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The Doctrine of the Seeds of the Word interpreted as truths of the Gospel being spread throughout human culture is also present in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. The Decree on Missionary Activity ''Ad Gentes'' affirms:

Similarly the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ''Lumen Gentium'' states:

Whatever good or truth is found amongst [those men who have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God] is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.

([http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html Lumen Gentium, n. 16])

The Declaration on non Christian religions, Nostra Aetate, uses the simile of a ray of light to express the same concept:

From ancient times down to the present, there is found among various peoples a certain perception of that hidden power which hovers over the course of things and over the events of human history; at times some indeed have come to the recognition of a Supreme Being, or even of a Father. This perception and recognition penetrates their lives with a profound religious sense. ... The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a '''ray of that Truth''' which enlightens all men.

([http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html Nostra Aetate n. 2])

Dopo il Concilio, le metafore dei semina Verbi e della praeparatio evangelica sono state riprese dai Sommi Pontefici. Paolo VI, nell’Esortazione apostolica sull’evangelizzazione, afferma:

«[Le religioni non-cristiane] sono tutte cosparse di innumerevoli “germi del Verbo” e possono costituire una autentica “preparazione evangelica”, per riprendere una felice espressione del Concilio Vaticano II tratta da Eusebio di Cesarea» (Evangelii nuntiandi, n. 53).

Da parte sua, Giovanni Paolo II, nella sua prima enciclica, scrive:

«Giustamente i Padri della Chiesa vedevano nelle diverse religioni quasi altrettanti riflessi di un’unica verità come “germi del Verbo”, i quali testimoniano che, quantunque per diverse strade, è rivolta tuttavia in una unica direzione la piú profonda aspirazione dello spirito umano, quale si esprime nella ricerca di Dio ed insieme nella ricerca, mediante la tensione verso Dio, della piena dimensione dell’umanità, ossia del pieno senso della vita umana» (Redemptor hominis, n. 11).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."

([https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm CCC n. 843])

== Overview of the areas touched on ==

* [[:Category:Culinary arts]]

* [[:Category:Cultural traditions]]

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