The Rhine Flows into the Tiber: A History of Vatican II
SynopsisPlot
Widely hailed for its balanced, factual reporting, this eye-opening insider's account was written by Rev. Ralph M. Wiltgen, a priest and professional journalist who was an eyewitness with unparalleled access to the principal figures and events of the Council. The Inside Story of Vatican II is a revised, updated edition of that ground-breaking contemporary account, which details in particular the crucial influence on the Council's proceedings exerted by its German-speaking bishops. As Catholics continue to debate the meaning and impact of Vatican II, they will find this book an indispensable guide for understanding what actually took place there behind the scenes.
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About this book
The Rhine Flows into the Tiber is a history of the Second Vatican Council by Ralph Wiltgen, a Catholic priest and professional journalist who attended the Council as it unfolded between 1962 and 1965. He had direct access to bishops, theologians, and officials, and used it to record what happened in the formal sessions and in the meetings around them.
The title points to the influence of German-speaking and northern European bishops on the Council's direction. The Rhine, which runs through Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, stands as shorthand for a group whose theological outlook shaped many debates. The Tiber, in turn, is Rome's river. Wiltgen traces how these figures organized, built alliances, and steered discussions on questions that would reshape Catholic practice for decades.
The book first appeared in 1967, two years after the Council closed, and was published in four languages. Wiltgen concentrates on specific episodes, votes, and negotiations rather than a broad theological survey. A later revised and updated edition carried the account forward as discussion of the Council's meaning continued among Catholic readers.
