Vatican II in Plain English

Description

The Second Vatican Council, which met from 1962 through 1965, is the most significant event in the last 400 years of Christian history. It changed the face of the Roman Catholic Church forever and dramatically affected all the people of the world. In this three-volume set, author and theologian Bill Huebsch has provided a thorough and thoroughly readable telling of the story of Vatican II.

The Council. This volume describes the Church on the eve of the council, gives an easy-to-read version of the opening speech of John XXIII and other speeches, provides a chronology of major events in Vatican II’s unfolding story, lists all previous church councils, and offers biographies of key players at Vatican II, as well as a summary of each document.

The Constitutions. This volume paraphrases the texts of the four constitutions – on the liturgy, the Church, divine revelation, and the Church in the modern world – in easily readable sense lines and invites the reader to better understand and internalise the message of the council fathers in a spirit of reverence, prayer, and reflection.

The Decrees and Declarations. This volume paraphrases the nine decrees and three declarations of the council, including the Decree on Ecumenism, the Declaration on Religious Freedom, the Decree on the Appropriate Renewal of Religious Life, and the Declaration on Christian Education.

Author

Bill Huebsch is an author, theologian, former director of religious education, farmer, and long-time Catholic publishing professional. He is founder of PastoralPlanning.com and past president of Twenty-Third Publications. Huebsch writes and teaches extensively on the catechetical mission of the Church and on the importance of continuing to implement the vision of the Second Vatican Council.