Title: The Counter/Catholic-

Reformation

LO: What was the Council of Trent?

What happened there?

What is the Counter-Reformation?

• Long before Luther started the Reformation many Catholics had been calling for change in the Church.

• Many also wanted spiritual reform to help bring people closer to God.

• The Protestant reformation forced the Church to address these problems.

• This is referred to as the ‘Counter-Reformation’.

The Council of Trent

Scotland: Calvinist

England: Anglicanism

Sweden/ Germany: Lutheran

Italy/France/Spain: RC

What was the council of Trent?

• I’m excited to find out, as I’m sure each and every single one of you are.

• Open your books up to p. 25 and answer questions 1-6 in your books!

• Answers need to be in full sentences!!

What was the Council of Trent?

• Called by Paul III (r. 1534-1549) who realized the that a Catholic Reform was needed.

• He called a ‘general council’ of the Church to clearly state Catholic Teachings, and renew the Church spiritually and practically.

• Especially directed to those who had been challenged by the Protestant Reformers.

What was the Council of Trent?

• Takes its name from the city of Trent (Trentino) in Northern Italy.

• Close to the German lands where many of the Protestants were.

• Lasted 18 years, over 3 sessions: first period: 1545-1548 second period: 1551-1552 third period: 1562-1563

• It was interrupted by politics, wars and plague.

Trent Decisions: Doctrine

• Human nature is not totally depraved.

• Justification comes through faith, hope and charity (love) which includes good works.

• Scripture and Tradition are an expression of God’s Revelation.

• Traditional 7 Sacraments were upheld.

• Doctrine of transubstantiation is upheld. (Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist)

• The Mass is a sacrifice. Presided over by a Priest.

• The position of the Pope as the successor of St Peter and the Vicar of Christ was affirmed.

System where one person controlled a number of parishes

Trent Decisions: Church Discipline

• A seminary for the education of priests was to be set up in each diocese.

• Decrees were passed against pluralism and absenteeism by clergy and religious.

• Indulgence selling was abolished.

Bishops held ‘titles’ to dioceses they never visited but received

taxes from them.

After Trent• A Roman Catechism was written to

help priests educate the laity. (1566)• The Roman Missal (1570) set out a

reformed and uniform order of the Mass throughout the Catholic world.

• The infamous Inquisition was established.

The Inquisition• Had been first formed in

the 13th century, for trying those accused of heresy. It had virtually fallen into disuse.

• In 1542 it was revived to suppress heresy, particularly in Italy and Spain.

• Torture was often used to extract confessions and those condemned of heresy were often handed over to the State to be burned.