Contested legacy: An Anglican looks at Vatican II

Abstract

On the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second Vatican Council, this article affirms the huge significance of the Council for the whole Christian Church, examines the ways in which the Council's legacy has been contested by conservatives and liberals in the Roman Catholic Church, and recommends some resources for the study of the Council's teaching. It concludes by noting the extraordinary power of the popes and other Church leaders, to set the tone for their churches.

Selling a tiara, giving a ring

“…But the first for nearly a century. 3 In his subsequent argument, Avis cites the attitudes of both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI (formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican doctrinal enforcer) to the Council. Both are critical, although John Paul II's criticism was more nuanced in its feel.…”