Reformation and Counter Reformation in Europe Essay

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Church

Discuss the Conciliar Movement. What was it and why did it arise? Give an overview of the major councils, key issues, and outcomes. In what ways was it successful? Why did it ultimately fail.

The Conciliar Movement began in the 14th century and included the Council of Pisa (1409), the Council of Constance (1414-1418) where the Conciliarists ruled that they as a collective had more authority than the Pope as head of the Church, and the Council of Basel (1431-1449) which failed to conclude at all. The Church's traditional doctrine regarding the head of the Church and the authority of the Pope was finally confirmed at the Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517), but it would be more than 300 years later before the doctrine of Papal Infallibility would be official defined at the First Vatican Council (1870), only to be somewhat undefined and "conciliarism" restored at the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

The Conciliar Movement arose as a result of the Papal schism in France following the move of the papacy from Rome to Avignon. There had been secular challenges to the Pope's authority -- for instance, Philip the Fair of France had battled with Pope Boniface; Boniface excommunicated Philip and Philip abducted the Pope (who died from shock shortly thereafter). France wanted control of the papacy, and the cardinals who elected the pope were mostly French; thus the papal elections were highly politicized and the move to France viewed by other Christian nations as a political one. The Western Schism led to simultaneous "popes" managing the Church, which is what led to the rise of Conciliarism -- the idea that a council should have more authority than just one man. It ultimately failed because the Church is a hierarchical institution with one head at the top and had always been this way because it was the way that Christ founded the Church.

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While councils made important decisions, the decisions were ratified so to speak by the Pope.

2. How did the Catholic Church respond to the Protestant Reformation? What is meant by the terms Catholic Reformation and Counter Reformation? Include a discussion, with examples, of each. Be sure to identify key figures and events. In what ways was the Church's response successful or unsuccessful?

The Church responded to the Protestant Reformation in different ways. The Council of Trent was finally called in order to define most clearly the critical doctrine of belief, which various Protestants were muddying with their own doctrine. Trent essentially defined the faith of the Church according to the Apostle's Creed and explained in more detail each line of this assertion of faith.

In other ways, the Church responded through missionary activity. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society of Jesus and Jesuits as they were called by critics attended the Council of Trent and went throughout Europe (Germany, England, etc.) to help counter the teachings of the Protestants. In England, the Jesuit Edmund Campion was martyred for attempting to spread….....

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