Second Vatican Council: Key Texts and Impact
The Second Vatican Council (1962-65)
The Second Vatican Council, informally known as Vatican II, addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first ecumenical council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The council formally opened under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1965.
Several changes resulted from
Read MoreThe Reformation: Key Figures and Events
Martin Luther
- Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt
- Doctorate of Theology in Wittenberg
- German Bible translation at Wartburg
Indulgences
Removes temporal punishment.
Johann Tetzel
Dominican who sold indulgences.
Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura
Diet of Worms – 1521
Charles V: Luther, recant 95 Theses.
Peasants’ Revolt – 1524
Germans rise up against landowners.
Augsburg Confession – 1530
Philip Melanchthon
Peace of Augsburg – 1555
Cuius Regio Eius Religio
South – Catholic, North – Protestant
John Calvin
Geneva – Theocracy City,
Read MoreReligious and Ideological Freedom in Spain
Religious and Ideological Freedom in the Spanish Constitution
Although freedoms are differentiated, the Constitution provides for them jointly in Article 16. While religious freedom has a long history in classical constitutionalism, ideological freedom represents an innovation in the Spanish Constitution. Both freedoms may be regarded as a generic manifestation of freedom of thought; expression also has a long historical tradition.
Defining Freedom of Thought, Ideology, and Religion
Freedom of thought
Read MoreSaint Teresa of Ávila, Luther, and Evangelization
Saint Teresa of Ávila
Born in Ávila in 1515 to noble Castilian parents, Teresa was the sixth of twelve siblings. At fifteen, her parents sent her to a convent in Ávila. Rodrigo, one of her brothers, shared a special sensitivity towards soldiers and prayer. She decided to live as a hermit at home. At twenty, against her father’s wishes, she entered a convent. A year later, she made her religious vows. Her prudence, kindness, charity, and charm won her the esteem of all those around her. Teresa
Read MoreReligious Rituals and Ceremonies: Understanding the Sacred
Religious Rituals and Ceremonies
Rituals: In the religious sense, a ritual is the set of rules governing how believers perform ceremonies to honor the gods. It has a symbolic character and sets the way they relate to the sacred. Meeting the rites enables believers to emotionally express their faith, stating that they agree to the dogmatic aspects of their doctrine. Most importantly, the rite reinforces the social cohesion of believers. Every religion creates its own rites, but there are features
Read MoreZoroastrianism, Abrahamic Religions, and Jewish Messiah Expectations
Central Teachings of Zoroastrianism and Their Influence
What are the central teachings of Zoroastrianism? How did these teachings, particularly concerning dualism, likely influence Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?
Zoroastrianism, founded by Zarathustra (Zoroaster) between 1300-1600 BCE, is a monotheistic and dualistic religion centered on the ongoing opposition between the forces of order (good) and chaos (evil). Key teachings include:
- Dualism in human life: Ethical choices allow humans to live in