Essay Sample on The Second Vatican Council

The Second Vatican Council, otherwise known as Vatican II, was the twenty-first ecumenical council and second by the Vatican. The meeting consisted of bishops worldwide, who came together collectively to discuss Church doctrine and practice matters of the Catholic Church. The committee was assembled by Pope John XXIII in the Vatican City and lasted for four sessions from October 11, 1962. Over this period, approximately 2625 people were bishops, cardinals, leaders of religious orders and theologians worldwide who attended the council. The majority of society believes that the following were the two main catalysts for the council’s inauguration: Keep the church relevant within the new conception of modernism by bringing in fresh ideas and enthusiasm. The tragedy of WWII also prompted the request for Vatican II. The Catholic Church had to incorporate a more direct anti-war stance. They were primarily trying to eradicate the perception that anti-Semitism is still encouraged by the Christian religion. The Second Vatican Council changed Christianity visibly in a variety of ways: Eucharist - There were many changes within this section. Priests were told to face the Laity (common Catholics) when celebrating Mass, encouraging the people to interact during the ceremony; Instead of being restricted to only speaking Latin, Priests could now speak in the local language. Latin is still, however, the official language of the Church and the Liturgy; The role of the laypeople is also increased through added scripture readings. They are tasked with reading prayers in the prayers of the faithful and in helping in the act of communion. These changes were ultimately made to more adequately include Catholics during the Liturgy. The participation of this group is crucial as it helps spread the Word of God throughout their communities. Attitude to Non-Catholics - Catholics of any rank must show compassion to their religious counterparts. Those considered as Non-Catholics were now to be viewed fairly among society and judging someone based on their religion was now shunned upon. We are all human beings and in that token, we should all be treated the same. They also decided to make changes to how beliefs were expressed. The following are the main changes, as there was multiple addressed during the council’s term: The Universal Call to Holiness - This made every one of every classification/rank accountable to the responsibility of building catholicism within their communities. It established greater importance on everyday Catholics rather than the higher hierarchical members of the Catholic Church, particularly the Priests and Bishops. Christian Unity - Not only should we seek unity with other religions but our Christian counterparts also. People associated with Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Anglican and other Christian denominations should be considered equal and not seen as the "lower class" that tradition has taught us. Embrace Technology - The church sought to be more involved in the modern world. They wanted to adapt to the upcoming advances such as communications, technology, culture and society as a collective. Renew the Church - The overall nature of the church was established and reevaluated. They believed that Church’s ideologies are a gift to the world as they are guided to the light of Jesus Christ. Scripture - Vatican II wanted to underline the importance of the Bible. Ordinary Catholics were motivated to read the religious scripture for their enjoyment. The council utilised scripture to exaggerate that tradition was also significant. Overall, the Second Vatican Council resulted in the Church opening its windows onto the modern world, a new meaning of the liturgy/scripture, a vaster role to the laity and devotion to putting aside differences with diverse religions. When considering the Second Vatican's contribution and impact, various arguments support the reasoning and outcome of Vatican II: Within our viewing and knowledge of Baptism, there was a profound change; The virtue of the sacrament declares that God's people collectively share the responsibility of preaching to the Gospel. There was a new essence of confidence within the church that embraces humanity to a greater extent. The change led to an upcoming relationship with several other Christian churches and religions. It recognised that there is a possibility of salvation outside the Catholic Church. The laypeople were assigned a more prominent role and higher responsibility. They can partake in the sacred rituals of the Church by acting as altar servers, lectors, and lay ministers. The participation of the average day individual obtains the interest of many and presents Mass in a unique light. However, the opposing side truly questions the council’s true value: Many would argue that Vatican II didn't address substantial issues. Incompetence from the council proved to be crucial as these matters are still creating separation within the church: Sexual morality (contraception) - Pope Paul VI ultimately followed tradition and banned artificial devices to prevent contraception. In this case, the council felt a sense of empowerment. Homosexuality - Same-sex marriage has been a controversial topic in the Christian community for centuries. The problem could’ve possibly been solved before Vatican II but rather than help to address it, they perpetuated the stereotype that homosexuality was hurtful to society. Clericalism/Abuse issue - They neglected to approach the dilemma of clericalism (an increase of power within the hierarchy) and clerical culture. Recently, these issues came into perspective as sex abuse scandals (Eg. George Pell) began to appear. Certain viewpoints say we should pursue the spirit of the council, meaning we should be more open to the world and less concerned with tradition in contrast. Other people argue that we should accept the literal decisions of the council but ritual must be maintained as it is paramount in the history of Christianity and society as a whole. On December 8, 1965 (aka Feast of the Immaculate Conception), the Second Vatican Council was concluded by Pope Paul VI. Vatican II had numerous positive and negative outcomes that have contributed to and left a lasting impact on society. They have produced a series of constitutional, declaration and decree documents that have directed Church life in the twentieth century and beyond. However, their lack of professionalism in society's significant issues gave reason to why the initiation of the council happened in the first place. Overall, Vatican II's contribution was overshadowed by their errors, unjustly in the opinion of many.