Vatican Council II was the 21st ecumenical (general) council of the Roman Catholic Church. Saint John XXIII called the council. It met in four sessions in Rome from 1962 through 1965. Vatican Council II was the first ecumenical council held by the church since the suspension of Vatican Council I in 1870.
John XXIII was elected pope in 1958 at the age of 76. On Jan. 25, 1959, less than three months after his election, John surprised the world by announcing his intention to summon an ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. After three years of preparation, the council opened on Oct. 12, 1962. It had about 2,500 participants and many non-Catholic observers. It was the largest church council in history. It far surpassed the approximately 800 churchmen who attended Vatican Council I.
The work of the council.
In preparation for the council, commissions directed by the administrative offices of the Vatican created draft documents on a variety of subjects. Many Catholic bishops wanted the council to make significant changes in church practices. They found the drafts to be too focused on abstract teachings that would not change the way the church viewed itself or interacted with its members and the world. The council rejected the drafts. It began, with the support of John XXIII, to chart its own course. This led to many progressive reforms that influenced how Catholics worshiped, participated in the church, and related to non-Catholic Christians.
John XXIII died on June 3, 1963, and Saint Paul VI was elected the next pope. Paul reconvened the council and guided it to its conclusion on Dec. 8, 1965.
Vatican Council II issued 16 documents—four constitutions, three declarations, and nine decrees. The most important were the constitutions, which dealt with the liturgy (ritual), divine revelation, and the church itself.
The Constitution on the Liturgy
(called Sacrosanctum Concilium in Latin) started a number of reforms. The constitution led to the celebration of the Mass in the _vernacular—_that is, a congregation’s native language—instead of in Latin. For example, in France, Mass began to be celebrated in French. Other reforms included standing at different times during Mass and changes in the way worshipers received Holy Communion. They now had the option of receiving the Communion wafer in their hand while standing, rather than on their tongue while kneeling. The council opened the way for such popular musical instruments as guitars to be used at Mass, and for congregations to sing new songs.
The Constitution of Divine Revelation
(Dei Verbum) restored the Bible to a central place in Catholic thought and practice. Before the council, many Catholics had not read the Bible. They had relied on the church to instruct them about the Bible. They had placed greater importance on the rules and teachings of the church than on the Bible. The council insisted that the church’s teaching authority always be rooted in the Bible, which the church considers God’s word. It encouraged all Catholics to read the Bible and authorized translations that would be easy to understand.
The council also stressed that Jesus Christ is the fullness of revelation. This means that Jesus revealed God’s will for all people and how they could be forgiven for their sins.
The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
(Lumen Gentium) favored an image of the church as “the people of God,” and not as only the pope and bishops. Thus, the council broke with a centuries-long emphasis on the power of the clergy. The constitution gave lay (nonclerical) people specific responsibilities and rights within the church.
Lumen Gentium also restored some of the authority of individual bishops. After Vatican Council I, power had been consolidated in the pope. The new constitution described the “collegiality of bishops” and emphasized that the pope and bishops form one body. Collegiality means the association in which the pope and bishops share authority over the church.
The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World
(Gaudium et Spes) promoted a dialogue between the Catholic Church and the modern world. After the French Revolution (1789-1799), much of the church opposed modern attitudes in non-Catholic society. Some Catholics viewed such modern attitudes as hostile toward Christianity. The new constitution recognized that the church exists in the world and must proclaim its message in terms that the world can understand. The constitution also acknowledged that the church has much to learn from the values and problems of modern life. Isolation from non-Catholics had characterized previous church councils. On the contrary, Gaudium et Spes expressed Pope John XXIII’s openness to the world by establishing new relationships with non-Catholic Christians.
Other documents.
The council issued two especially notable declarations. The Declaration on the Relation of the Church to non-Christian Religions (Nostra Aetate) celebrated the special spiritual ties binding Christians and Jews and opened the church to dialogue with other religions. It denounced all forms of anti-Semitism (prejudice against Jews). It also laid the basis for a new understanding and respect between Christians and Jews.
The Declaration on Religious Liberty (Dignitatis Humanae) stressed that individual conscience demands respect, especially in matters of religious faith and observance. Nobody should be forced by the state to accept a particular religion. This declaration changed the way the church related to secular (nonreligious) nations. Dignitatis Humanae owed much to the efforts of American bishops and theologians, especially the Jesuit theologian John Courtney Murray.
The influence of the council.
Vatican Council II initiated the most far-reaching reforms within the Catholic Church in 1,000 years. It helped to make the church, traditionally centered around Europe, more global.
The striking transformations the council set in motion also created tensions. Conflicts between conservative and progressive views existed from the start of the council. Some Catholics, including some bishops, thought the council’s actions resulted in too much change. They opposed reformers who wanted to vigorously update worship, doctrine (teachings), and the church’s view of its place in the world.
Different interpretations of the council continue to influence how the church views itself. Some Catholics, including some clergy members, claim that the council did not intend to introduce change. They would like to see pre-Vatican II practices restored. Others believe that the council purposefully instituted changes to update the church and make it better reflect Biblical teachings.
See also John XXIII, Saint ; Paul VI, Saint ; Roman Catholic Church ; Vatican Council I .
