Class 12 : Trent
Ann T. Orlando
8 February 2006
Rome in Later
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th
16
C
Center of Catholic Spiritual Power
Combined with Spanish military might, world-wide
reach
“Stubborn” emphasis on (reformed) discipline and
doctrine rejected by Protestants
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Confession
Sacraments
Tradition
Saints
Importance of Papacy
Art in service of religion: the Baroque
Catholic Response:
Council of Trent
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Called by Pope Paul III
Lengthy, intermittent (1545-1563)
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Pope initially reluctant to call council because of bad
experiences with councils (especially Council of
Constance) in 15th C
Purpose was both to address reform of practice and to
uphold Catholic doctrine
Developed in several sessions
Jesuits play a major theological role at Trent;
encouraged explicit statement of Catholic doctrine in
opposition to Protestant views
Politics Behind Council
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Charles V wanted control of Council; insisted that it
occur in his territory, and control over bishops
Also, successors of Paul III, Julius III and Paul IV,
not in favor of council
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Limited control over French bishops
Not in favor of some reforms
Structure of Councils 3 Periods
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Period I (1545-1547)
Period II (1551-1552)
Period III (1562-1563)
First Session 1545-1547 Key Results
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Includes Bull of Convocation, Sessions 1-10;
Pope Paul III
Emphasis on Nicene Creed and Tradition
Definitive statement concerning books of NT
and OT; Latin Vulgate declared adequate for
doctrinal proofs
Number of sacraments fixed at 7
Justification: man cooperates with God’s
grace
Second Session (1551-1552)
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Includes Sessions 11-16; Pope Julius III
Degree on Eucharist that defined Real
Presence;
Transubstantiation as way to describe it
Sacrament of Penance revised
Third Session (1562-1563)
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Sessions 18-25; Pope Pius IV
Resolution that issues should live in their
diocese
Catechism of Trent
Revised missal and breviary
Mass as true sacrifice
Reform decrees on clerical behavior and
revision of seminary rules
Key Theological Statements from
Trent
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Scripture and tradition
Sacraments are effect through performance of
sacramental action, “ex opere operato”
Affirmed Mass as sacrifice and transubstantiation
Affirmed 7 sacraments
Good works together with faith brings about
salvation
Affirmed indulgences and intercession of saints
Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621)
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Born in Italy; attended schools run by Jesuits
Entered Jesuit order 1560
Writes De Controversiis 1576
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Systematic work based on Council of Trent
As chief theologian in Curia, he was able to
ensure degrees of Trent were implemented
Declared saint and doctor of Church in 1930
Impact of Trent
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Defined Catholicism in Modern World
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Gave the Church a unified teaching program against
the Protestants
Made Jesuits the theologians of the Church at
beginning of modern period
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Reiterated tradition
Defined Catholicism as opposed to Protestants
Note, Jesuits not tied to local bishops
Relation between Trent and Vatican II still being
worked out
Assignments
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1. Ignatius Loyola Spiritual Exercises, Rules to Have True
Sentiment in the Church
available at
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/loyola-spirex.html
2. Theresa of Avila. Autobiography, Theresa’s Arguments of the
Chapters available at
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/life.v.html and Chapter XII
available at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/life.viii.xiii.html
3. Theresa of Avila. Way of Perfection, Preface – Chapter 7; pp
12-35 at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/way.pdf
4. Trent Decrees on Scripture, Sacraments, Justification,
Sacraments, Sermons 13.14-13.19 in The European
Reformations Sourcebook. ed Carter Lindberg. Malden:
Blackwell, 2000. pp 253-258.
5. Short Paper on Catholic Response