Course Memo
Content: The seminar will study the documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) with historical background. We will focus on the theological content of the documents and their implementation and current status of the issues, especially as these are being retrieved by Pope Francis.
Course Objectives: To gain: 1. a thorough appreciation of the Second Vatican Council as an historical event, 2. an understanding of the content of its 16 major documents; 3. knowledge of the theological developments it built upon and, in turn, initiated,4. an assessment of its complex reception and interpretations, 5. implications for the life and practices of the contemporary Christian community; 6. an ability to critique intelligently its strengths and weaknesses
Method: The seminar will require regular reading and participation in discussions. To prepare for the discussions, each student will write a weekly two-page paper (typed, double spaced) report including: 1) points requiring simple clarification, e. g., technical terms, words in foreign languages, etc.; 2) major issues raised in the readings; and 3) your own questions stimulated by the reading. These will be posted on the Moodle site for this course in Microsoft Word or .pdf format. Regular attendance is presumed. [Faculty Consent Required]