Vatican II - The Crisis and the Promise

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Alan Schrek

Whatever happened to the Second Vatican Council?  Has the Catholic Church backed away from its teachings?  What, exactly, were those teachings?  Did the Council stand for the renewal of the liturgy, for example, or its destruction?  Did it bring the Church into the world, or has it allowed the world to infiltrate the Church?

On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the closing of Vatican II, Alan Schrek discusses the key documents of the Council and their meaning for Catholics today.

He also takes a close look at the ferment and criticism Vatican II left in its wake.  What he finds will surprise some Catholics but encourages all to lean into the task of renewing and strengthening the Church for the twenty-first century.

Alan Schrek is professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio.  He is author of numerous books, including Catholic and Christian and The Essential Catholic Catechism.

Vatican II Placed Back in Continuity with Tradition

 I can’t count the number of times I have heard the expressions "pre-Vatican II" and "post-Vatican II" used to describe someone’s particular allegiance as a Catholic. These labels clearly presume opposition—or at least a deep division— within the Church today.

To the great suffering of the faithful, extremists on the left and on the right have done such a thorough job of distorting and misrepresenting the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that many see the council as a revolution that gave birth to a new Church, even a new religion. While some deny the validity of the council and call its teachings heretical, others believe that Vatican II was only a "pastoral council," insisting that Catholics are bound by none of its teachings. Still others have taken advantage of the confusion to promote a "spirit" of Vatican II that stands in opposition to the "letter" of its documents.

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