The Pneumatology of Vatican II

The reception of Vatican II has been stalled because the interpretations of its understanding of the Church vary widely. Some scholars claim nothing changed about the Church's self-understanding; other scholars claim that everything changed. This study shows that there was a trajectory of progressive ideas that provided the theological gravity for the Council. The most important of these ideas was a rich theology of the Holy Spirit. This study describes tthis pneumatology that emerged during the Council. The identification of this pneumatology is an essential step towards identifying the dominant ecclesiology that emerged at Vatican II. In addition, the theological description of the pneumatology of the Council assists in the accurate interpretation of the Council's texts that are saturated with the Vatican II's re-imagined ecclesiology.