FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL

SUMMONED BY POPE PIUS IX BY THE BULL AETERNI PATRIS

FIRST SESSION HELD IN SAINT PETER’S BASILICA ON DECEMBER 8, 1869

28TH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

800 CHURCH LEADERS ATTENDED.

PRIMARY PURPOSE

TO OBTAIN CONFIRMATION OF THE POSITION HE HAD

TAKEN IN HIS SYLLABUS OF

ERRORS (1864) CONDEMNING A WIDE RANGE OF POSITIONS

ASSOCIATED WITH RATIONALISM, LIBERALISM

AND MATERIALISM.

THE SYLLABUS OF ERRORS (Syllabus Errorum)

ISSUED BY POPE PIUS IX IN 1864, CONDEMNING CONCEPTS SUCH AS

FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH

AND STATE

PURPOSE OF THE COUNCIL BESIDES THE CONDEMNATION

TO DEFINE THE DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE CHURCH

Dei Filius, the Dogmatic

Constitution On The Catholic Faith

DEFINED THE SENSE IN WHICH CATHOLICS

BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS INSPIRED

BY GOD

TWO CONSTITUTIONS:

Pastor Aeternus, The First Dogmatic Constitution on the

Church of Christ

DEFINES THE PRIMACY AND INFALLIBILITY OF

THE POPE WHEN SOLEMNLY DEFINING

DOGMA

SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL

1962-1965

OPENINGPOPE JOHN XXIII IN 1962

CLOSINGPOPE PAUL VI IN 1965

THE ITALIAN WORD AGGIORNAMENTO (UPDATING) WAS USED

TO CAPTURE THE INTENT OF MODERNIZING THE CHURCH

TO THROW OPEN THE WINDOWS OF THE CHURCH SO THAT WE CAN SEE OUT AND THE PEOPLE CAN SEE IN

TO INTEGRATE MODERN HUMAN

EXPERIENCE WITH CHRISTIAN DOGMA

TO SEEK NEW WAYS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES OF POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL

CHANGES.

PURPOSE OF THE COUNCIL:

TO REVITALIZE CATHOLICS IN THEIR SPIRITUALITY

TO ADAPT CHURCH OBSERVANCES TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TIMES

TO UNITE ALL CHRISTIANS

TO STRENGTHEN THE CHURCH’S MISSION TO ALL PEOPLES.

DEI VERBUM (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation)

LUMEN GENTIUM (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church)

GAUDIUM ET SPES (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World)

SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy)

OUTCOME OF THE COUNCIL:

4 CONSTITUTIONS

9 DECREES:

AD GENTES (MISSION ACTIVITY)

APOSTOLICAM ACTUOSITATEM (LAY PEOPLE)

CHRISTUS DOMINUS (BISHOPS IN THE CHURCH)

INTER MIRIFICA (SOCIAL COMMUNICATION)

OPTATAM TOTIUS (PRIESTLY TRAINING)

ORIENTALIUM ECCLESIARUM (RENEWAL OF RELIGIOUS LIFE)

PRESBYTERORUM ORDINIS (LIFE OF PRIESTS)

UNITATIS REDINTEGRATIO (ECUMENISM)

3 DECLARATIONS:

DIGNITATIS HUMANAE (RELIGIOUS FREEDOM)

GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS (CHRISTIAN EDUCATION)

NOSTRA AETATE (RELATIONS WITH NON-CHRISTIANS)