Customer Reviews

Vatican II in Plain English

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I have heard this author speak in person and he is just as amazing in print!! Some may agree with the previous reviewer that reading the actual documents themselves or Flannery's version is more helpful, and that's fine. What you simply cannot do without is the first volume of Huebsch's 3 volume set. In it he paints a vivid, enjoyable, informative picture of the situation preceding and surrounding the council. As someone born at the tail-end of the 1970's I knew nothing about the council before reading Huebsch's books. His first book was so interesting and wonderful that it only made me want to learn more! Imagine that! A book making a Catholic want to read more Church documents! Wonderful! Loved them! Go Bill!

After comparing Chapter One of Lumen Gentium, Flannery version and vatican.va online with The Huebsch "in plain English," I saw no reason to finish this book. Although the Flannery and vatican.va editions require you to stop, process and reflect after each section to more fully grasp the meaning of the document, the effort is worth the time. Huebch takes liberty with the meaning of the documents, adds in his own commentary and often strips the documents not only of their meaning, but also of the richness and beauty. Chapter 1, paragraph 2, Huebsch translates the fall of Adam and reference to original sin as we "stumbled along the way." C1, P4 he misses the mark, adds a lot NOT said and translates "He (the Holy Spirit) guides the church in all truth" to "Spirit unifies us in love." He omits language referring to hierarchical and charismatic gifts into his own ideas. C1, P5 Huebsch completely lost the beauty and essence of this awesome passage into something totally unrecognisable to the original documents. C1, P7 He takes "plain English" to it's maximum definition, and the language leans on negative, almost vulgar in comparison to the original, calling the Body of Christ "messy." C1, P8 was enough for me to call it quits. There is no mention of any type of "swimming" outside Huebsch's version and he totally deleted all scriptural references including the "mystery of the Incarnate Word." Papal authority was severely under emphasised from "...all ages the pillar and mainstay of the church" to Huebsch's "...whose jobs were to help maintain this delicate truth." The call of Christians to unity with the Catholic church is watered down to a more ecumenical call to "Christian unity" although the more accurate statement reads "impelling towards catholic unity." I'm sure that Huebsch made great effort in creating his "plain English" books, but if you really want to understand the Truth in Vatican II (not just the "spirit" of it), skip this book for the Flannery edition or read it online for free at Vatican.va. Vatican Council II, Vol. 2: More Post-Conciliar Documents

Reasonable price for 3 book set on Vatican II.
Easy to understand and use.

The author has given us a very readable presentation of the documents of Vatican Council II.

I've read the Vatican II in plain english and Whole Community Catechesis by Bill Hubsch. the other reviewer should give it a rest. Bill is a breath of fresh air and a learned man. Let the man talk and let his views be heard as part of the Catholic Church. We're big enough, we're old enough, and doggone it, people like him.

The idea of putting the documents of Vatican II in the hands of Catholics is laudable. It is deplorable that so few Catholics have read these documents. Many have been given the idea that these documents are only for the clergy or for theology dweebs.
So I was excited when I saw the cover of this book -- but I wondered what "in plain English" meant. I had always thought that the "Flannery translation" was plain enough. It is clear and non-ugly. What Huebsch has given us is, by his own admission, not a translation but a paraphrase. The question arises: Why in Heaven's Name do we need a paraphrase, given that we already have a translation which is eminently readable?
I haven't been able to answer that question. To me, the Hueblehized text is stilted and difficult to read. It would be so, I think, even without the ditzy fashion in which he aligns the text on the page.
If it were within my means, I would find every individual who owns this book, take it out of his or her hands, replace the book with Flannery's translation, and say to the beneficiary: "There. Now you have a reliable and readable record of the Constitutions of Vatican II.
I can think of no more effective way of devaluing the Council than to have this book in the hands of English-speaking Catholics.