The Council, Reform and Reunion

Sheed and Ward: New York, 1961. First American Edition.

Küng's first book, signed by him on title page, an examination of Catholic conscience that led to Dr. Küng serving as a theological adviser during the Second Vatican Council, also known as Vatican II (he was the youngest one there). Peter Hebblethwaite, a Vatican expert, wrote that all Dr. Küng's proposals at the Second Vatican Council were accepted, some in modified form, in the council's final documents. "Never again would a theologian have such influence," he wrote.

Thomas Merton praised the work in several letters: "Kung of course I read as soon as I could get my hands on him. I thought it a noble, straight and courageous book. The vigor and honesty of the message was tremendous. But such books raise vain hopes, perhaps. The Council cannot possibly measure up to all he suggested. Yet precisely for that reason we must doggedly hope that it will". In another letter, Merton wrote "If I wanted to start copying bits of it I would end by copying page after page, because I am so glad these things are at last said."

Dr. Küng saw the conference as only a beginning. He continued to press for more revisions in church dogma. As a liberal, he criticized church policy on governance, liturgy, papal infallibility, birth control, priestly celibacy, the ordination of women, mixed marriages, homosexuality, abortion, the meaning of hell and much else.

A near fine copy, lightly foxed to top page edges, very slight browning to spine tips in a very good dust wrapper, sightly yellowed, a small chip and two short closed tears.