What Is Counter Reformation Short Definition

The number of these decorative treatments of religious themes has greatly decreased, as have the mannerist pieces “arranged in an inappropriate or confused manner”, because a number of books, notably by the Flemish theologian Molanus, Charles Borromeo and Cardinal Gabriele Paleotti, and the instructions of the local bishops reinforced the decrees and often went into the smallest details, which was acceptable. Much of the traditional iconography, considered to have no sufficient biblical basis, was indeed prohibited, as was any inclusion of classical pagan elements in religious art and almost all nudity, including that of the baby Jesus. [30] The reforms of the Council of Trent, while sincere, were also aimed at undermining Protestant criticism of the Church and marking a clear difference between Protestant and Catholic visions of Christianity. Luther`s rejection of “faith alone” and “Scripture alone” was essential in establishing the Catholic claim as the sole authority in determining spiritual truth. Until 1545, there were many different Protestant sects, each claiming to hold to “true Christianity,” while the church replied that if everyone claimed to be right, none of them could be right, while the church—which had the original mandate of Jesus Christ Himself—could not be wrong. Of course, some reform activities could be seen, such as the founding of the Oratory of Divine Love in 1497, a society of lay people and priests dedicated to charity and spiritual sanctification. But the Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517) convened by Pope Julius II (1503-1513) prevented any significant reform movement. The secular excesses of the secular Renaissance church, embodied by the era of Alexander VI (1492-1503), became a serious problem under Pope Leo X (1513-1522), who worked to raise funds in German states for the reconstruction of St. Peter`s Basilica in Rome through the pressure sale of indulgences. Hadrian VI (1522-1523), who succeeded Leo X but became a reformer, died too soon to obtain anything.

During the following pontificate of Clement VII (1523–1534), the Reform Party continued to work quietly, founding the Theatines (1524), Capuchins (1525) and Barnabites (1530), religious orders for evangelization as a counter-proposal to the Lutheran threat. Finally, the sack of Rome in 1525 by Charles V`s troops of the Holy Roman Empire damaged the reputation of the papacy and apparently helped lead the Catholic Church to reform. The effects of the Council of Trent and the Counter-Reformation also paved the way for Ruthenian Orthodox Christians to return to full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving their Byzantine tradition. Pope Clement VIII received the Ruthenian bishops in full communion on February 7, 1596. [12] Under the Treaty of the Union of Brest, Rome recognized the continued practice of the Byzantine liturgical tradition by Ruthenians, married clergy, and the ordination of bishops of the Ruthenian Christian tradition. In addition, the treaty expressly exempts Ruthenians from accepting the filioque clause and purgatory as a condition of reconciliation. [13] Counter-Reformation, also called Catholic Reformation or Catholic Renaissance, in the history of Christianity Roman Catholic aspirations that took place in the 16th and early 17th centuries. In the nineteenth century, they were directed against both the Protestant Reformation and internal renewal. The Counter-Reformation took place around the same time as the Protestant Reformation, in fact (according to some sources) shortly before Martin Luther`s act of nailing the ninety-five theses to the door of the castle church in 1517. However, the term, although in use, is misleading: it cannot be applied logically or chronologically to this sudden awakening of a frightened giant, to this wonderful effort of rejuvenation and reorganization which, in thirty years, has given the Church a whole new face. The so-called “Counter-Reformation” did not begin with the Council of Trent, long after Luther; its origins and early achievements preceded the fame of Wittenberg.

It was not undertaken in response to the “reformers,” but in obedience to the demands and principles that are part of the Church`s immutable tradition and emanate from her most fundamental loyalties. [14] This event is considered by some scholars to be the end of the Counter-Reformation, as it ended a century of conflict encouraged by or directly attributed to differences in religion. However, according to some views, the Counter-Reformation never ended, as it was, by definition, a response to the challenge of generalized heresy and continues to oppose what it now considers heretical. In this perspective, the Counter-Reformation continues, while the Church continues to claim its claim as the first and therefore truest incarnation of the Christian vision. Ten years after the decree, Paolo Veronese was summoned by the Holy Office to explain why his Last Supper, a huge canvas for the refectory of a monastery, contained in the words of the Holy Office: “Fools, drunken Germans, dwarves and other such bizarre things” as well as extravagant costumes and sets, in fact a fantastic version of a Venetian patrician feast. [28] Veronese was told that he had to change his painting within three months. He only changed the title to The Feast in the House of Levi, still an episode of the Gospels, but a less doctrinally central episode, and nothing more was said. [29] When Martin Luther (l. 1483-1546) began the Reformation in 1517, the church tried to silence him like previous reformers, but due to the broad support, generated mainly by the printing press, it did not succeed. Around 1530, Luther`s right-hand man, Philipp Melanchthon (l.

1497-1560), the Augsburg Confession, which was opposed in the same year by the Catholic confession Confutatio Augustana, and according to some scholars the Counter-Reformation began here. The Confutatio Augustana clarified the Church`s position on various issues and condemned the Protestant Reformation as heresy. The spirituality of Filippo Neri, who lived in Rome at the same time as Ignatius, was also practice-oriented, but completely opposed to the Jesuit approach. Filippo said: “If I have a real problem, I think about what Ignatius would do. And then I do the exact opposite. [ref. needed] In recognition of their joint contribution to spiritual renewal within the Catholic Reformation, Ignatius of Loyola, Filippo Neri, and Teresa of Avila were canonized on the same day, March 12, 1622. The Jesuits focused on opposing the demands of the Reformation and maintaining the absolute authority of the Catholic Church. In his retreat (1548), Loyola clearly expressed his point of view and wrote: However, while the basic structure of the Church was affirmed, there were notable changes in the response to complaints that the counter-reformers wanted to tacitly admit that they were legitimate.