世界五大陸から公会議教父が集い、教会の現代化をテーマに多くの議論がなされた第２バチカン公会議（1962-1965年）は、カトリック教会にとって宗教改革以来の最も重要な出来事でした。世界五大陸から公会議教父が集い、教会の現代化が議論され、多大な影響力を持つ16の文書が発表されました。歴史的経緯や会議が行われた1960年代の時代背景、参加者や傍聴者による証言、公式議事録、この半世紀に行われた研究を踏まえ、世界の10億人のカトリック信者の宗教的、社会的、道徳的生活に重大な変化をもたらした第二バチカン公会議の全体像を描き出します。
 

• A fresh account of the event of Vatican II, the documents it produced, and its roots and reception
• Pays substantial attention to the diversity of thought and background at the Council
• Rooted in recent scholarship on the Council, this is an accessible introduction to Vatican II that is perfect for an undergraduate or graduate classroom

    
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), or Vatican II, is arguably the most significant event in the life of the Catholic Church since the Reformation. The Council initiated, intentionally or not, profound changes not simply within Catholic theology, but in the religious, social, and moral lives of the world's billion Catholics. It also reconfigured, intellectually and practically, the Church's engagements with those outside of it - most obviously with regard to other religions.

The sixteen documents formally issued by Vatican II constitute some of the most influential writings of the whole twentieth century. Debates over their correct interpretation and authority are constant, but they remain an indispensable point-of-reference for all areas of Catholic life, from liturgy and sacraments, to the Church's vast network of charitable and educational endeavours the world over.

In this Very Short Introduction, Shaun Blanchard and Stephen Bullivant present the backstory to this event. Vatican II is explored in light of the wider history of the Catholic Church and placed in the tumultuous context of the 1960s. It distils the research on Vatican II, employing the first-hand accounts of participants and observers, and the official proceedings of the Council to paint a rich picture of one of the most important events of the last century.