Verbum Vitae

Vaticanum II: History, Theology, and Reception

Antoni Nadbrzeżny — 2026-03-30

Andrzej Piwowar, Księga Syracha. Wstęp, przekład, teksty paralelne i komentarz (Biblia Lubelska. Lublin: Wydawnictwo KUL 2024)

Jakub Bluj — 2026-03-30

Book review: Andrzej Piwowar, Księga Syracha. Wstęp, przekład, teksty paralelne i komentarz (Biblia Lubelska. Lublin: Wydawnictwo KUL 2024). Pp. 556. 42 PLN. ISBN 978-83-8288-180-6.

On the (Ir)Relevance of the Second Vatican Council

Michael Quisinsky — 2026-03-30

This article discusses whether Second Vatican Council is or can still be relevant today. It analyzes which aspects of the Council can be relevant, how they can be relevant, and for whom they can be relevant in the present day. Therefore, the Council documents, as well as central documents of its magisterial reception, are examined in the article. As a result, synodality appears as a major consequence of Vatican II and also as a sign of its contemporary and future relevance. This inscribes both Second Vatican Council and the current synodal path in the Tradition of the Church with its eschatological dynamic. On the one hand, the relevance of the Council for the Church in all its expressions has to be considered, while, on the other hand, a specific synodal exercise of ministries is necessary for this very relevance.

Dogmatic and Pastoral Coherence of the Second Vatican Council. A Contribution to the Hermeneutics of Its Texts and Message

Robert Woźniak — 2026-03-30

This paper is an attempt to present a synthetic approach to the unity of the theological message of the last of the ecumenical councils, Vatican II. The research perspective is strictly theological, and considering the texts themselves, it sets aside their history. The author’s ambition is to propose a coherent interpretation of the three definitions presented by the Council Fathers: liturgy, Church, and revelation. It appears that there is a far-reaching ideological coherence between them. This article proposes finding this common theological foundation in the concept of divine, Trinitarian self-giving in the world. This is what enables a more vibrant exchange between theology and the pastoral life of the Church. These quasi-definitions are the starting point and the theological foundation for most of the Council’s proposals, including the mutual opening of doctrine and pastoral care and a broader dialogue with the world. In this way, the article also presents a significant fragment of the Council’s hermeneutics, the aim of which is to seek the unity and coherence of the texts as they were promulgated.

From the Anti-Reformist Method of the Documents of the Council of Trent to the Pastoral Methods of the Second Vatican Council

Andrzej Napiórkowski — 2026-03-30

This article analyzes the approaches to interpreting Revelation found in the documents of the last three councils: Trent, Vatican I, and Vatican II. The analysis was carried out using the following methods: comparative, historical-hermeneutical (Formgeschichte/Formkritik). In contrast to the scholastic, polemical, and apologetic methods of earlier councils, the Second Vatican Council departed from the dogmatic style of teaching, emphasizing a positive description of the Church, its self-understanding, and its relationship with the world, while avoiding condemnation and negation. An analysis of the conciliar texts reveals two great ecclesial traditions: legal (Tridentine, Vatican I) and pastoral-dialogical invitation (Vatican II). What we are dealing with here is an organic process of development in the understanding of the doctrine of faith.

Papal Primacy and Episcopal Collegiality in the Vota for Vatican II

Marek Gilski — 2026-03-30

In this paper, we examine the relationship between papal primacy and episcopal collegiality by analyzing the vota submitted for the Second Vatican Council. We highlight the growing criticism of the excessive centralization of power in the person of the pope and the Roman Curia, as well as the calls for a restoration of the balance between the primacy and effective responsibility of bishops. The analysis comprises three main areas: (1) the value of papal primacy, (2) proposals for reforming its mode of exercise, and (3) suggestions for strengthening collegial structures—patriarchs, cardinals, and episcopal conferences—in the governance of the Church. Theological, linguistic, and hermeneutical methods have been used, allowing for a thorough reading and interpretation of the multifaceted source material found in the Acta et documenta Concilio Oecumenico Vaticano II apparando, Antepraeparatoria 1. We have concluded that the calls for collegiality were not a late invention of Vatican II, but had already matured within the episcopate, both in the East and West. Moreover, the reform of papal primacy and the strengthening of collegiality clearly had an ecumenical dimension and were perceived as conditions for closer relationships among the Churches.

The Reform of the Roman Curia in the Vota for Vatican II

Damian Wąsek — 2026-03-30

This paper addresses the problem of the scope and directions of the reform of the Roman Curia postulated in the vota submitted for the antepreparatory stage of the Second Vatican Council. It has been structured around three thematic areas identified from the source material: procedural and organizational changes, calls for the internationalization of the Curia, and postulates for the decentralization of power in the Church. The study employs a theological-historical and linguistic analysis of the Acta et documenta, complemented by a hermeneutical interpretation of the written submissions and proposals of reforms. The findings reveal a striking unanimity among bishops from the different continents: the reform of the Curia was viewed not as a secondary topic, but as a necessary condition for the renewal of the Church. The analysis concludes by identifying the triple dynamics of anticipated changes: increasing the efficiency of the Curia, expanding its catholicity in the sense of universality, and strengthening collegiality—all while full respecting papal primacy.

Latin and Vernacular: Vota of Polish Bishops to the Second Vatican Council

Jarosław Nowaszczuk — 2026-03-30

This article seeks to answer the question of what language-related requests Polish bishops made to the Vatican in their vota to the Second Vatican Council. In inductive research, documents submitted by ordinaries and auxiliary bishops, collected in the “Polonia” and “Gedanum” sections, will be subjected to a content analysis. This will allow us to demonstrate the extent to which language issue were important to the local Church and, after sorting out emerging themes, detail the expected changes. The arguments justifying these requests will then be discussed, and, in the final section, a case study will present the most comprehensive proposal by Lucjan Bernacki, auxiliary bishop of Gniezno. The thesis, which stems from the research, assumes that the change in the language of liturgy permitted by the Second Vatican Council was not a exerted pressure on the Church in Poland but was highly anticipated by both the faithful and the bishops.

Dialogue Ad Intra: The Relevance of Lumen Gentium and Christus Dominus for a Synodal Church

Dirk Ansorge — 2026-03-30

In order to outline the Council’s understanding of the “dialogue ad intra,” the article will first provide a brief introduction to the concept of dialogue within the Church as set out in selected conciliar documents. To illustrate the Council’s ecclesiological framework for promoting dialogue, an outline of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Ecclesiam suam will follow. As documents such as Lumen gentium and Christus Dominus were the result of compromises between opposing theological factions at the Council, they sometimes offer inconsistent ecclesiological concepts, which affect later understanding of dialogue within the Church. Therefore, the ecclesiological concepts of “apostolicity” and “true equality” of all the baptised will be examined in terms of their implications for ecclesial counselling, decision-making, and accountability procedures. The final passage will present a proposal for resolving the tensions between opposing concepts of dialogue within the Church, in light of the Church’s understanding of itself as a “complex reality.” (LG 8)

Dialogue Ad Extra: The Relevance of Unitatis Redintegratio and Nostra Aetate

Rafael Vázquez Jiménez — 2026-03-30

This article addresses the issue of dialogue ad extra based on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, especially the decree on ecumenism Unitatis redintegratio and the declaration Nostra aetate on interreligious dialogue, grounding the analysis on paragraph 8 of the constitution Lumen gentium in particular. To this end, we use the conciliar texts, with references to the history of the drafting of the documents, as well as to the problems that arose during the period of reception of the Council, and how some documents on ecumenical and interreligious dialogue have addressed them. We develop this question by first elaborating on religious pluralism, to which the Council attempts to respond. Secondly, we study the ecclesiological background that made the opening to dialogue possible, taking into account particularly ecumenical dialogue and interreligious dialogue. The study allows us to affirm that Unitatis redintegratio and Nostra aetate are concretizations and extensions of the constitution Lumen gentium. Therefore, without the ecclesiological background proposed by the constitution, dialogue ad extra as proposed by the Council and developed in the postconciliar period would not have been possible.

Freedom and the Dilemma of "Autonomy – Theonomy": On a Possible Reading of Gaudium et Spes

Jacek Kempa — 2026-03-30

The aim of this article is to consider a particular issue present in the constitution Gaudium et spes of the Second Vatican Council. The anthropological discourse employed in this constitution reveals a significant interest in the issue of autonomy. The present study explores the contemporary issue of the tension between autonomy and theonomy, a tension which has characterized both the teaching of the Church and modern thought and culture. The analysis outlines how the Council transcends historical conflicts in this domain, thereby establishing a forum for dialogue without relinquishing its position regarding the primacy of God in the context of human freedom. Following the presentation of the problem and the modern context, the main section of the article provides an analysis of selected passages from Gaudium et spes that are considered to be pertinent in providing an answer to the aforementioned question. This is followed by an interpretation of the results of that analysis. It has been demonstrated that the Council deviates from the confrontational presentation of theonomy against autonomy. The approach employed here is to direct attention towards the concept of concrete freedom, which is characterized by its ambivalence and limitations. This, in turn, engenders an openness to the recognition of its foundation in God. The study concludes with a summary, which also draws attention to the topicality of the issue.

The Notion of "Religion" in Nostra Aetate: Said, Unsaid, and Still to Say

Tereza Huspeková — 2026-03-30

This article examines the understanding of “religion” in Vatican II’s declaration Nostra aetate, arguing that it reflects an intellectual climate characteristic of mid-20th-century theological reflection. The study is divided into three sections. First, it outlines what Nostra aetate explicitly said about non-Christian religions within the broader conciliar teaching, particularly in relation to fulfillment theology, praeparatio evangelica, and semina Verbi. Second, it identifies what remained unsaid—the tacit, implied assumptions about religion in Nostra aetate, which align with phenomenological and historical approaches prevalent among the Council experts. Finally, it considers what there is still to say, exploring how the interpretation of religion may shift if the historical–phenomenological framework is complemented by recent approaches that view religion as a human, evolutionary phenomenon. This third part proposes (1) a theological engagement with such naturalistic accounts of religiosity, (2) an expanded theological reflection that also includes “non-religion,” and (3) an alternative approach to patristic insights into human religiousness. The study is based on the analysis and interpretation of selected themes in Nostra aetate, in dialogue with relevant sources in religious studies. It concludes by stressing the contextual character of the Council’s approach and opening space for further multiperspective inquiry.

The Council Fathers’ Discussions and Controversies on the Inclusion of References to Islam in the Second Vatican Council Documents

Krzysztof Kościelniak — 2026-03-30

This article presents a detailed account of the evolution of references to Islam during the Second Vatican Council. Analyses reveal systematic changes, beginning with the Council Fathers’ narrow perspective at the Council’s outset (related to differing interpretations of the principle extra Ecclesiam nulla salus), continuing through preparations for Vatican II and the changes occurring during individual sessions. The dynamics of this process encompassed the activity of Middle Eastern bishops (especially the Melkite hierarchy) and Pope Paul VI, as well as the evolution of texts on Islam in the documents Lumen gentium and Nostra aetate. It is significant that the theology of Louis Massignon, developed in the first half of the 20th century, became an acceptable basis for references to Islam in the Council’s documents. Nevertheless, the path to the official recognition of the necessity of dialogue with Muslims, from the Council’s lack of interest in non-Christian religions to the adoption of references to Islam, was long, difficult, and at the same time fascinating. Finally, in Nostra aetate, the passage on Islam (no. 3) is presented before the mention of Judaism (no. 4). The article shows how these concise Council mentions of Islam—due to their official character, their essentially positive content, and the direction of the Church’s thought and action—ultimately paved a new path for Catholic communities.

De Maria Numquam Satis Vere: The Conciliar Genesis of Stanisław Celestyn Napiórkowski’s Mariology in Context

Kazimierz Pek — 2026-03-30

The concept of practicing Mariology in context was developed in 20th-century Polish theology. Its author is Stanisław Celestyn Napiórkowski, an outstanding theologian and a recognized authority in the international community of Mariologists and ecumenists. The origins of his way of practicing Mariology should be sought in the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. Based on Napiórkowski’s legacy, his concept rests on two fundamental principles—the Christological image of God and the image of the Church as communion—and on three methodological ways of practicing it: based on the Word of God and the signs of Christ, on dialogue and the unity of Christians, and on the experience of the Church and in the Church. Napiórkowski’s methodological-theological model was built on the conciliar hermeneutic of development and has a distinct contextual dimension. However, it cannot be fully classified as classical contextual theology. Practicing Mariology in context by Napiórkowski significantly modified the popular motto De Maria numquam satis vere.

Faith and Culture in Dialogue: Tomáš Halík en Route from Vatican II to Synodality

Adela Muchova — 2026-03-30

This article examines how the Czech Catholic Church engages in dialogue with modern culture during two transformative periods: the post-conciliar and post-communist era of the 1990s and the current synodal process. The analysis is structured around a comparative reading of Tomáš Halík’s early text Víra a kultura (1995) and his recent Spiritual Introduction to the European Synodal Assembly (2023), situating both within their historical and ecclesial contexts. The method combines historical-theological analysis with textual interpretation, focusing on Halík’s concept of dialogue as a theological and pastoral principle. The study reveals that Halík consistently frames dialogue as essential for the church’s credibility and mission, rooted in Vatican II’s vision and adapted to contemporary challenges. While the first text emphasizes cultural engagement and overcoming a “ghetto mentality” after communism, the second calls for synodality as a pilgrim journey of reform and solidarity in a globalized, pluralistic world. The paper argues that Halík’s dialogical approach offers a coherent response to secularization and internal crises, presenting dialogue not as a strategy but as an incarnational imperative for renewing both church and society.

The Reception of Vaticanum II in the Apologetics of Józef Myśków (1927–1988)

Przemysław Artemiuk — 2026-03-30

The aim of this article is to present the reception of Vatican II teachings in the apologetics of Józef Myśków (1927–1988), a theologian and apologist associated with the Warsaw School of Apologetics, which conducted research and teaching at the Faculty of Theology of the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw from 1956 to 1992. With the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council and the publication of the council’s documents, a shift can be observed in Myśków’s scholarly reflections. The Warsaw apologist, keenly interested in Vatican II, not only undertook analysis of key texts but, above all, rebuilt his own apologetic system to incorporate the thought of the latter council. Using an analytical method, the author of the article presents the debate on apologetics after the Second Vatican Council, as reflected in the writings of the Warsaw professor. The second part is devoted to Myśków’s concept of ecumenical apologetics in its theoretical and practical dimensions. The analyses conducted allow us to conclude that, according to Myśków, apologetics after the last council is tenable, although it should be supplemented with selected issues proposed by the documents of Vatican II, both in terms of Christology and ecclesiology. Inspired by ecumenical ideas, Myśków proposes a new approach to apologetics, with a clear ecumenical slant. While he admits that it was not the council itself that gave rise to this idea, the council’s teachings confirmed and strengthened his beliefs regarding the integration of apologetics and ecumenism. As a result, Myśków creates his own, original concept of apologetics, which is being called comparative. In addition to his theoretical efforts related to the new model of apologetics, the Warsaw professor undertakes practical activities, promoting doctoral theses with a clear apologeticecumenical profile and preparing scholarly articles based on the methodology he has developed.

Speaking from Within Science: Vatican II’s Legacy in John Paul II’s Letter to George Coyne

Wojciech P. Grygiel — 2026-03-30

This study examines how the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on science finds a mature and influential expression in John Paul II’s “Letter to Reverend George V. Coyne, S.J., Director of the Vatican Observatory” (hereafter cited as Letter to Coyne). The Council affirmed the autonomy of the sciences, encouraged dialogue with contemporary culture, and called for renewed theological engagement with a world shaped by scientific inquiry. The Letter to Coyne develops these principles with greater clarity and precision and is well-suited to the scientific community because it begins from within the scientific outlook and speaks in a manner that resonates with the concerns and methods of scientists. For this reason, it becomes a particularly effective medium for transmitting the message of Vatican II to those for whom scientific inquiry is a daily practice. The Letter presents a vision of complementary competences between theology and the natural sciences, proposes that theology benefit from methodological insights of scientific work, and articulates a model of mutual purification in which each discipline contributes to the integrity of the other. The study also situates the Letter within John Paul II’s intellectual formation and the circumstances of its composition. Finally, it suggests that the text has contributed to an intellectual climate more favorable to interdisciplinary research in fields such as cognitive science and artificial intelligence.

The Work of Cláudio Pastro in the Context of Sacred Art After the Second Vatican Council

Felipe Sérgio Koller — 2026-03-30

A fundamental aspect of the Second Vatican Council is the novelty of the literary genre of its documents and its configuration as an event of language, which demonstrates its profound affinity with symbolic and artistic language, even though the theme of art does not occupy many lines of its texts. From this perspective, the importance of the reception of Vatican II in subsequent artistic production becomes clear. This article focuses on the work of the Brazilian artist Cláudio Pastro (1948–2016). Subject of growing research over the last three decades, his work has been identified as a model of art for worship in line with Vatican II, capable of clearly and powerfully embodying its theological, ecclesiological, liturgical, and anthropological principles. In this article, we seek to consolidate these recent acquisitions in Brazilian academic production, highlighting the relationship between Pastro’s work and Vatican II and situating it within the scope of international research. To this end, we shall first outline certain aspects of his trajectory, his formation, and the sensibility that characterized him, and then present and comment on a few selected works within his extensive artistic output. Finally, we will address the reception of his work in the ecclesiastical, academic, and artistic spheres, highlighting it as a model for the reception of Vatican II and a space for its fruitful and creative assimilation in our communities today.