The Importance of Vatican II

Peter and the Keys to the Kingdom

     

      The very controversy behind Vatican II represents the tremendous importance it has in the Roman Catholic Church and Christianity in general.  According to David L. Smith, "the Second Vatican Council...was an intentional effort to renew the church and redefine Catholic dogma." (1)  At the heart of the council was a desire to be more relevant and open to humanity while still maintaining the Roman Catholic tradition. 

      In a very real sense, Vatican II softened some of the traditional Roman Catholic dogmas.  One such change brought by Vatican II is that people can actually be Christians outside of the Catholic Church.  Before Vatican II, both Protestant and Eastern Orthodox were considered among the lost.  This second council encouraged the view that people can follow Christ outside of the Catholic Church as opposed to the traditional view that the Roman Catholic Church is the mediator of salvation. 

      Another dogma which changed within Catholicism was the Roman Catholic doctrine of the nature of the Church.  The Second Vatican Council urged a change from the understanding that only the pope and clergy represented the Church to a view which included all Christ followers as part of Christ's Church.  With this, laity were encouraged to take part in ministry.  This is reminiscent of the biblical teaching of the priesthood of believers.

      Along with these changes for the good, Vatican II also brought about some changes for the worse.  Rethinking the doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture, the council affirmed that the Bible is inerrant to the extent of the passages which deal with salvation.  Instead of holding to a firm view of the inerrancy of Scripture, the council reveals a similar tangent as Liberal Protestantism with its doctrine of limited inerrancy. 

      One of the stickiest topics debated about surrounding Vatican II is the council's tendency towards universalism.  Norman L. Geisler wrote that though many commentators believe the council recognized non-Christian religions as ways of salvation, traditional scholars disagree, "believing that this line of interpretation reflects more the presuppositions of the individual thinkers than the direct teaching of the council." (2)  Smith, who is mentioned earlier, promotes the idea that Vatican II truly does teach universalism. (3)  This reminds us that we need to be careful when we take stances on issues of which certainty is elusive. No matter the case, if the council promotes universalism, then it follows in the path of Liberal Protestantism and is found theologically lacking within Christianity.

     Much of the changes brought about within Vatican II illustrate a swing from rational view of theology to an religious experience view of doctrine where experience is most apt to describe truth.  It is a change from a strong hold on the transcendence of God to the immanence of God.  As we have seen in the past, this swing of the pendulum can be both good and incredibly dangerous at the same time.  One has the potential to incredibly deepen one's relationship with God, but also risks making theology relevant over containing essential substance and truth.

      Vatican II is so important, because it made some drastic changes within the realm of Roman Catholicism.  These changes not only affect the Catholic Church, but the Church in general. Some of these changes were for the good, and some were for the worse.  In this we can give glory to God for the good and strongly uphold and affirm orthodoxy in those areas which are found lacking. 


Sources:

(1) David L. Smith, A Handbook of Contemporary Theology: Tracing Trends & Discerning Directions in Today's Theological Landscape, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992), 87.

(2) Norman L. Geisler and Ralph E. MacKenzie, Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995), 470.

(3) David L. Smith, A Handbook of Contemporary Theology: Tracing Trends & Discerning Directions in Today's Theological Landscape, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992), 90.