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Conciliar Octet: A Concise Commentary on the Eight Key Texts of the Second Vatican Council
A lively debate continues in the Roman Catholic Church about the character of the teaching provided by the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Did it represent a decisive rupture with previous doctrine, or the continuation of its earlier message under new conditions? Much depends on whether the Council texts are read in the light of subsequent events, which shook and sometimes smashed the life, worship and devotion of traditional Catholicism – rather than considered for themselves, in their own right as documents with a prehistory that historians can know. In this work Dominican scholar and writer Aidan Nichols maintains that the Council texts must be interpreted in the light of their genesis, not their aftermath. They must be seen in the light of the public debates in the Council chamber, not the hopes (or fears) of individuals behind the scenes. On this basis, he provides a concise commentary on the eight most significant documents produced by the Council, documents which cover pretty comprehensively all the major aspects of the Church’s life. Nichols describes the Council as a gathering where the Conciliar minority – guarded, prudent, and concerned for explicit continuity at all points with the preceding tradition – played a beneficial role in steadying the Conciliar majority, enthused as the latter was by the movements of biblical, patristic and liturgical ‘return to the sources’ and a desire to reach out to the world of the (then) present-day in generosity of heart. The texts that emerged from this often impassioned debate remain susceptible to a reading of a classically Christian kind. That is precisely what Nichols offers in this book.
150 pages, Paperback
Published August 21, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 19, 2024
A short summary with some insightful comments on the genesis and content of eight significant documents.
Including the Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches was surprising. Many, if not most, books on Vatican II tend to ignore this document which focuses on eastern Christianity specifically, as they tend to focus on the broader coverage of issues in the document on Ecumenism. This book includes both documents among its Octet.
This selection is partially explained by the author’s own academic interests. He has written previously on Eastern Christianity and it is a topic of interest to him. That interest enables him to make some thoughtful observations about the content of the decree, and also to put it into a wider context of orthodoxy itself. That focus of this book gives it some insights which do not feature in many other books about Vatican II.
The chapter on the decree of religious freedom was also particularly well focused. This is a very controversial document and the author explains why. He also gives three of the main explanatory theories for how the document is compatible with preceding views. As one of those viewpoints is to be found in a significant French book, this chapter has the benefit of making that theory available to English readers.
One of the omissions from the book is surely the document on Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes). The author explains that he has omitted it because it was a ‘kite that did not fly’ (30%). That explanation raises some significant questions. Was there something about the content of Ad Gentes, or about the wider comments of the council, which led to the failure of it? There is a story to be told there, which this book side steps.
Although the book only focuses on 8 documents, it does mention most of the other documents in passing. That leads to some idiosyncratic observations. For example, the Declaration on Christian Education and the Decree on the Means of Social Communication are cited as portraying ‘a benign portentous language of over-long documents saying not always a great deal.’ (53%).
Students of Vatican documents can hardly fail to notice that they have indeed been getting longer and longer throughout the twentieth century. It is an interesting question whether that style can be attributed as an unintended ‘fruit’ (?) of the council?
Overall, at just 150 pages this is a useful summary of the main ideas of the main documents of the council. The language of the text is clear enough to be accessible to readers of any backgrounds. And there are endnotes which provide links for readers who would like to pursue points further.
Including the Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches was surprising. Many, if not most, books on Vatican II tend to ignore this document which focuses on eastern Christianity specifically, as they tend to focus on the broader coverage of issues in the document on Ecumenism. This book includes both documents among its Octet.
This selection is partially explained by the author’s own academic interests. He has written previously on Eastern Christianity and it is a topic of interest to him. That interest enables him to make some thoughtful observations about the content of the decree, and also to put it into a wider context of orthodoxy itself. That focus of this book gives it some insights which do not feature in many other books about Vatican II.
The chapter on the decree of religious freedom was also particularly well focused. This is a very controversial document and the author explains why. He also gives three of the main explanatory theories for how the document is compatible with preceding views. As one of those viewpoints is to be found in a significant French book, this chapter has the benefit of making that theory available to English readers.
One of the omissions from the book is surely the document on Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes). The author explains that he has omitted it because it was a ‘kite that did not fly’ (30%). That explanation raises some significant questions. Was there something about the content of Ad Gentes, or about the wider comments of the council, which led to the failure of it? There is a story to be told there, which this book side steps.
Although the book only focuses on 8 documents, it does mention most of the other documents in passing. That leads to some idiosyncratic observations. For example, the Declaration on Christian Education and the Decree on the Means of Social Communication are cited as portraying ‘a benign portentous language of over-long documents saying not always a great deal.’ (53%).
Students of Vatican documents can hardly fail to notice that they have indeed been getting longer and longer throughout the twentieth century. It is an interesting question whether that style can be attributed as an unintended ‘fruit’ (?) of the council?
Overall, at just 150 pages this is a useful summary of the main ideas of the main documents of the council. The language of the text is clear enough to be accessible to readers of any backgrounds. And there are endnotes which provide links for readers who would like to pursue points further.
January 9, 2020
One of the most important aspects of this book is that Fr. Nichols looks at the history of each document’s development rather than at the methods through which each was implemented. By looking at each document’s development – beginning with pre-conciliar discussions by bishops about each topic and finishing with the debates and conclusions in connection with them – he is able to get to the root of what was intended by these important documents of Vatican II.
My full review is at CatholicMom.com.
My full review is at CatholicMom.com.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews