The editors of Vatican I, Infallible or Neglectable? have organized an important scholarly contribution to the field of the study of the First Vatican Council, but with broader theological implications. The purpose and corresponding structure of this volume are threefold, proceeding from the following key observation: “The history and results of the First Vatican Council were either forgotten or reinterpreted in light of” the decisions of the Second Vatican Council (9). Part I contains seven contributions that explore Vatican I in consideration of its broader historical, socio-political, and theological context(s). Part II is comprised of five contributions that focus on the theology of Vatican I but is not limited to the formal promulgations of Dei Filius and Pastor Aeternus. Essays also consider preparatory work, schemas, and important contributing voices. Part III includes six contributions that treat the reception of the First Vatican Council, within and beyond the Roman Catholic Church, and on the road to the Second Vatican Council.

There is much to commend in this volume, as well as a few drawbacks. It features an impressive array of scholars treating a wide variety of topics within its threefold structure, and this is serious scholarship. Despite distinctions between the three parts, they possess an ecology of sorts, mutually enriching each other and helping to disabuse the reader of facile – and sometimes anachronistic – assumptions. Regarding drawbacks, one should note that the subject matter, scholarly level, and international character of the volume – strengths to be sure – also limit its potential use in educational milieux. In this vein, two chapters are written in French, and the reader should be prepared for quoted and footnoted material in several languages. Next, while there is an index of persons, there is not a subject index. Additionally, while the volume features historical and systematic theology, the balance of contributions is in the former category, which makes sense given its stated objectives. Finally, one will notice a variation in the quality of the edited contributions themselves.

Given the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the First Vatican Council several years ago, it is not surprising to see another volume on this momentous event. In fact, it joins other important investigations carried out in recent years. For example, investigations by K. Schatz (1992), K. Colberg (2016), J. R. Quinn (2017), J. O’Malley (2018), P. Neuner (2019), and M. Seewald and J. Knop (2019). But this volume especially serves the needs of historical and systematic theologians alike, providing resources to help students and scholars understand Vatican I more broadly: in context, teaching, and reception. Consequently, it will make a fine addition to many theological libraries.