Prior to 1960, the Catholic Church was still regarded with suspicion by many, and the ideas of the reformers remained in the minds of many Protestants.

History had made it abundantly clear that the Catholic Church was not friendly to anyone that opposed her. Anyone refusing to accept Catholic doctrine or to submit to Catholic rule had been seen as a heretic. People still felt that Roman Catholics believed that salvation was only to be found within the Catholic Church.

Pope John XXIII, who started Vatican II.
Watch our ADtv video That All May Be One.

But in 1962, Pope John XXII called the Vatican II Council. This ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church did not revoke any of its doctrines or statements, but did declare that salvation was not restricted only to Roman Catholics, but could be found by all who live according their consciences.

This seemed like a huge concession on the part of the Roman See, but in reality, it was only a half-truth, as the Papacy maintains that only the will of the Pope and the doctrines of the Catholic Church are acceptable for any good Christian.

Ecumenism and Vatican II

In the meantime, the reformed churches had been moving towards ecumenism. And the Counter Reformation was doing its work. Jesuits, who according to their oath have no problem posing as anything including another denomination, had been working hard to introduce doctrines contrary to the Reformer’s teachings into Protestant churches.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) had formed in 1948, embracing most of the Protestant Churches, but excluding the Orthodox and Catholics. However, in 1965 the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC created a Joint Working Group to “discuss issues of common interest and promote cooperation.”ⁱ

The Roman Catholic Church also works with the WCC’s inter-religious dialogue and cooperation program. This move on the part Roman Church positioned them more favorably with Protestant denominations.

However, the principles of the ecumenical movement spelled out at Vatican II showed that the focus of the entire ecumenical effort was to solidify the Pope’s supremacy. In order for churches to unite, they would have to recognize the Pope as their leader.

Priest J. Cornell said, "The final object of ecumenism, as Catholics conceive it, is unity in faith, worship, and the acknowledgment of the supreme spiritual authority of the Bishop of Rome. -as quoted in Charlene R. Fortsch, Daniel: Understanding the Dreams and Visions (British Columbia: Prophecy Song, 2006).

In 1995, Pope John Paul II showed that this belief still stands when he claimed in his encyclical Ut unum sint that recognition of the primacy of the Pope and Catholic doctrine was essential for church unity.

Catholic newspaper Our Sunday Visitor explains the Pope's attitude this way:

The pope doesn’t want everyone to become Latin Catholics...To achieve unity, for example, does not mean that everyone has to celebrate the Eucharist the same way. With Eastern churches, especially, you’re talking about a great diversity liturgically, and that’s just fine. The Pope does use the term ‘hierarchy of doctrine’...Obviously, some teachings are more important than others, and there has to be agreement on those essential points, while leaving considerable latitude on other points that are less essential to the faith (emphasis added).ⁱⁱ S/B Our Sunday Visitor

The Lasting Impact of Vatican II

Here are some of the key events brought about by Vatican II:

• During the 1960s, numerous religious councils, groups, and denominations chose to pursue unity with the Roman Catholic Church.

• In 1975, the growing partnership between Protestantism and Catholicism was demonstrated by the release of a joint catechism.

• In the 1980s, Pope John Paul II made bold statements about the supremacy of Rome and his role as Pope. He also rekindled the group responsible for enforcing Catholic doctrine.

Learn about the Vatican II Council's emphasis on the importance of the Sunday assembly in Catholicism and the world.

i. World Council of Churches Online.

ii. Our Sunday Visitor (January 14, 1996), as quoted in Church of Rome versus US Constitution.