Vatican II: The Real History

11 - Descartes and the Philosophical Revolt Against the Church

René Descartes, the “father of modern philosophy,” initiated a philosophical revolution against the Catholic Church. His philosophy set the stage for a broader revolt against the Church's influence, ultimately leading to new theories of moral and personal liberty.

10 - Scientism and the Inversion of Faith and Science

The Scientific Revolution did not just increase our understanding of the world; it marked an inversion of man’s role in relation to God. Key figures such as Galileo, Bacon, and Newton laid the groundwork for this transformation, which would play a significant role in the French Revolution and the Vatican II.

9 - The Protestant Revolt (Part 2): The Mass Under Attack

The Protestant Revolt attacked liturgy as well as Catholic doctrine. Peasants in sixteenth-century England went to war to defend the Mass from innovations, while the Council of Trent and Pope St. Pius V confirmed the faithful in their liturgy.

8 - The Protestant Revolt (Part 1): The Church Under Attack

With private judgment replacing Tradition, the sacramental Church and the ministerial priesthood come under attack from the Lutheran revolt, which is strengthened by John Calvin.

7 - Nominalism: From Ockham to Luther

Nominalism rejects universal truths to focus on individual particulars that can only be grasped through internal, personal understanding. This outlook shaped both the Franciscan William Ockham and eventually Martin Luther. These ideas laid groundwork for the Protestant Revolt and later revolutions within the Church.