The Second Vatican Council

REL 392A 3 credit hours Dunleavy 238

Tue, Thur 2:10 – 3:30 PM Spring 2012

Department of Religious Studies Niagara University

Germán (Germain) McKenzie Adjunct Professor

f0837105@niagara.edu 1 289 214 4577

Office Hours by Appointment at Dunleavy 3rd. Floor Cubicles

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1.Course Description

A survey of the historical and theological dimensions of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). The

course will consider historical background, as well as the salient moments in, significant contributors to,

and major pronouncements of, this major cultural and religious event of the 20th century. It will also

investigate the debate over its spirit and teaching as they continue to impact Roman Catholics,

Christians, and members of other religions.

We will study the Second Vatican Council as a particular case of the assessment of modern culture by a

specific religious tradition. Specifically, we will focus on (a) the historical event, (b) its reception, and (c)

four topics of special interest: the Council´s view on the church, its relationship with modernity, religious

freedom, and inter-religious dialogue.

2.Approach, Methods and Assumptions

The course´s approach is twofold. On one hand, its method is the one of religious studies: it will study

the fact, documents and reception of the Second Vatican Council just through the use of human reason,

drawing information from a variety of social sciences. On the other hand, the course will make use of

the method proper to Catholic theology, which is the reasoned approach to what is considered by the

Catholic tradition to be revealed by God. The instructor will make explicit which perspective is being

used at each stage of every class.

The instructional methods are:

Class discussion of assigned texts

Introductory oral presentations by the instructor

Oral presentations by students

In-class debates, comments on videos, and other exercises.

The course assumes that either Introduction to Religion or Introduction to Christianity have been taken

in the past. It also assumes the need of refreshing the hallmarks of the history of Christianity.

3.Learning Objectives

By completing this course:

1. Students will demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the problematic surrounding the

relationship between religion and modernity.

2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the Second Vatican Council as a historical fact as well

as in its documents, and its reception in the Catholic Church, especially in the United States.

3. Students will be able to carry on analysis from the perspective of religious studies and from the

standpoint of their particular religious tradition or secular stance towards reality.

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4. Students will show an enhanced capacity to read and analyze texts as an information-literacy

skill.

Assessment of student´s progress towards Objectives 1 and 2 occurs primarily through the exams and a

paper. Progress towards Objectives 3 and 4 takes place through the report, quizzes and in-class

exercises.

These goals should be understood as specific expressions of broader department, college, and university

goals. (See Appendix A)

4.Expectations and Policies

The short version. I expect you to:

Come to every class.

Do the readings for the class.

Participate and stay con task in class (no side conversations, cell phones, smartphones,

netbooks, tablets, or laptops).

Do your own work to the best of your ability.

Turn in assignments on time.

The details:

4.1.Attendance

You are expected to attend every class prepared and on time.

You are allowed to miss two days for reasons of work, health, wedding, funeral, etc. After

that, each unexcused absence results in a 15-point reduction of your final score. Absences

are considered excused only if accompanied by documentation from a doctor, professor,

coach, or advisor.

Coming late or leaving early may ―at the discretion of the instructor― count as an

unexcused absence.

Missing ten (10) or more classes will result in an automatic F (failure) for the course

―regardless of the causes or circumstances of the absences.

If you miss a quiz or an exam due to an unexcused absence, it cannot be made up. Excused

absences may give the opportunity of making up a quiz.

Please note that assignments and due dates cannot be altered to accommodate

personal/family travel plans.

It is the student´s responsibility to obtain the notes from a classmate for any sessions

missed. Videos cannot be made up or shown again, and the instructor does not distribute

notes or PowerPoint slides.

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4.2.Participation

You are expected to put forth a good-faith effort in class discussions and exercises.

The category of participation also includes behaviors that have a corrosive effect on the

learning environment. These include but are not limited to: coming and going during class;

sleeping in class; chitchat or note-passing; doing homework for another class; texting or

talking on your cell phone/smartphone.

In terms of grade, participation works this way: (a) if you do an exceptional job, you can earn

additional 50 points for your point total. (b) If you do an inadequate job, you can lose an

additional 50 points from your point total. (c) If you simply do what is expected of you (see

above), there will be no gain/loss of points.

4.3.Books and Quizzes

There are two required texts:

Colleen McDannell, The Spirit of Vatican II. A History of Catholic Reform in America (New

York: Basic Books, 2011) ISBN # 0465044808

Justo L. González, Church History. An Essential Guide (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996)

ISBN # 0687016118

Besides you will be required to access the official English translation of the Second

Vatican Council documents, as found in:

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm

Additional readings will be made available through BlackBoard.

There will be a multiple-choice quiz for each reading assigned in the course.

4.4.”Vat 2 Impact” Report

You must prepare a report on the way the Second Vatican Council impacted the lives of your

grandparents on both sides.

The report must be 3-4 typed/doubled spaced pages.

Further details are provided in Appendix B.

4.5.Exams

Both the Mid-Term Exam and the Final Exam are comprehensive, including the entire

material covered up to the moment when they are taken. They will involve a combination of

multiple-choice questions, short answers, text analyses and/or longer essays.

4.6.Paper and Presentation

You must research, write, and present an analysis of the way the Second Vatican Council

treats a specific topic and how that has been received in the United States. The topics to

choose from are the following: (a) What is the Church? (b) How should the Church relate to

the Modern world? (c) Religious Freedom. (d) Inter-religious Dialogue.

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The paper must be 6-7 typed/doubled spaced pages.

You must also be prepared to carry on an oral presentation of your paper before the class.

Just one paper on each topic will be presented, to be decided on the same day designed for

this. If you are not chosen, comments on the topic you have worked on are expected from

you. There will be 10 minutes for each presentation and some time afterwards for

comments and questions.

Further details are provided in Appendix C.

4.7.Grading

The grading schema for the course is as follows:

Reading quizzes 100

Mid-term Exam 100

Report 100

Paper and Presentation 100

Final Exam 100

500 points total

Final grades will be assigned according to the following percentage scale:

A+ 98-100 D+ 67-69

A 93-97 D 63-66

A- 90-92 D- 60-62

B+ 87-89 F 59 or less

B 83-86

B- 80-82

C+ 77-79

C 73-76

C- 70-72

4.8.Academic Honesty

The integrity of an academic community necessitates the full and correct citation of ideas,

methodologies, and research findings. In addition, each student can promote academic

honesty by protecting his or her work from inappropriate use. Academic honesty is essential

to ensure the validity of the grading system and to maintain a high standard of academic

excellence. The principal violations of academic honesty are cheating and plagiarism.

Cheating includes the unauthorized use of certain materials, information, or devices in

writing examinations or quizzes, or in preparing papers or other assignments. Any student

who aids another student in such dishonesty is also guilty of cheating. Other possible forms

of cheating include submitting the same work in more than one class without permission.

Plagiarism is the presentation of ideas, words, and opinions of someone else as one’s own

work. Paraphrased material, even if rendered in student’s own words, must be attributed to

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the originator of the thought. Please refer to the undergraduate catalogue for NU’s policy

on cheating, plagiarism, procedures and penalties.

Violations of academic honesty in any shape or form will not be tolerated.

Penalties may range from losing a full letter grade at the end of the semester to receiving an

“F” for the course with a letter sent to your Department Chair and Dean.

For details about NU’s Academic Integrity Policy, please see:

http://www.niagara.edu/assets/mf/ACADEMIC-INTEGRITY-POLICY-May-2011.pdf

Students with Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, students who have any

emergency medical Information I should know of, or students who need special arrangements in the

event of an evacuation, should make an appointment with me as early as possible in the semester,

preferably no later than the first week of the semester. Students with disabilities must also register at

the Office of Academic Support to facilitate the provision of needed accommodations. Appointments

can be scheduled by calling 286 8072. The office is located at the Learning Center in Seton Hall.

Counseling Services and Academic Support

The strains of and workload of student life can sometimes feel overwhelming and it is easy to lose

perspective when faced with academic, social or personal demands. The staff at the Office of Counseling

Services in the lower level of Seton Hall and the Office of Academic Support staff are to help students

manage the stress of university life. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 286 8536 (Counseling) or

286 8072 (Academic Support).

Course Schedule

The following schedule may be altered according to the instructor´s judgment.

Date Course Content Readings for Each Class

Other Assignments

Tue, Jan 17 Introduction. Why is religion important?

Thur, Jan 19 Modernity and posmodernity

Ch. Taylor Syllabus quiz at start of class

Tue, Jan 24 Religion and Modernity (1)

J.L.González, 7-57. One page paper on the world´s religious landscape, using www.patheos.com

Thur, Jan 26 Religion and Modernity (2)

J.L.González, 59-95.

Tue, Jan 31 Catholicism in the Christian Tradition

C.McDannell, 1-72 One page paper on Catholicism in the Christian tradition, using www.patheos.com

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Thur, Feb 2 Vatican II: The Event (1)

J.W.O´Malley

Tue, Feb 7 The Event (2) C.McDannell, 73-118

Thur, Feb 9 The Event (3) C.McDannell, 119-150

Mock “Conciliar Gathering”

Tue, Feb 14 Vatican II: Documents (1)

C.McDannell, 151-176

Thur, Feb 16 Documents (2) C.McDannell, 177-232

Last day for talking with me about your course papers and choosing a topic

Tue, Feb 21 Movies: The Shoes of the Fisherman (directed by Michael Anderson)

Thur, Feb 23 Vatican II: Reception (1)

Pope Benedict XVI M.Lamb & M. Levering

Tue, Feb 28 Reception (2) Y.-M.Congar

Thur, Mar 1 “Wrap up” after the Mid-Term

Mid-Term Exam due at beginning of class

Tue, Mar 6 Spring Break

Thur, Mar 8

Tue, Mar 13 Reception (3) V.Chater

Thur, Mar 15 Reception (4) G.Alberigo

Tue, Mar 20 Reception (5) A.Marchetto

Thur, Mar 22 Reception in the US (1)

J.Komonchak

Tue, Mar 27 Reception in the US (2)

R.McInerny J.M.O’Toole

Thur, Mar 29 Topics: What is the Church? (1)

A.Dulles B.-D. La Sojeoule

Report Due Date

Tue, Apr 3 Topics: What is the Church? (2)

A.Nichols

Thur, Apr 5 Easter Recess

Tue, Apr, 10 Topics: Church and Modern World (1)

T.Rowland J.B.Benestad

Thur, Apr 12 Topics: Church and Modern World (2)

E. Schillebeeckx M. Saint Pierre

Tue, Apr 17 Topics: Religious Freedom

D.L.Schindler

Thur, Apr 19 Topics: Inter-religious Dialogue

M.Serretti

Tue, Apr 24 Conclusions (1)

Thur, Apr 26 Conclusions (2) Paper Due Date

Tue, May 1 Study Day

Thur, May 3 -- Final Exam

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Cover images (from top left clockwise) are from the following websites: www.catholicnews.com, www.seattleu.edu, www.dici.org,

www.traditioninaction.org (last two ones).

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Appendix A

Broader Goals of the Course

Institutional Levels

Learning Outcome: The student shows a…

Assessment Methods

Department of Religious Studies Demonstrated understanding of the religious dimension of human life as it influences persons, cultures and the world.

Exams, paper, report

College of Arts & Sciences Demonstrated ability to use the information literacy skills, including research skills, appropriate to the discipline.

Quizzes, paper

University General Education Demonstrated knowledge of religions including Catholicism, and of the philosophical and religious basis of Catholic virtues.

Exams, paper

University General Education Demonstrated sense of social justice, including awareness of Catholic thought; knowledge of St. Vincent de Paul, the Vincentian tradition and corresponding values; and a disposition to act on behalf of those in need toward fostering community change in the Vincentian spirit.

Exams, paper

All students are encouraged to read more about NU and its various goals and learning outcomes.

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Appendix B

The “Vat 2 Impact” Report

Format of the Report

Please comply with the indications of the Chicago Style Manual.

Please use Times New Roman font, 12 point, with 1” margins all around.

Do not justify the right-hand margin.

Please proof-read your work before you submit it. Spelling, grammar, typing, and stylistic errors

will result in a penalty of up to 10 points of your grade.

Submission of the Report

Please submit your report by e-mail attachment (preferred) or hardcopy.

The report, e-mailed or in hardcopy, is due by 2 pm of the specified date in the Course Schedule.

Late reports will be subject to a deduction of 10 points per day. Your hard copy report is one day

late if it is turned in on the due date but after 2 pm. instead than before; your e-mailed report is

one day late if it is received after 2 pm. on the due date.

Report Research

You must prepare a report on the way the Second Vatican Council impacted the lives of your

grandparents on both sides. This is an exercise of oral journalism. The idea behind this is for you

to carry on a case study of the way in which the Council was assimilated in the United States.

Scenarios:

(a)If any of your grandparents’ background is Catholic, you may find many straight

answers.

(b)If any of them is non-Catholic, you may still ask about the ways in which their

particular congregation/denomination reacted to the changes happening in the Catholic

Church after the Council.

(c)If any of your grandparents is secular, you may still ask about her/his reaction to the

reception of the Council in the United States.

Please contact me if your grandparents have passed away, or live abroad, or if for any

reason you are not able to accommodate your work in any of the previously mentioned

scenarios.

You shall want to begin contacting and asking questions to your grandparents early in the

semester. Start making notes of what you know, and what you learn. When you interview

others, keep a log and note the date, time, person’s name, and location, as well as what you

discussed. Identify direct questions with quotation marks.

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Take note of the different aspects your grandparents may mention in the first interview and

help them to be more specific. Topics that may surface are, among others:

(a)Doctrinal changes: new understanding of the role of the laity in the Church; of the

relations between Catholics and other Christians; of the relationships between different

religious traditions; in the way self-realization and spiritual life was conceived; the

widespread phenomenon of theological dissent…

(b)Practical-experiential changes: changes in the liturgy, especially in the Mass; issues

related to sexual morality, most notable the issue of contraception; the decay of

traditional ways of devotion…

(c)Social-institutional changes: the appearance of new models of living as parishes; the

stress in social justice issues; the sharp decline in the number of priests and nuns…

Give your grandparents some time after your first dialogue and ask them again. They may

remember things they were not aware of before, or reflections they might have had on the

events they witnessed.

Research the history of the Catholic Church in the area where your grandparents lived at the

time of the Council and shortly afterwards. Try to find out the proper context for the stories and

thoughts your grandparents have given to you.

Compose the report. It must be 3-4 typed/doubled spaced pages. It must end with a well-

reasoned Conclusion.

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Appendix C

The Paper and Its Presentation

Format of the Paper

Please comply with the indications of the Chicago Style Manual.

Please use Times New Roman font, 12 point, with 1” margins all around.

Do not justify the right-hand margin.

Please proof-read your work before you submit it. Spelling, grammar, typing, and stylistic errors

will result in a penalty of up to 10 points of your grade.

Submission of the Paper

Please submit your papers by e-mail attachment (preferred) or hardcopy.

The paper, e-mailed or in hardcopy, is due by 2 pm of the specified date in the Course Schedule.

Late papers will be subject to a deduction of 10 points per day. Your hard copy paper is one day

late if it is turned in on the due date but after 2 pm. instead than before; your e-mailed paper is

one day late if it is received after 2 pm. on the due date.

Topics

You must research, write, and present an analysis on (a) the way the Second Vatican Council

treats a specific topic and (b) how that has been received in the United States.

The topics to choose from are the following:

(a)What is the Church?

(b)How should the Church relate to the Modern world?

(c)Religious Freedom

(d)Inter-religious Dialogue

The standpoints from which you may want to do your work are two:

(a)That one of religious studies

(b)That one of Catholic theology

Please contact me no later than February 16th to talk about your paper topic. I will set up some

time for this at NU.

Sources

The following are mandatory sources for each possible paper topic:

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(a)What is the Church? (will be based on the study of all or of part of Lumen Gentium)

(b)How should the Church relate to the Modern world? (will be based on the study of all or part

of Gaudium et Spes)

(c)Religious Freedom (will be based on the study of Dignitatis Humanae)

(d)Inter-religious Dialogue (will be based on the study of Nostra Aetate).

Additional sources will be provided in a separate handout.