No two areas have affected Catholic self-understanding and its relations to other peoples of the world than its approach to Christian mission and to the role of religion and the church in society. Before the Vatican Council (1962 – 1965), Catholicism was committed to a dominant role to the detriment of other religions and nonbelievers. Catholic affirmations of freedom and evangelization in matters of religion for all persons creates a whole new context where Catholics predominate, and a whole new set of relations where Catholics participate with others in a pluralist society. How have both non-Catholic societies and the Catholic Church changed over the last forty years because of these two documents? This volume opens a window on these historic developments. Highlights: • Provides both accessible and well documented introduction to the field • Brief, yet carefully researched • A timely commentary, after 40 years of reception, capturing a snapshot of what will be a long development • Written in a nontechnical, readable style • Draws on the expertise of internationally recognized scholars †