Abstract
This chapter explores the impact of Christian humanism on the modern and, in the West, increasingly secularized world. It argues that the Catholic Church, despite its shortcomings, has preserved the humanist tradition. Especially through Vatican II, Catholic theologians continued the spirit of Christian humanism by delineating a theologically founded concept of the secular, based in large part on the work of the nouvelle theologians, such as Yves Congar and Henri de Lubac, and on the influence of Jacques Maritain. Starting with a close examination of the Vatican II documents, this chapter traces the importance of this new Christian humanism and its positive, albeit not uncritical, attitude towards culture and modernity all the way to the latest imperative of the ‘new evangelization’ in the Catholic Church. It concludes by discussing the importance of Christian humanism not just for education but also for the guidance of politics and economics.