From Vatican II to Pope Francis: Charting a Catholic Future

Leading Catholic scholars explore the agneda of Vatican II and the future of the church.
Fifty years after the Second Vatican Council, the Church is still grappling with the meaning and implications of this defining event and the documents it generated. Rather than rehearse well-worn debates over the interpretation of the Council, the contributors to this volume instead focus on where we go from here. What can we do now, with the inspiration of these teachings in a starkly different world? How do we chart a future for the Church from the standpoint of today? These questions are colored by the new atmosphere created by Pope Francis, who has resoundingly endorsed the Council’s program for the Church and urged an openness to follow where the spirit leads.
Topics include the principle of collegiality, the call to justice, the authority of conscience and religious liberty, interreligious dialogue, the role of women, the laity, and the future of ordained ministry.Paul Crowley, S.J.