STMM 511 - Theology of Vatican II

3 credit hours

The Second Vatican Council represented a new epoch in the development of the Church, “the beginning of a beginning” (Karl Rahner S.J.), out of which Roman Catholicism and the whole of Christianity embarked upon a renewed pilgrimage of faith, in and through the world and its future. This course examines the theological and ecclesial environment from which the Council emerged, the foundational documents that express the vision it set forth, and the current struggle to appropriate this renewal in worship, theology and scripture, ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, and social engagement with diverse cultures and worldviews. The landscape of personal stories will give texture and resonance to the texts and pronouncements that document its history and theology, all of which shape ministry and life in the contemporary Church.