The division between Christians is a scandal to the world and clearly undermines the proclamation of the Good News of the Gospel. The Vatican Council II, influenced by the biblical, missionary, lay, liturgical and ecumenical movements, placed the Catholic Church in a position of dialogue with society, with the sciences, with other religions and with other Christian expressions. The Catholic Church, which until then insisted on a Theology of Return, will put itself in a position of welcome and communion with the different Christian expressions. This move of the Spirit will culminate, in a move of unity, through the opening of John XXIII, going through several documents of the Second Vatican Council and carried forward by his successors. In this way, if, in the most popular layers, this dialogue is often not carried out, at least in a theological line it is possible to find it. In this article, we will analyze the pre-conciliar ecumenical context, the position of Pope John XXIII and the developments within the Council itself. In addition, we will visit the speeches and initiatives of the post-conciliar Magisterium, to verify the theological advances achieved in this regard.
