iterature and the Second Vatican Council:

the Church open to Culture

Abstract

One of the novelties of the Second Vatican Council was the change in how the Catholic Church relates to Culture, the Arts and Literature. From a punitive view, the Church presented a view open to these manifestations. Starting from the analysis of John XXIII's opening speech at the Second Vatican Council and Francis' letter on Literature in Church teaching, this article addresses the questions that the deepening of the study of Literature can generate in the Church. The presentation of criticism of the Catholic Church in two classic novels ("The Crime of Father Amaro" and "Dom Casmurro") indicates that the study of literary works can bring disturbing questions to the Church. In this case, questions about seminaries, celibacy and permanent diaconate were identified. Thus, it is concluded that the "aggiornamento" proposed by John XXIII is still far from being fully achieved, as there is a need for Francis to draw attention to the study of Literature. On the contrary, aggiornamento runs the risk of being extinguished with a more normative Church.