Vatican II: A Pastoral Council by Serafino M Lanzetta (Gracewing, £25). “What did Vatican II really mean?” asks Fr Serafino Lanzetta. It was “for many, a starting point. For others, a halt,” and Fr Lanzetta hopes to apply a “more appropriate hermeneutic” to the conciliar documents. How do we distinguish between dogmatic and pastoral readings? What levels of authority do the documents command? Fr Lanzetta situates his analysis in historical context, exploring specific issues ranging from ecclesiology to Mariology. Ultimately, he hopes that Vatican II can still be “a council for the unity of the Church”.