Vatican II: A Pastoral Council for a Synodal Church (CH3184C)

Undergraduate, 18.0 points

Content

This unit will examine the historical context of the Second Vatican Council (1962–65). It will examine the intellectual and historical formation of Angelo Roncalli (Pope John XXIII) and his particular study of the pastoral reforms of the Council of Trent which shaped in a definitive way his language and framework in calling the Second Vatican Council. In studying the speeches and writings of Angelo Roncalli/John XXIII, the student will come to understand the historical context of Vatican II’s call for aggiornamento (updating) and the unique pastoral emphasis of the Council evidenced by the sixteen documents and the Council's call for dialogue with the modern world. An assessment of the historical importance of Vatican II will be made with reference to the call of Pope Francis for a more synodal Church to engage with the great pastoral and spiritual questions of our age.

Unit code: CH3184C

Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Church History

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Contextualize Vatican II in relation to previous Church councils.
2.

Identify the major themes in the ongoing historical interpretation of Vatican II, noting in particular the evolution of the recent scholarly debates regarding the relative continuity/discontinuity of the Council.
3.

Articulate the cultural and intellectual formation of Angelo Roncalli (John XXIII), in particular, his study of the Council of Trent and the reforms of St Charles Borromeo that prompted him to call the Second Vatican Council
4.

Situate the documents of Vatican II in the wider historical and theological context
5.

Evaluate the distinctive nature of Vatican II and its sixteen documents as a hermeneutical key to assist in the ongoing interpretation of conciliar history.

6.

Develop a coherent argument for the distinctive place of councils in the life of the Church.

Pedagogy

Lectures and seminars

Indicative Bibliography

  • Alberigo, Giuseppe, and Joseph Komonchak, eds. History of Vatican II. 5 vols. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1995-2006.
  • Alberigo, Giuseppe. A Brief History of Vatican II. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2006.
  • Blanchard, Shaun & Stephen Bullivant. Vatican II: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023.
  • Benigni, Mario, and Goffredo Zanchi. John XXIII: The Official Biography. Boston, MA: Pauline Books & Media, 2001.
  • Clifford, Catherine & Massimo Faggioli, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Vatican II. New York: Oxford University Press, 2023.
  • Hebblethwaite, Peter. John XXIII: Pope of the Council. London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1984.
  • McEnroy, Carmel. Guests In Their Own House: The Women of Vatican II. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2011.
  • O’Malley, John. What Happened at Vatican II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2008. (recommended for purchase)
  • O’Sullivan, Maureen. 101 Questions and Answers on Vatican II. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2002.
  • Schultenover, David, ed. Vatican II. Did Anything Happen? New York: Continuum, 2007.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Seminar or Tutorial

500 word seminar paper

 500 20.0
Essay

3,500 word essay

3500 50.0
Written Examination

one hour documents examination

 1000 30.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 25 Jan, 2024

Unit record last updated: 2024-01-25 09:10:39 +1100