Council of Trent

Council of Trent

Introduction

• Widespread dissatisfaction with the worldliness of the church and the ignorance of clergy

• The impact of the sack of Rome (1527)

• Charles V, champion of Catholicism in Germany

• Reformers active in the Catholic clergy to 1541

• The call for a universal council of the church

The Council of Trent

• Pope Paul III Franese calls the council in 1536, but work starts only 1545 in Trent, a compromise place

• Council dominated by Mediterranean prelates and Theologians , Dominicans, Franciscans

• Meetings discuss issues in closed session, corresponding with Roman cardinals and the pope

• Papacy retains the right to be the interpreter of last resort for problems arising from Council decrees

• Deliberate intention to reject Protestant doctrines outright

A: Theology

• Justifiaction, of Grace: people had free will, and could choose to do good

• This option validated pious works, charity, humility, abstinence, corporal mortification, vows of service and contemplation, prayer etc.

• Sacraments also reaffirmed, especially the Eucharish, the real presence of God in the consecreated host

• Tradition: The Council reaffirms the validity of the church’s history, its liturgies, its sacramentals

• It declares writings of the fathers of the church to be infallible, but that the Revelation countinues to unfold

• Revelation was not all contained in Scripture

• The church’s tradition validates the cult of saints, their tombs and their relics

• Virgin Mary continues to play a huge role in Catholic spirituality

B: Disipline of the Church

• The Council reaffirms the traditional organization chart of the Church, the supremacy of the Pope

• Reaffirmation of the hierarchy: Cardinals, bishops, abbots, who retain the right to impose obedience and discipline the unruly clergy

• Council reaffirms the place of monks and nuns to mediate salvation – they carry the cross for others

• Creation