
From 1962 to 1965, in perhaps the most important religious event of the twentieth century, the Second Vatican Council met to plot a course for the future of the Roman Catholic Church. After thousands of speeches, resolutions, and votes, the Council issued sixteen official documents on topics ranging from divine revelation to relations with non-Christians. But the meaning of the Second Vatican Council has been fiercely contested since before it was even over, and the years since its completion have seen a battle for the soul of the Church waged through the interpretation of Council documents. The Reception of Vatican II looks at the sixteen conciliar documents through the lens of those battles. Paying close attention to reforms and new developments, the essays in this volume show how the Council has been received and interpreted over the course of the more than fifty years since it concluded.The contributors to this volume represent various schools of thought but are united by a commitment to restoring the view that Vatican II should be interpreted and implemented in line with Church Tradition. The central problem facing Catholic theology today, these essays argue, is a misreading of the Council that posits a sharp break with previous Church teaching. In order to combat this reductive way of interpreting the Council, these essays provide a thorough, instructive overview of the debates it inspired.
This volume investigates the ongoing conflict regarding the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council and its role in the contemporary Roman Catholic Church. Editors Matthew Levering and Matthew L. Lamb curate a collection of essays from diverse theological perspectives to address the central problem of whether the Council represents a rupture or a continuity with historical Church tradition. The contributors utilize historical analysis and theological critique to argue against interpretations that posit a sharp break with prior ecclesiastical teachings.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and theologians frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the debate over conciliar hermeneutics. Readers often note the high level of academic density and the specialized theological vocabulary required to fully engage with the arguments presented.
Page Count:
485
Publication Date:
2017-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190625821
ISBN-13:
9780190625825
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