Transformation of the Christian Churches in Western Europe (1945–2000)

Leo Kenis is emeritus professor of church history and the history of theology at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven. His research focuses on the modern and contemporary history of Catholic theology. Jaak Billiet is PhD in Social Sciences and Emeritus Professor at KU Leuven. His research focuses on pillarization and statistical methods. He is member of the central coordination team of the European Social Survey. Patrick Pasture is Professor of History and Director of the Centre for European Studies at KU Leuven.

• ContentsThe Transformation of Christian Churches in Western EuropeAn Introduction 7Patrick Pasture (K.U.Leuven) & Leo Kenis (K.U.Leuven)PART ICONTINUITIES AND DISCONTINUITIES IN RELIGIOUSNESS 21The Present Crisis in Historical Context 23Hugh McLeod (University of Birmingham)Feu la “nouvelle chrétienté” 39Étienne Fouilloux (Université Lyon 2)Restoration and Erosion of Pillarised Catholicism in Western Europe 55Wilhelm Damberg (Ruhr-Universität Bochum) & Patrick Pasture (K.U.Leuven)Left Catholicism in Western Europe 77A Brief SurveyGerd-Rainer Horn (University of Warwick)Opening Windows or Opening Doors? Catholic Intellectuals as theBearers of Secularisation in the Netherlands, 1945-1970 96Lodewijk Winkeler (KDC, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)Late 20th-Century Trends in Catholic ReligiousnessBelgium Compared with Western and Central European Nations 113Karel Dobbelaere (K.U.Leuven) & Jaak Billiet (K.U.Leuven)Contemporary Syncretism in Europe 146Liliane Voyé (Université Catholique de Louvain)The American Exception?Secularisation and Religion in the United States, 1945-2000 161Jon Butler (Yale University) PART IISOME BASIC ISSUES IN POSTWAR CHURCH LIFE 173Fundamental Changes in the Social Ethic of the Christian Churches 175Johan Verstraeten (K.U.Leuven)The Affirmation of Women’s Religious Leadership: a “Modern” Issue? 194Anne-Marie Korte (Universiteit van Tilburg)God has no FavouritesEcumenism and Interreligious Dialogue: the Unity of God’s Creation 207Anton Houtepen (Universiteit Utrecht)Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue 221Hans Ucko (World Council of Churches, Geneva)Christian Churches as Social Capital. An Empirical Study of the Relationshipbetween Church Commitment, Religious Pluralism and Tolerance,and the Attitude towards Immigrants in Eleven European Countries 236Jaak Billiet (K.U.Leuven), Karel Dobbelaere (K.U.Leuven) &Bart Cambré (K.U.Leuven; Universiteit van Tilburg) PART IIIIMPACT AND RECEPTION OF VATICAN II 253La réception du Concile Vatican II dans la Curie romaine 255Philippe Chenaux (Université du Latran, Rome)Collégialité et primauté dans l’application de Vatican II 267Jan Grootaers (K.U.Leuven)Réception et conséquences de Vatican II. Un point de vue protestant 281André Birmelé (Faculté de théologie protestante de Strasbourg)Reception and Implementation of the Second Vatican CouncilReligious Institutes 296Joachim Schmiedl (Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule, Vallendar)Bibliography 312Colophon 352

This volume as a whole is a good contribution of European scholars to our understanding of current developments and problems of the Christian religion.Richard F. Costigan, S.J., St. Louis University, Journal of Church History, volume 81/1 - March 2012