Description

The Second Vatican Council 19621965 or Vatican II is arguably the most significant event in the life of the Catholic Church since the Reformation The Council initiated intentionally or not profound changes not simply within Catholic theology but in the religious social and moral lives of the worlds billion Catholics It also reconfigured intellectually and practically the Churchs engagements with those outside of itmost obviously with regard to other religions

The sixteen documents formally issued by Vatican II constitute some of the most influential writings of the whole twentieth century Debates over their correct interpretation and authority are constant but they remain an indispensable pointofreference for all areas of Catholic life from liturgy and sacraments to the Churchs vast network of charitable and educational endeavors the world over

In this Very Short Introduction Shaun Blanchard and Stephen Bullivant present the backstory to this event Vatican II is explored in light of the wider history of the Catholic Church and placed in the tumultuous context of the 1960s It distils the research on Vatican II employing the firsthand accounts of participants and observers and the official proceedings of the Council to paint a rich picture of one of the most important events of the last century