The Council of Trent was a council convened by Pope Paul III between 1545 and 1563, in response to the Protestant Reformation. Its initial purpose was to condemn and refute the ideas of the theologians Martin Luther and John Calvin, who had gained ground in Europe.
Furthermore, this council sought to reaffirm traditional Catholic beliefs and outline the foundations of the Counter-Reformation. That is why it is considered the most important movement of the Catholic Church of the Counter-Reformation. Through its deliberations and documents, they wanted to clear doubts and make the mysteries of the faith clearer for Catholics.
Council of Trent in 1545 (Nicolo Dorigati).
The council met in the city of Trento (Italy) and was the nineteenth ecumenical council of Roman Catholicism. Some forty Catholic clergymen, mainly Italian bishops, initially participated in the council. The deliberations spanned twenty-five working sessions, distributed in three periods over 18 years.
During its tenure and after its closure, the Council of Trent opened a wide debate in the Catholic Church and the Christian world. Despite the internal struggles it unleashed in the Church and the two long interruptions it had, it succeeded.
On the other hand, the Council of Trent served as a barrier to the rise of Protestantism in Europe and revitalized the Catholic Church. The numerous abuses and corruption in the papacy and the secular clergy were widely debated and eliminated, at least in theory.
Among the causes of its convocation was the discredit of the Church and the rapid rise of Protestantism in Europe. The German clergyman Martin Luther lobbied for a council to debate the ideas of the Reformation. He was convinced that, because of his "heretical" theses, he would be condemned by the pope, as indeed he did.
Background
In some circles of the Catholic Church the need to debate and undertake a profound reform was gaining ground.
From the Fifth Lateran Council in 1517, under the reign of Pope Julius II, reforms began to be proposed around various issues, such as the way to select bishops, preaching, censorship, and the collection of taxes.
However, no reforms were proposed on the underlying problems that the Church had been suffering from in Germany and other European regions. For this reason, the Augustinian monk Martin Luther published his 95 theses, refuting the dogmas of the Catholic faith.
Luther opposed the papacy and proposed to the German princes the holding of a free council in Germany.
Pope Leo X condemned Luther's theses and declared them heresies, for which reason in Germany it was considered that the most prudent thing was to hold a council that would settle the differences. German Catholics had faith that a council would clear up the heated theological debate between the Catholic Church and Protestants.
Delays to Council
The Pope did not agree, because Luther proposed that the papacy be excluded from the council. The growing rivalries between France and Germany and the dangers posed by the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean also played a role. Furthermore, until the Council of Trent the popes were not interested in debating the diminution of their power.
During the reign of Pope Clement VII (1523-1534), the Vatican was invaded and sacked by the troops of the Spanish Emperor of the Holy Empire Charles V. The emperor was in favor of holding a council, but required the support of King Francis I from France, with whom he had clashed.
In 1533 it was proposed that the council be general; that is to say, it included the Catholic rulers and the Protestants. This further complicated the chances of reaching an agreement, because not only were Protestants recognized, but the secular monarchs of Europe were also placed above the clergy in discussing Church issues.
Then the pope again objected. Emperor Charles V continued to support the German Protestants after an attack by the Turks, which further delayed the Council of Trent.
Prior to its convocation, Pope Paul III tried in 1537 to meet the Council in Mantua and a year later in Vicenza, while a peace treaty was being negotiated between Carlos V and Francisco I.
Causes
The vacillations for its convocation on the part of the popes Leo X and Clement VII did not prevent the convocation of the Council of Trent. Its causes were these:
- Emperor Charles V and Pope Clement VII met in 1530 in Bologna. The pope agreed to convene a council if necessary to debate Luther's questions of Catholic dogmas. The pope's condition was that Protestants once again obey the Catholic Church.
- Pope Paul III, who succeeded Clement VII, was convinced that only through a council was it possible to achieve the unity of Christianity, as well as the achievement of an effective reform of the Church. After several frustrated attempts, he was finally able to summon him in Trento (northern Italy), on December 13, 1545.
- It was not possible to continue delaying the convocation of the Council due to the rapid advance of the ideas of Protestantism in Europe. For this, it was urgent to condemn the Protestant principles and doctrines and clarify the doctrines of the Catholic Church.
- The image of the Church was tarnished by the evident corruption existing in its administration. Some predecessors of Pope Paul III plunged the Church into various scandals, financial problems and even assassinations, particularly in the papacies of Benedict IX, Urban VI, Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) and Leo X (Giovanni de Medici).
Consequences
- The Council of Trent became the most important movement called by the Catholic Counter-Reformation, to confront the growing Protestant Reformation.
- The most obvious abuses of the Church were abolished by the council. Consequently, disciplinary reforms were recommended. These reforms affected some practices contrary to the Christian faith, such as the sale of indulgences, the prohibition of duels, the moral of the convents, the education of the clergy, the non-residence of bishops and censorship.
- The Church maintained its thesis with respect to Protestant ideas and no concession was made, although some of the members of the Council were in favor of maintaining the supreme authority of the Scriptures (as proposed by Luther) and the justification of faith.
- In this sense, the clergy maintained their position of being the last interpreter of the Holy Scriptures. Thus, the Bible and the tradition of the Church (as part of the Catholic faith) were left at the same level of authority and independence.
- The relationship between faith and works in salvation was defined, in opposition to the Protestant doctrine that said "justification by faith alone."
- The Catholic practices of pilgrimages, indulgences, the veneration of saints and relics and, very particularly, the cult of the Virgin Mary were reaffirmed. All these practices were widely questioned by supporters of the Reformation or reformism within the Church.
- Decrees on music and sacred art were expanded, condemning some Renaissance and medieval styles. This had a great impact on the later development of painting, sculpture and literature.
- The council also had significant consequences on the liturgy and other religious practices of the Church. The Tridentine Creed was incorporated into Catholic prayers and revisions to the Breviary and Missal were made in later years. All of this led to the structuring of the Tridentine Mass, which continues to this day.
Closure
The desire to close the long council grew in the aftermath of their heated discussions, so it was decided to end it. Consequently, during the celebration of the twenty-fifth and last session of the Council (December 3 and 4, 1563), several decrees were approved and promulgated:
- A dogmatic decree on the veneration and invocation of saints and the cult of relics and images. Another on monks and nuns consisting of twenty-two chapters.
- A decree dealing with the way of life of cardinals and bishops, certificates of aptitude for priests and legacies for masses. This includes the suppression of concubinage among the clergy as well as in the life of the clergy in general. It also deals with the administration of ecclesiastical benefits.
- Other dogmatic decrees on indulgences, fasts and holidays, and the preparation by the pope of the editions of the Missal and the Breviary. Likewise, the creation of a catechism and a list of prohibited books.
The decrees approved by the council during the pontificates of Popes Paul III and Julius III were finally read and proclaimed as binding.
They were signed by 215 council priests, 4 cardinal legates, 2 cardinals, 3 patriarchs, 25 archbishops, 177 bishops, 7 abbots, 7 generals of orders and 19 representatives of 33 absent prelates.
Most of the prelates of the Church were Italians, which gave Pope Julius III an advantage in the final deliberations and decrees passed. On January 26, 1564, Pope Pius IV confirmed the decrees with the bull Benedictus Deus.
At the end of the council, secular rulers were called to accept the decisions made and carry them out. These were accepted by Catholic countries, although some of these did so with reservations.
References
- Council of Trent. Retrieved April 26, 2018 from newadvent.org
- The Council of Trent. Consulted from thecounciloftrent.com
- The Council of Trent. Consulted from historylearningsite.co.uk
- The Council of Trent in the time of Emperor Charles V. Consulted of books.google.co.ve
- 5. Council of Trent. Consulted from britannica.com
- Did the Council of Trent Change the Church? Consulted of osv.com
- 9 Things You Should Know About the Council of Trent. Consulted of thegospelcoalition.org