Second Vatican and the Roman Council Essay Example for Free

Second Vatican and the Roman Council Essay What changes did the Second Vatican Council made to the Roman Catholic? The Second Vatican Council that is also referred to as the Vatican II took place in 1962-1965. It is also called the 21st Roman Catholic’s ecumenical. The council was initiated by John XXIII the pope of the Roman Catholic Church and continued up to the times of Paul IV. It was specifically concerned with renewing spiritually the Roman Catholic and to address the position of the church in the whole world. This council made a number of significant changes to the Roman church especially on liturgy, church constitution, on ecumenism etc. The purpose of this research paper is to discuss in details the reforms that were made in the Roman Catholic Church. The first announced purpose of this council was to make some reforms on liturgy. This was a change that was proposed such that if implemented the laymen would be encouraged to come closer to the church and increase their participation in the church matters. This was also intended to bring as many laymen as possible to the church so that there would be diversity in terms of the languages as well as in practice. This was based on understanding that various groups in the world have different cultures thus incorporating different groups in the church was the most viable means of bringing diversity. Much emphasis was also directed on the bishops’ pastoral duties so as to differentiate their role from other administrative duties. By the time this council adjourned, the council had discussed these issues and came up with four terms and definitions of these proposed changes that were based on mutual agreement. (Flannery, A 1996) When the council convened again in September to December 1963 the sacred liturgy constitution was passed. This constitution allowed the use of local languages and increased participation of the laymen in the church rituals. (Greeley A. 2004) The second Vatican unlike the past councils was particularly concerned with the renewal of the church and to make citizens to be committed to the church matters. The past council mainly addressed the punishment issues so as to combat heresies. The council came up with what was referred as the constitutions on divine revelations, on the church on 11th November 1964 and the pastoral constitution. The liturgy constitution was after mass participation in the church matters. In this constitution, Latin language, which was being used in the past, was replaced with other vernacular dialects. This constitution also provided the common ground of dealing with Protestants, orthodox and those that were considered as non-Christians. Here the Roman Catholic departed from making harsh policies against the above mentioned groups and instead condemned all acts that were viewed as anti Semitic. The council also deployed the persecution and hatred ness against the Protestants. Generally the council reformed the past constitution something that led to increase church freedom. (Daniel-Rops H. 1962) The church constitution was concerned with the biblical understanding of the juridical model, which was in use for many years. The Roman Catholics came to be regarded as the people of God thereby asking the servant nature of follower the prime concern His touched offices like the bishop and for the priests. The constitution made a provision that would allow bishops to have collegial responsibility in church affairs. The ordinary church members were also not left out as the constitution came upon these members to be sanctified so that they would help the church in spreading the gospel to the Christians in every part of the world. The tone of the constitution on pastoral matters was clearly expressed in the opening words in the council, â€Å"Joy and hope the grief and anguish of contemporary humanity particularly of poor and afflicted. † The debate stated with theological matters affecting humanity and then shifted to other areas that affected humanity such as cultural family, economic and well as family and marriage. (McGrory, B. 2004) This church constitution had eight chapters that were referred as the Lumen Gentium and this particularly completed the work of the first Vatican. This constitution in chapter three addressed the pope’s infallibility but no big change was made except the fact that pope’s infallibility was also extended to the Roman Catholic bishops especially when they are pursuing the church doctrines. The roman primacy was also reemphasized on this constitution but of paramount concern was the bishop’s centrality, which was strongly affirmed. This was in line with the collegiality principle or sharing responsibilities. (Flannery, A 1996) This is in other words affirmed that bishops were just like the body of apostle that Peter headed. By incorporating the Episcopal collegiality, papal primacy and infallibility solved the long continued tension between the council and the. The chapter 4 of this church constitution changed the tenaciously held believe that the clergy only formed church and nobody else mattered. This belief changed so that the church came to be seen as the ‘people of God. ’ With these changes, the church phased out the old traditions and switched to the modern world church. The transition was marked by use of people from all walks of life to promulgate the gospel of Christ. They were the church’s representatives just as it was the case in the times of the Christ. This changed the long-standing belief that only nuns, monks and clergies that possessed the Christian calling. This was changed so that the Roman Catholic would spread its gospel to all areas that in the past were inaccessible. The second Vatican council while forming the second dogmatic constitution touched on the sacred traditions and the church’s functions. They were aware that though the appropriate approach in spreading the gospel was to be used, the content and the harmonization of the scripture was of prime importance. The scripture was to be interpreted depending on the sacred tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. The emphasy was placed on the biblical decree and specifically on its centrality. This council resolved that it was to be ensured that everybody had an access to the sacred scripture. (Bokenkotter T. 1979) This sacred was quickly implemented and the results were evident within a very short time and there was particularly because of the legislation of using vernacular languages in spreading the gospel unlike in the past where Latin was the only recognized language. Another reason why it spread very fast is because unlike in the past where the Roman Catholic only relied on the clergies, monks and nuns to spread the gospel, this time through the constitutional reform, laymen were also entrusted with the work of spreading the same. About the mass sacrifice there were notable changes that were made for example the celebrant was not supposed to say privately those verses that were sung by the choir or by the deacon however they were allowed to sing along with the members in reciting the ordinary of the mass such as the Gloria and the Credo. Also there was supposed to a ‘secret’ prayer to be sung either loudly or secretly prior to preface. (Ker 2002) On ecumenism, the traditional method of teaching was maintained but was dramatically adapted. It was emphasized that only through the Roman Catholic Church of the Christians that salvation would be achieved. There were notable changes especially in the way Protestants and Anglicans were viewed. In the past they were viewed as enemies and were strongly condemned but this time they started seen as Christians while the eastern orthodox was deemed as the descendants of the apostles. The Roman church stopped believed that the solution to the church division was the return of all these churches to Rome but the believed that the solution was to let all participate and fulfill what their God wanted. (Gilbert A 1968) In conclusion, we can say that the second Vatican council made some significant reforms in the Roman Catholic. This is what could be referred to as the turning point between its dark past and the modern Roman Catholic Church. The changes that were brought by this council of the 1962 up to 1965 had some positive results for example viewing Christians as people of God, primacy and infallibility of the papal and the extension of this to the bishops, the inclusion of laymen in the spread of gospel and the condemnation of the persecution against the Protestants and the Jews. Work Cited. Bokenkotter T. A Concise History of the Catholic Church. Garden City, New York: Image. 1979: 36 Daniel-Rops H. The Second Vatican Council. D. C. Pawley.1962: 78-87. Flannery, A. , ed. Vatican Council II: Constitutions, Decrees, and Declarations. Costello Pub Co. 1996: 98 Gilbert A. : The Vatican Council and the Jews. Cleveland, World Publishing Co. , 1968: 112 Greeley A. The Catholic Revolution: New Wine, Old Wineskins, and the Second Vatican Council. Berkeley: University of California Press. 2004: 122-125. Ker I. What did the Second Vatican Council do for us? 2002. Accessed at http://www. christendom-awake. org/pages/ianker/vatican2. html on March 29 2008 McGrory, B. The Parish Council Empowers People: Church, Second Vatican. Catholic New Times. 20th June, 2004: 23-27