The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) provided the blueprint for the church of the twenty-first century. Pope John XXIII's call for the council was a surprise to all, and the sixteen documents it produced, looking at all major areas of the church, propelled Roman Catholicism into a period rather unique in history. While seeking to engage the contemporary world more than had previously been seen, the council and the events of the last half century since its completion have vaulted the church into a time of experimentation, confusion, and dissent that persists today.