’ and ‘being full of grace and truth’, that proved very influential. The chapter ends by tracing the Logos Christology of Justin, Irenaeus, Clement, Origen, and Athanasius which allowed Vatican II to acknowledge the universal influence of the Word. Clement, in particular, reflected positively on the religious situation of Hindus and Buddhists.
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