The Methodist Reception of Vatican II

Abstract This chapter briefly surveys Methodist–Catholic relations before Vatican II. It then looks at developing Methodist reactions to the council through the lens of the Methodist observers, giving special attention to the reactions of Albert Outler, widely seen as the doyen of the observers. It refers to the complexity of post-conciliar reception of the council, taking particular account of the variety within world Methodism and the difficulty of distinguishing between developments specifically due to the council and those resulting from more general ecumenical influences. The chapter then looks at the reception of certain decrees, most notably the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church and the Decree on Ecumenism. It stresses the reception of the latter through the dialogues, the importance of which is outlined. It treats briefly other decrees, noting the consonance of certain Catholic and Methodist insights and emphases, and concludes with a summary of future prospects.