As the church marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, too few Catholics have an adequate grasp of what the council contributed to the life of the church. The problem is understandable. The Second Vatican Council produced, by far, more document pages than any other council. Consequently, any attempt to master its core teachings can be daunting. There is a danger of missing the forest for the trees. With this in mind, "Keys to the Council" identifies twenty key conciliar passages, central texts that help us appreciate the Vision of the council fathers.

Each chapter places the given passage in its larger historical context, explores its fundamental meaning and significance, and finally considers its larger significance for the life of the church today. Chapters include exploration of "Sacrosanctum Concilium's" demand for full, conscious, and active participation" in the liturgy;" Lumen Gentium's" eucharistic ecclesiology; "Gaudium et Spes's" Vision of marriage as an intimate partnership of life and love; "Nostra Aetate's" approach to non-Christian religions; and more.

"Richard R. Gaillardetz is the Joseph McCarthy Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology at Boston College. He holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame in systematic theology. He is the author of seven previous books, including "By What Authority? A Primer on Scripture, the Magisterium, and the Sense of the Faithful "(2003) and editor of "When the Magisterium Intervenes: The Magisterium and Theologians in Today's Church "(2012), both from Liturgical Press. He is presently the vice-president of the Catholic Theological Society of America."

"Catherine E. Clifford is associate professor of theology at St. Paul University in Ontario. She received an STL from the University? de Fribourg and a PhD in theology from the University of St. Michal's College, Toronto. She is coeditor of" Vatican II: Canadian Experiences" (University of Ottawa Press, 2011). ""

What is Catholicism? And where is the Catholic Church headed in the third millennium? These two questions provide the structure for Thomas Rausch's "Catholicism in the Third Millennium." Here Rausch combines a faithful presentation of the tradition with a critical theological reflection and interpretation of where the Church is today and where it might be moving.

"Catholicism in the Third Millennium" offers an appreciation of the forces and movements that have shaped, and continue to influence, the ongoing change and development of Roman Catholicism. Chief among these is the influence of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) in reshaping Catholicism.

This revised edition includes updated text from Rausch's "Catholicism at the Dawn of the Third Millennium" particularly the final chapter on The Unfinished Agenda" of Vatican II. Each chapter concludes with focus questions developed by Catherine E. Clifford of St. Paul's University, Ottawa. This experience of guided reading provides readers with a broad survey of Roman Catholic faith and practice in its contemporary context.

For readers who wish to compare particular passages of this volume with the "Catechism of the Catholic Church," an outline is provided in an appendix, with references to the appropriate sections of the Catechism. A second appendix offers a glossary of terms used in the book, while a third appendix lists a number of basic works for further investigation of Catholic faith and life.

Chapters are *The Church and the Council, - *Faith and the Believing Community, - *A Visible Church, - *a living Tradition, - *Sacraments and Christian Initiation, - *Christian Life and Discipleship, - *Sin, Forgiveness, and Healing, - *Sexual Morality and Social Justice, - *Prayer and Spirituality, - *The Fullness of Christian Hope, - and *The Unfinished Agenda. - Includes "Appendix I" Outlook of Book, with References to the "Catechism of the Catholic Church, Appendix II: " Glossary of Terms, and Appendix III: Basic Reference Works on Catholicism. An "Index of Names," and an "Index of Subjects" are also included.

"Thomas P. Rausch, SJ, PhD, is professor of theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He is the author of "Catholicism at the Dawn of the Third Millennium, Reconciling Faith and Reason," and editor of the bestselling "The College Student's Introduction to Theology" published by Liturgical Press."

"Catherine E. Clifford, PhD, is a professor of theology at St. Paul's University in Ottawa, Ontario.""