The Second Vatican Council and Religious Liberty by Michael Davies It is probable that more has been written concerning Dignitatis humanae the Vatican II Declaration on Religious Liberty than any other document of that Council except perhaps the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy In this book it is shown that a single peritus was able to impose his views upon the entire Council by winning the approval of the American hierachy The peritus in question was Father John Courtney Murray S J The traditional papal teaching on Church and State is presented here in the words of the Popes themselves and particularly as interpreted by Msgr Joseph Clifford Fenton Editor of the American Ecclesiastical Review It recounts his longstanding conflict with Father John Courtney Murray S J who wished to bring the teaching of the Church into line with the American Constitution and persuaded the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council to do precisely this But Dignitatis humanae is not infallibl