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Very Short Introductions #725
Vatican II: A Very Short Introduction
Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), 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 world's billion Catholics. It also reconfigured, intellectually and practically, the Church's engagements with those outside of it - most 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 point-of-reference for all areas of Catholic life, from liturgy and sacraments, to the Church's vast network of charitable and educational endeavours 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 first-hand 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.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), 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 world's billion Catholics. It also reconfigured, intellectually and practically, the Church's engagements with those outside of it - most 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 point-of-reference for all areas of Catholic life, from liturgy and sacraments, to the Church's vast network of charitable and educational endeavours 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 first-hand 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.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 24, 2023
At less than 200 pages this is indeed a relatively short history of Vatican II, especially as compared to the enormous 5 volume history produced by Giuseppe Alberigo. This means that the pace is quite fast, and although the book is generally comprehensive of the issues, it only achieves that by sometimes being a little skimpy on details.
For example, the book opens by defining what an ecumenical council is ‘according to the Code of Canon Law.’ However, it is of course the 1962 Code, which was authoritative at the time of the Council, so it is that Code which should be referenced. Moreover, telling us that an Ecumenical Council is just a ‘collective exercise (of) power over the… Church in a solemn manner’ (p.4) doesn’t actually tell us much at all. There are arguments between Catholics about whether and/or to what extent the Council is infallible, so I would have expected that issue to be addressed, or at least referenced so that interested readers can follow it up.
Another over simplification occurred in relation to the phrase ‘active participation’ of the laity, which Vatican II called for. This liturgical principle cuts to the heart of some very contentious issues in contemporary Catholicism. The book tells us that ‘Neither the term nor the ways in which it is deployed are novel…’ (p.42). It justifies that claim by referencing it back to Pius X’s Tra Le Sollicetudini of 1903. However, there is a set of issues about whether Pius X ever intended for that document to contain the phrase ‘active participation.’ It is understandable that a short summary cannot explore every issue, but as Liturgy is such a major (and ongoing) issue arising from Vatican II, it would be helpful to readers to flag up that this issue (in some interpretations) may not be as simple and non-novel as the book seems to be claiming.
Otherwise it was a solid trudge through the major issues and personalities of the council. It was particularly good to see that the book tried to balance its presentation of issues by referring to minorities and majorities in the Council, rather than falling into the more journalistic portrayal of liberals vs conservatives. However, it would have been helpful to flag up to readers coming to the history of the Council for the first time, that there are a number of ‘conspiracy theories’ about how the ‘Rhine flowed into the Tiber,’ as the Northern Europeans exerted a variable influence over the inputs and outcomes of the Council.
Overall, a well written and engaging (short) history of the council.
For example, the book opens by defining what an ecumenical council is ‘according to the Code of Canon Law.’ However, it is of course the 1962 Code, which was authoritative at the time of the Council, so it is that Code which should be referenced. Moreover, telling us that an Ecumenical Council is just a ‘collective exercise (of) power over the… Church in a solemn manner’ (p.4) doesn’t actually tell us much at all. There are arguments between Catholics about whether and/or to what extent the Council is infallible, so I would have expected that issue to be addressed, or at least referenced so that interested readers can follow it up.
Another over simplification occurred in relation to the phrase ‘active participation’ of the laity, which Vatican II called for. This liturgical principle cuts to the heart of some very contentious issues in contemporary Catholicism. The book tells us that ‘Neither the term nor the ways in which it is deployed are novel…’ (p.42). It justifies that claim by referencing it back to Pius X’s Tra Le Sollicetudini of 1903. However, there is a set of issues about whether Pius X ever intended for that document to contain the phrase ‘active participation.’ It is understandable that a short summary cannot explore every issue, but as Liturgy is such a major (and ongoing) issue arising from Vatican II, it would be helpful to readers to flag up that this issue (in some interpretations) may not be as simple and non-novel as the book seems to be claiming.
Otherwise it was a solid trudge through the major issues and personalities of the council. It was particularly good to see that the book tried to balance its presentation of issues by referring to minorities and majorities in the Council, rather than falling into the more journalistic portrayal of liberals vs conservatives. However, it would have been helpful to flag up to readers coming to the history of the Council for the first time, that there are a number of ‘conspiracy theories’ about how the ‘Rhine flowed into the Tiber,’ as the Northern Europeans exerted a variable influence over the inputs and outcomes of the Council.
Overall, a well written and engaging (short) history of the council.
April 12, 2023
Listened to this book through Hoopla. An overall decent overview of the history leading up to Vatican II, some of the conciliar documents, and the practical implementation(s) following the close of the council. However, I was disappointed in this work because Dr. Larry Chapp had recommended this book as one of the best introductions to Vatican II (while I thought there was a lot left to be desired in the work).
Blanchard and Bullivant definitely view Vatican II in light of the popular acceptance of Nouvelle théologie / ressourcement, in both Communio and Concilium lenses—the latter of which I find problematic. Neo-scholasticism and traditionalism are looked at poorly, as they represent a "stagnant" and minority view at the Council; I wish more time was spent addressing the actual criticisms held by these two groups on the topics of Dignitatis humanae and Sacrosanctum concilium, specifically.
From reading some of Blanchard's works on Commonweal, it's evident that he believes that some third-order teachings (e.g. those that are authoritative but not definitive) have indeed changed (which I agree can change in theory), whereas I don't hold that perspective at all; as a result, Blanchard does not provide interpretations of Conciliar texts that can be read in continuity with Magisterial proclamations that have been made prior to Vatican II (such as Dr. Thomas Pink's analysis of harmonizing Dignitatis humanae with the teachings of Pope Leo XIII).
Blanchard and Bullivant provide four hermeneutic perspectives regarding Vatican II (only the latter of which can be considered orthodox): traditionalist (characterized by suspicion and rejection of Vatican II), failure paradigm (a progressive rejection of the Council as one that did not go far enough), spirit event (think the "Spirit of the Council"), and text-continuity. I did appreciate Blanchard's explanation that Pope Benedict XVI's view of the Council, in his own words, was "a hermeneutic of reform," rather than the usually-stated "hermeneutic of continuity," which permits a change in attitude toward the world that wouldn't necessarily be held by a strict reading of "continuity" (although I don't view this as nearly as much of a change as the authors seem to lead on).
For a more comprehensive understanding of Vatican II (at a deeper than popular level), I would recommend reading the first volume of Benedict XVI: A Life.
Blanchard and Bullivant definitely view Vatican II in light of the popular acceptance of Nouvelle théologie / ressourcement, in both Communio and Concilium lenses—the latter of which I find problematic. Neo-scholasticism and traditionalism are looked at poorly, as they represent a "stagnant" and minority view at the Council; I wish more time was spent addressing the actual criticisms held by these two groups on the topics of Dignitatis humanae and Sacrosanctum concilium, specifically.
From reading some of Blanchard's works on Commonweal, it's evident that he believes that some third-order teachings (e.g. those that are authoritative but not definitive) have indeed changed (which I agree can change in theory), whereas I don't hold that perspective at all; as a result, Blanchard does not provide interpretations of Conciliar texts that can be read in continuity with Magisterial proclamations that have been made prior to Vatican II (such as Dr. Thomas Pink's analysis of harmonizing Dignitatis humanae with the teachings of Pope Leo XIII).
Blanchard and Bullivant provide four hermeneutic perspectives regarding Vatican II (only the latter of which can be considered orthodox): traditionalist (characterized by suspicion and rejection of Vatican II), failure paradigm (a progressive rejection of the Council as one that did not go far enough), spirit event (think the "Spirit of the Council"), and text-continuity. I did appreciate Blanchard's explanation that Pope Benedict XVI's view of the Council, in his own words, was "a hermeneutic of reform," rather than the usually-stated "hermeneutic of continuity," which permits a change in attitude toward the world that wouldn't necessarily be held by a strict reading of "continuity" (although I don't view this as nearly as much of a change as the authors seem to lead on).
For a more comprehensive understanding of Vatican II (at a deeper than popular level), I would recommend reading the first volume of Benedict XVI: A Life.
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August 15, 2024Picked this up randomly. It breaks down what led to the Vatican II Council and the big topics discussed—like liturgical reforms and the Church's approach to the modern world. It’s interesting to see how these discussions shaped the Church today.
Some parts were dense with new terms and figures, which made it a bit challenging at times.
I’m not sure how it stacks up against other books on Vatican II, so I won’t give it a star rating, but it definitely sparked my interest.
Some parts were dense with new terms and figures, which made it a bit challenging at times.
I’m not sure how it stacks up against other books on Vatican II, so I won’t give it a star rating, but it definitely sparked my interest.
March 17, 2024
As a history of the Vatican II, this was pretty swell. However, the assumptions, presuppositions, and digs about Protestants were unwarranted and/or false. To be fair, just read any historic Reformed confession of faith about our views on the Papacy and we probably have said things much stronger than what was said in this work.
August 27, 2025
An interesting read. I am not Catholic but have long been curious about Vatican II. How did it come about? What happened there? What were the results and how does it effect this global faith? I found satisfying answers to all of my questions (and some I didn't know I had).
June 11, 2023
A good survey of how Vatican II unfolded. Though the brevity means chances to relate how debates currently affect Catholicism are probably passed up.
July 3, 2023
I have a lot more respect for Vatican 2 because of things I learned in this book.
August 1, 2024
I didn’t know, other than the major events, of Vatican II, so this was very helpful to understand the background, and what was accomplished whether you liked it or not.
January 23, 2024
Not that important stuff...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews