A Great Little Primer on Vatican II

Author: Massimo Faggioli
Title: Vatican II: The Battle for Meaning
Publisher: New York: Paulist Press, 2012
Details: 140 pages; solid notes; good preliminary bibliography for those interested in learning more about the theological implications of Vatican 2 and the impact that it has had on the Roman Catholic Church over the last 50 years.

For once, I am whole-heartedly recommending a book. It is clearly written and it should give readers an introductory understanding of the development of the theological fault-lines that have developed within the Roman Catholic Church since Vatican 2.  It does require some understanding of Christian theology, but Faggioli is focused on the history of theological movements and the text does not depend on technical terminology to explain his points.

For those who are baffled by the response of the church and its laity, this book may begin to help explain the differences in the interpretations of, and the solutions offered to, the child sexual abuse scandal within the church. It also helps to explain why Vatican 2 seems to be a flash-point for many of the writers and in particular, for the responses coming out of the Curia.