Description: A sequel to Vatican II: Renewal within Tradition (OUP 2008), The Reception of Vatican II shows how the Council has been received and interpreted over the course of the more than fifty years since it concluded. The meaning of the Second Vatican Council has been fiercely contested since before it was even over, and since its completion has seen a battle for the soul of the Church waged through the interpretation of Council documents. Each essay in this volume looks at how one of those documents has been interpreted in the post-Vatican II era and points the way forward for its future reception.
Review Quotes: "A truly impressive ensemble, the writers collaborate to create this follow-up to an earlier collection also edited by Lamb and Levering- this time with emphasis on the reception history of the Council. The volume's greatest strength is its chapters' individual focus on the sixteen major documents- one chapter for each document- the four constitutions, nine decrees, and three declarations." -- Christopher A. Stephenson, Religious Studies Review
"The Reception of Vatican II serves as a very helpful collection of essays for anyone who wishes to learn of the impact of the texts of Vatican II on theological thought in the last fifty years, and especially as this is construed in official Church documents. It promises to be an essential text for anyone wishing to build off post-conciliar theological work and make further steps in appropriating the teachings of Vatican II in Catholic theology."--Reading Religion"With The Reception of Vatican II, Matthew Lamb and Matthew Levering have succeeded in publishing a worthy sequel to the important Vatican II: Renewal within Tradition. The editors have gathered a remarkable group of Catholic theologians and produced a volume that fills a significant lacuna. With consistent scholarly competence, fine-tuned theological acumen, and in a gracefully accessible style, the authors narrate the reception of each one of the sixteen documents of the Second Vatican Council. The Reception of Vatican II is a significant and, indeed, overdue addition to the growing library on the last ecumenical council. I warmly recommend a close study of this most instructive volume."--Reinhard Hütter, Duke University Divinity School