Essential Vatican II identifies the controversies that emerged from Vatican II and the impact of the Council's themes on contemporary Church life. The team of contributors comes from a variety of backgrounds, methodologies, personal experiences, and vocations of ministry steeped in the Council. Each chapter outlines the essentials of its topic, explains what happened at Vatican II and why, and most especially, describes what's happened since Vatican II.

With over a half century of experience in diverse cultures, each contributor asks: What do we now see as the document's strengths and weaknesses? Where has the document made a difference—or not? Where have its visions been implemented—or not? What have the reactions for and against been—and why? What might the future hold?