Vatican 2 : The Essential Texts

A collection of the essential documents of the Vatican II Council to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this landmark event that forever changed the Catholic Church, with introductions by Pope Benedict XVI (conservative) and James Carroll (progressive).

By encouraging Catholic engagement with the modern world and refocusing Catholic teaching, the Vatican II Council brought new life to the practice of Catholicism. With many current Church issues finding their roots in differinginterpretations of Vatican II, it has never lost relevance. Vatican II: The Essential Texts brings together the key documents of the council. As the council is commemorated on its 50th anniversary, readers will return to these sourcematerials to understand the Church’s developing positions. In addition to the introductions, the documents are accompanied by brief historical prefaces by theologian Professor Edward Hahnenberg.