Vatican II: the Challenge and the Promise

Many of the debates which are going on in the Catholic Church today have as their root the interpretation of Vatican II, the last ecumenical council.  Yet, how many people have really delved into Vatican II, into the texts themselves, the theological and historical context of the Council, and the thorny questions of its interpretation.  At my parish, Prince of Peace in Taylors, SC, we just finished a series on Vatican II.  Often church musicians need resources to learn more, not just about the liturgical and musical questions which effect their daily life, but also the theological background around which some of those questions must be considered.

For the next seven Mondays, each week we offer a link to a talk given by me about Vatican II on the following topics, along with the discussion afterwards:

 Why Vatican II is Important
Ecumenical Councils
Sacrosanctum concilium
Lumen gentium
Dei verbum
Gaudium et spes
Fifty-One Years After the Council: Now What?
This series may be many things, but it will not be dull!  Make sure to check back every Monday evening as we go through these topics together!  Every Monday for the next seven Mondays, at 6pm EST, the new talks will be posted. We hope this will encourage great debate and desire for further study!

3 Replies to “Vatican II: the Challenge and the Promise”

  1. The class was very enlightening. We read the four constitutions . You may want to read the first (Sacrosanctum Concilium) before listening. It is online at the Vatican website. In fact, all four were interesting since the shocker for me was how often the resulting changes belied the Council's intent! Fr. Smith also provides historical, social, and political contexts for the time period. I was growing up during that time but never put the whole picture together in my head which Fr. provided for us in the class. I would highly recommend listening!

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