The second Vatican council opened in October 1962, under the leadership of Pope John XXII (1958-1963), with the goal of bringing the church into the modern world. John Patrick Shanley sets Doubt two years after this momentous project, amid a clash of ideas and generations. Sister James and Father Flynn represent the new progressive postures of the church, embracing modern ideals of education and the reforms proposed by Vatican II. This comes into conflict with the more conservative Sister Aloysius who believes that the church must be the strict moral backbone of the community. While Sister Aloysius might seem apprehensive towards embracing this “new” Church, her actions and pursuit of truth embrace a revolutionary spirit that many nuns found post-Vatican II.
The announcement of Vatican II was life-altering for many nuns who felt a news sense of empowerment as they were allowed to adopt the leadership roles previously reserved for men in hospitals, housing projects, and schools that the church ran. Sister Maureen Fidler, who joined a convent just two months before Vatican II began, explains how she felt at the time, “I found this to be the most exhilarating time in my whole life as a Catholic, because it felt like the petals of a flower were opening, and that there was a whole new fragrance in the air of the church." Many nuns gained newfound autonomy whether in balancing their checkbooks and learning how to drive (privileges long reserved for their male colleagues) or turning their attention towards social justice.
Amidst the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, many nuns felt their vows called them to dedicate themselves to social causes. Sister Helen Prejean explains how she came to lead a life devoted to reforming the prison system: “Start looking at the signs of the times, look at where the people are suffering, look at where the people are in need," Prejean says. "And I'm kind of a story, or an embodiment, of what happened to nuns out of Vatican II, because it brought me eventually to poor people in New Orleans and to death row.” Given broadened autonomy in convent life, nuns found themselves posed as radicals, living a communitarian life aside from the confines of a modern capitalist society. Adam Horwitz, a millennial activist whose “Nuns and Nones” program puts young social justice advocates into convents— living with and learning from nuns—explains, "These are radical, badass women who have lived lives devoted to social justice,” said Mr. Bradley, "and we can learn from them.”
Despite Vatican II enacting change for some in the Catholic Church, many nuns had hoped that the reforms would penetrate deeper into their hierarchical traditions as Sister Fidler explains; "We thought, 'Well, women priests can't be far behind. A married priesthood can't be far behind. What we didn't count on, I don't think, was that many forces and people within the Vatican had set their minds to rolling back the changes that Vatican II brought about." One of those forces was Pope John II (1978-2005) who favored scriptural gender roles and “traditional” values who halted much of the progress made by Vatican II.
Today, the number of nuns in the United States has rapidly declined decreasing from 180,000 in 1965 to below 50,000 today; the average age of a contemporary nun is 80. Their responsibilities are being passed to lay people at Catholic schools and hospitals as the nun’s numbers dwindle. Some nuns even believe that their mission in American is over.
Yet, many are still finding inspiration in the radical ways in which convent service manifests itself. Just like Sister Aloysius in Doubt, nuns are acting as revolutionaries in their adherence to their values and morals. Historian Colleen McDannell, the author of The Spirit of Vatican II, is optimistic about the future of the sisterhood, “You know, this notion that somehow you've got this big, bad Vatican with a big stick, smacking these poor, innocent nuns around, infantilizes Catholic sisters," she says. "I tell you, it's an even battle, and if I had to put money on it, I would bet on the sisters."
— Fiona Selmi