The Second Vatican Council: An Overview

Course Summary

This course is an overview of the Second Vatican Council. It surveys all of its dogmatic constitutions and key declarations and decrees. By surveying the themes, issues, theology, and proposed pastoral strategies brought up by these documents, the student will gain or be reminded of the purpose of the Council: a renewal of the Church based on a critical retrieval of its theological and pastoral knowledge and experience, a dialogue with the world about its challenges, problems, and hopes for the future, and laying the foundation for an updated pastoral strategy and theology designed so that the Church could address the world constructively in a sacramental and evangelical manner.

Successful completion of this course earns 2.5 CEU's.

General Course Objectives

• Identify what an ecumenical council is, and articulate the motives for holding an ecumenical council at all
• Read and analyze documents of the Second Vatican Council
• Identify and articulate the themes, ideas, questions presented and conclusions proposed by the four dogmatic constitutions proclaimed by the Council
• Identify and articulate the themes, ideas, questions presented and conclusions proposed by key declarations and decrees proclaimed by the Council, in particular those on Catholic laypersons, the orders of clergy, relationships with other Christian churches, and relationships with religions other than Christianity
• Articulate what the Second Vatican Council meant by its goal of effecting renewal in the Church, a renewal that sought to balance continuity with the Church’s intellectual and pastoral resources and experiences, with change so that the Church could effectively engage the world

Course Materials

• Required Book: Gaillardetz, Richard R. and Catherine E. Clifford Keys to the Council: Unlocking the Teaching of Vatican II Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2012 ISBN: 0814633684; 13: 978-0814633687; ASIN: B00794U40G
  • Order here

Course Structure and Highlights

• Week 1: Foundations, Scripture and Tradition: Dei Verbum
  • Identity the “two source theory” Dei Verbum rejects; articulate its understanding of the authentic relationship between Scripture and Tradition
  • Describe Dei Verbum’s view of divine revelation
  • Articulate how Dei Verbum understands the development of doctrine
  • Describe the eschatological character of divine revelation
  • Begin to articulate the role of the Christian faithful in their reception of divine revelation
• Week 2: Foundations, Liturgy and Worship: Sacrosanctum Concilium
  • Describe the Pascal Mystery and articulate why it is central to the prayer of the Church
  • Articulate how the Christian faithful participate in the divine life through its worship and sacraments, in particular the Eucharist
  • Articulate how Christ is always present in the Church through its worship and sacraments, in particular the Eucharist
  • Identify the motives behind Sacrosanctum Concilium’s call for liturgical reform
  • Identify and articulate the goals of liturgical reform
• Week 3: The Church, The Body of Christ: Lumen Gentium
  • Examine the renewal of ecclesiology prior to Vatican II, with the recovery of the idea of the Church as human community empowered by the Spirit and an extension of the incarnation of Christ balancing the post-Reformation idea of the Church as a visible institution
  • Examine the recovery of the biblical notion of koinonia
  • Examine the recovery of Pauline ecclesiology: the Church as the Body of Christ
  • Identify what Episcopal collegiality is
  • Articulate Lumen Gentium’s idea of the Church as Sacrament
  • Articulate what the concept of “charism” means, and the distinction between the baptismal and ministerial priesthood
• Week 4: The Church in Mission: Gaudium et Spes
  • Examine the shift the Church made from defensiveness against the world to solidarity with all humanity
  • Articulate how the Council envisioned the Church as “Leaven”
  • Articulate how the Council advanced Catholic Social Teaching, in particular the issues of peace and political and economic justice
  • Examine the expanded role of the laity in the Church’s mission
  • Articulate the Council’s teaching on marriage and the family
• Week 5: The Church: Communion and Dialogue
  • Identify the difference between true and false reform in the Church as articulated by the Council
  • Articulate how the Council changed the Church’s approach to Church-state relations
  • Articulate the reasons why the Church began to advocate for religious freedom
  • Articulate the shift in how the Church viewed Christians of Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches
  • Articulate the shift in how the Church viewed and related to the Jews
  • Articulate the shift in how the Church viewed and related to other religions outside of Christianity

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