John XXIII, Vatican II, and American Catholicism

It is not an exaggeration to say that the last decade has been a revolutionary period in American Catholic thought and life. The effects of John XXIII's Second Vatican Council have produced an unprecedented spectrum of creative hopes and deep tensions in American Catholicism. As the 1970's begin, a growing polarization between conservative- classical and progressive-historical mentalities divide Catholics on nearly every issue. The very nature and function of the church are described and adhered to in basically differing ways. Doctrinal intransigence and a strong sense of infallibility are seriously challenged by radically developmental views of doc trine. A new spirit of dissent among clergy and laity is chal lenging authority on various levels. The monarchical and paternal structures of Catholicism are gradually giving way to more democratic and charismatic styles. The changing litur gies of the church reflect, at once, creative diversity and disap pointing confusion. The code morality of the past is constantly confronted by a more flexible and situational ethic. Amid all these changes, American Catholics have had their first real taste of ecumenism. In this year, too, institutional retrenchment is at odds with movements to hurry church unity. All these polarizations give rise to the question of whether American Catholicism is on the brink of schism or of a new kind of unifi cation.