Vatican: A Catholic's Guide to the Church of the Third Millennium

by Richard R. Gaillardetz

Join one of the world's leading Catholic theologians in exploring the enduring power of Vatican II to shape the future of the Catholic Church. As John XXIII said, the Catholic Church is not a museum filled with artifacts but rather a flourishing garden of life that moves ever forward into the future. This profound vision led him to convene a new ecumenical council, the first in almost a century. In this insightful audio course, you will look at Vatican II as a starting point for reflecting on the challenges facing the Catholic Church today. The council laid the foundations for a bold new vision of the church; now, it is our task to bring that vision to completion. Your guide for this powerful exploration is Dr. Richard Gaillardetz (Ph.D., Notre Dame), the past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and a charismatic teacher. You will first look at the council in a broad historical context, exploring Vatican II as an event that revealed much about what it means to be church. You will also explore the essential contributions of the council, considering how they might best be implemented in the church today. You will find great insights into the life of the church in Vatican II and the church of the third millennium. Discover how to make the council's bold vision a reality today. This course includes a PDF study guide.

Audio CD

Published January 27, 2022

About the author

Richard R. Gaillardetz, Ph.D. (Theology, University of Notre Dame, 1991; M.A., Systematic Theology, Notre Dame, 1990; M.A., Biblical Theology, St. Mary’s University, 1984; B.A., Humanities, University of Texas, Austin, 1981) is the Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology and Chair of the Theology Department in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences at Boston College. Previously, he was Margaret and Thomas Murray and James J. Bacik Professor Catholic Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Toledo (Ohio), and he has held multiple posts with the Catholic Theological Society of America, including President 2013–14. In 2018 he received the Yves Congar Award for Theological Excellence at Barry University.