VATICAN COUNCIL II
THE 21ST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
WHAT’S AN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL?
COMMUNION OF PARTICULAR CHURCHES
PATRIARCHATES
RITES E-W/ IN COMMUNION
NICAEA I
THE FIRST SEVEN
THE (WESTERN) 21
TRENT
VATICAN I
VATICAN II
How different?
The major documents
Some Effects
Resources/websites
EFFECTS OF VATICAN COUNCIL II
• PART OF THE STORY IS HISTORICAL
“19TH AND 20TH CENTURY
“RESOURCEMENT”
Biblical studies, historical studies, archaeology,
globalization, technological development…
• PART OF THE STORY IS THE DISTINCTIVE
CHARACTER OF VATICAN COUNCIL II
WHAT’S AN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL?
An assembly (Gk. synodos; Lat.
concilium) of representatives
(episcopoi) of the whole (i.e.,
catholic) church for
consultation and decision
regarding ecclesial matters.
What is the ‘catholic’ ‘church’
A church (ekklesia) is a community of Christians
who assemble for public worship
A particular church is such an assembly, ususally
in a particular geographical location, presided
over by a “supervisor” (i.e., episkopos (Gk.)=
‘bishop’)
What is the ‘catholic’ ‘church’
• “catholic” refers to a relationship among
particular churches called (Gk.) koinonia,
“communion.”
• The first recorded use of the term “catholic” in
this way is from c. 100 AD in Ignatius of
Antioch’s Letter to the Smyrneans
REGISTERS AN ANCIENT GREEK
EXPERIENCE
KATA-HOLIKOS
“kata”- a preposition that is roughly
equivalent to the English “through” or
“through-out” (or “together with”
An example: “kata Johannen” meaning
(the good news) “through John.”
“holos, holikos”- a noun meaning, the
whole (world), everything, all
kata-holike:
“through-out-the-whole”
• Modern use of this term as a denominational
label (a sect) is the opposite of “sectarian”
• A particular church is ‘catholic insofar as it is
“in communion” with the “whole”
• Synods (Gk., synods) and councils (Lat.
Concilium) are called to achieve or confirm
communion in or among patriarchates
PATRIARCHATES
• an autonomous, self-governing federation of
particular churches (dioceses) under the
jurisdiction of a chief bishop called a
“patriarch” and his “synod.”
• Early Christian Patriarchates: Rome,
Constantinople, Alexandra, Antioch, Jerusalem
• Additional Patriarchates have been added in
modern times
RITES E-W/ IN COMMUNION
• Based on the regional differences of the
patriarchates, distinct liturgical traditions
developed (leiturgia=“public work”, “work of the
people” (i.e., the worshipping assembly)
• Traditionally, “catholicity” of particular churches
has been ensured by being “in communion with”
the Bishop of Rome in his function as “president
of the college of bishops”
What’s in a name?
• Confusion often occurs because the Bishop of
Rome actually has several titles and functions:
Here are a few:
– Bishop of Rome (local bishop for city of Rome)
– Patriarch of the West (chief bishop of churches of
the Roman Latin Rite)
– Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church (Lat.,
pontifex= “bridge”-“maker”.
RITES
AT PRESENT THERE ARE 21 RITES OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE MOST WELL KNOWN
ARE:
LATIN (ROMAN)
ETHIOPIAN
ARMENIAN
MARONITE
BYZANTINE
EAST-SYRIAN
COPTIC
WEST- SYRIAN
WHAT’S AN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL?
An assembly (Gk. synodos; Lat.
concilium) of representatives
(episcopoi) of the whole (i.e.,
catholic) church for consultation and
decision regarding ecclesial matters.
Gk.: oikoumenikos fr. oikumene, “the whole
(inhabited) world”, fr. oikos=“household”
WHY ECUMENICAL COUNCILS?
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TABLE 1.1
Christian Growth Projected at 40 Percent per Decade
Year
Number of Christians
Percent of Populationa
40
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
aBased
1,000
1,400
7,530
40,496
217,795
1,171,356
6,299,832
33,882,008
on an estimated population of 60 million.
0.0017
0.0023
0.0126
0.07
0.36
1.9
10.5
56.5
NICAEA I
• AD 325- THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
• EDICT OF MILAN 313:LEGALIZED CHRISTIANITY
• CALLED BY ROMAN EMPEROR CONSTANTINE
TO RESOLVE THE “ARIAN” CONTROVERSY
• ATTENDED BY 300 + BISHOPS
• PROFESSION OF FAITH (NICENE CREED)
• NICENE-CONSTANTINOPOLITAN CREED
• Academic.regis.edu/rlumpp
THE FIRST SEVEN COUNCILS
(named for location)
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NICAEA I
CONSTANTINOPLE I
EPHESUS
CHALCEDON
CONSTANTINOPLE II
CONSTANTINOPLE III
NICAEA II
325
381
431
451
553
680-81
787
21 ECUMENICAL COUNCILS
• Recognized by the Catholic Church
• Only First Seven Recognized by Orthodox
Churches
• Eastern Rites typically have two Forms—
Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic
• They are distinguished principally by
whether or not they are “in communion”
with Rome
COUNCIL OF TRENT
• THREE SESSIONS: 1545-47, 1551-52, 1562-63
• RESPONDED TO THE CHALLENGES POSED BY
THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION (NB: 1517)
• DEALT MAINLY WITH WESTERN CONCERNS
(No Reformation in East)
• FIXED WESTERN (LATIN) CHURCH FOR 400 YRS
• PARADIGM EXPANDED GEOGRAPHICALLY
WITH EUROPEAN COLONIZATION
• MADE THE WESTERN (ROMAN) UNIFORM
VATICAN COUNCIL I
• 1869-1870
• 774 (1/3 Italians-2/3 Europeans) 48 US
• UNIFICATION OF ITALY (NB: Regis)
– END OF PAPAL STATES (1861)
– END OF CONTROL OF ROME (1870)
– CREATION OF VATICAN CITY STATE (1929)
• THREE MAIN FACTIONS:
– INFALLIBILISTS
– GENERAL SUPPORTERS OF PAPL AUTHORITY
– DECENTRALISTS
VATICAN COUNCIL II
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IMMEDIATE BACKGROUND
PIUS XII 1939-1958
PAPAL NUNCIO TO GERMANY 1917 ff.
PAPAL SECRETARY OF STATE 1930-39
TRIED TO PREVENT WAR THROUGH DIPLOMACY
PERHAPS NAÏVE ABOUT HITLER
WANTED TO PROTECT CHURCH VS. FASCISM,
NAZISM & COMMUNISM
ENCOURAGED BIBLICAL AND LITURGICAL
SCHOLARSHIP
VATICAN COUNCIL II
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IMMEDIATE BACKGROUND
POPE JOHN XXIII1958-1963
PAPAL DIPLOMAT—ACCESSIBLE AND FRIENDLY
EXPECTED TO BE A CARETAKER
ASTONISHED THE WORLD BY CALLING
COUNCIL: AGGIORNAMENTO
PASTORAL IN CHARACTER
ECUMENICAL
CONCERN FOR PEACE (Missile Crisis)
VATICAN COUNCIL II
• FOUR SESSIONS: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
• 2,600 BISHOPS (Vat I 737)
– 1089 European
– 489 South American
– 404 North America
– 374 Asia
– 296 Africa
– 84
Central America
– 75
Oceania
VATICAN COUNCIL II
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SOME FIRSTS
OBSERVERS FROM EVERY MAJOR CHRISTIAN
GROUP
ELECTRICITY, TELEPHONES,TYPEWRITERS,
TRANSPORATION
MEDIA COVERAGE
LAY WOMEN AND MEN
VATICAN COUNCIL II
THE PROCESS
• AGENDA ITEMS (9300) SOUGHT
FROM
–ALL BISHOPS
–RELIGIOUS ORDERS
–UNIVERSITIES AND THEOLOGICAL
FACULTIES
VATICAN COUNCIL II
–PREPARATORY COMMISSIONS
DRAFTED
–BISHOPS REJECTED AND
REDRAFTED MUCH OF WHAT THEY
WERE GIVEN
–CHURCH BUREAUCRACY
UNDERMINED
VATICAN COUNCIL II
WHAT THE COUNCIL PRODUCED
• DOGMATIC CONSITUTION ON DIVINE
REVELATION
• DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH
• CONSTITUTION ON SACRED LITURGY
• PASTORAL CONSTITUTION ON CHURCH IN
THE MODERN WORLD
VATICAN COUNCIL II
WHAT THE COUNCIL PRODUCED
DECREES ON
• SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
• ECUMENISM
• EASTERN CATHOLIC CHURCHES
• BISHOPS’ PASTORAL OFFICE
VATICAN COUNCIL II
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PRIESTLY FORMATION
RENEWAL OF RELIGIOUS LIFE
APOSTOLATE OF THE LAITY
MINISTRY AND LIFE OF PRIESTS
MISSIONARY ACTIVITY
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
RELATIONSHIP TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
VATICAN COUNCIL II
• THE TRADITION IS THAT IT TAKES
100 YEARS FOR A MAJOR
COUNCIL TO BE FULLY
IMPLEMENTED.
• WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
EFFECTS OF VATICAN II SO FAR?
KEY THEMES IN VATICAN II
1. CHURCH IS PRIMARILY MYSTERY/SACRAMENT
RATHER THAN ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION
2. CHURCH IS WHOLE PEOPLE OF GOD NOT
JUST HIERARCHY, CLERGY, RELIGIOUS
3. CHURCH’S MISSION INCLUDES WORK FOR
PEACE AND JUSTICE
4. CHURCH INCLUDES ALL CHRISTIANS NOT
ONLY CATHOLIC CHIRSTIANS (Degree)
KEY THEMES IN VATICAN II
5. CHURCH IS COMMUNION OF LOCAL
CHURCHES NOT JUST UNITS OF UNIVERSAL
6. CHURCH IS ESCATOLOGICAL COMMUNITY,
NOT YET THE KINGDOM OF GOD
7. LAY PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN INTRINSIC
MISSION, NOT JUST AGENTS OF HIERARCHY
8. THERE ARE LEVELS OF TRUTH—NOT ALL
TEACHINGS ARE OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE
KEY THEMES IN VATICAN II
9. GOD USES OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND
NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS TO OFFER
SALVATION TO ALL HUMANKIND
10. THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON AND
THE FREEDOM OF FAITH ARE FOUNDATIONS
OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY FOR ALL HUMANS
SOME EFFECTS OF VATICAN II
• CHANGE FROM LATIN TO VERNACULAR IN THE
ASSEMBLY ENHANCED LOCAL IDENTITIES OF
PARTICULAR CHURCHES
(Constitution on Liturgy)
• ATTENTION TO “INCULTURATION”
(Constitution on Church)
• EMPHASIS ON THE PEOPLE VS. INSTITUTION
(Constitution on Church)
SOME EFFECTS OF VATICAN II
• FOCUS ON ISSUES OF PEACE AND JUSTICE AS
CENTRAL TO CHURCH’S MISSION
(Constitution on Church in Modern World)
• INCLUSION OF LAY PERSONS IN KEY
LITURGICAL ROLES EMPOWERS PERSONS TO
SEE THEMSELVES AS ACTORS(Readers,
ministers of communion, prayer leaders,
musicians)
• DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ROLLS
(DRE’s, liturgists, administrators, teachers)
SOME EFFECTS OF VATICAN II
• COLLABORATION WITH PERSONS OF OTHER
FAITHS AND COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS FOR
PEACE AND JUSTICE WORK
• ENCOURAGEMENT OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL
ACTIVISM
• MORE ACTIVE ROLES FOR WOMEN