Catholic Reformation: Protestant Reformation
Did the Counter-Reformation create a new and distinctive kind of spirituality?
The Counter-Reformation, or Catholic Reformation as it is often referred to had ushered in an era of Catholic resistance to the Protestant Reformation. The Counter-Reformation can be defined by the various religious orders which sprang up during this Catholic resurgence and the approach in which they took in regards to responding the various social, artistic and political changes brought about by the Protestant Reformation. One of the most prominent and notable orders was the Society of Jesus or Jesuits founded in 1534 by Ignatius Loyola, a clergy man who himself had a more militant outlook given that he was trained and fought as a soldier. The spirituality of …show more content…
the Counter-Reformation is something which should be analysed. Whilst it is fair to suggest, to an extent that that the Counter-Reformation created a sense of new concept and policy surrounding spirituality, in that the Catholic Church appeared to take on a new direction in their response to the Reformation, the stronger argument suggests that essentially the spirituality on the whole was made more distinctive by the decisions produced at the Council of Trent in 1545 onwards and of the militant stance of the Jesuit order as it gave structure to the Catholic resurgence. Furthermore by this argument it is fair to suggest that the Counter-Reformation produced a more distinctive spirituality, but not necessarily a new spirituality as the church essentially spread the same message as was spread in the medieval church, just a more distinctive and assertive version of traditional Catholic Doctrine. The Counter-Reformation can certainly be argued to have produced a new sense of concept in regards to dealing with the changes and demands brought about by the Protestant Reformation and Sixteenth Century society. It was clear that the Catholic Church needed to adapt, however the argument of whether this was in essence a spiritual adaptation or more of a distinctive direct approach can be called into question. It is evident that the Catholic Church had gained a more militant outlook and it is this factor which is crucial to the overall argument. This new outlook can be viewed as a change in policy and change in spirituality on the part of the Catholic Church. As H. Outram Evennett stated, 'In its gradual formation, against the evolving background of the Protestant revolution, the spiritual revival and transformation of Catholicism took more of a rigid form than might otherwise have been the case '.1 Taking this statement into account it is evident that Evennet interpreted that the spirituality of the Counter-Reformation underwent somewhat of a radical transformation in regards to its approach. In this instance, one can look towards the militant stance of the Jesuits and the strong and affirmative support which the Catholic Church had given them. To an extent the initial adoption of a more militant response by the Catholic Church can be argued to be somewhat of a new course of action. This is supported by B.J Kidd 's view that 'The Roman Catholic Church had adopted a new policy. She was going to win back her losses by other means than the Council of Trent, by the Jesuits '.2 This links in with Evennet 's statement that the transformation of the Catholic Church was more rigid given the new found militant and revolutionary approach which was brought about the equally newly formed Jesuit order. Here one can identify the differing approach of the Catholic Church, and whilst this can be disputed, this new adaptation can be viewed as one of spiritual procedure.
The militancy of the Roman Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation is clearly represented by the Catholic inquisitions within Europe. This hard line approach essentially boiled down to the persecution and often execution of those who were considered to be Protestant Heretics and those who were unwilling to repent for their sins against the Catholic Church. As B.J Kidd highlights, 'In one country after another, the (Roman) Inquisition was a self-working organisation which no single state could resist...Paul IV determined to strike at the roots or heresy and to put aside all other schemes in its favour. '3 This observation supports the notion of militant Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation and highlights the general outlook of the Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation period. The inquisitions as well as the active censorship which was used by the Catholic Church to prohibit impure Protestant doctrine come under the Churches process of Evangelisation, which according to Robert Bireley was a means of 'raising the level of religious knowledge and practice. '4 This is an example of the Catholic Churches need to adapt and to an extent, reform to their present situation in using a more forceful means against Protestant influence. This initial need to adapt and to combat the Protestant heresies through repressive means, such as censorship and inquisition, clearly indentify the motives of the Catholic Church at the time in their attempt at revival and resurgence, yet whilst these elements showed Catholic reform and transformation, they worked in the frame of the traditional catholic teachings and thus created a new course of action rather than a new spirituality entirely.
Alternatively, whilst it can be argued that the Catholic Church underwent a change of policy in regards to the militant spirituality of the Jesuits, it can be more potently argued that although the Jesuits and various other religious orders at the time did have this aggressive approach, it was in essence, just a more distinctive means of expressing and spreading traditional Catholic teachings.
As Robert Bireley states, 'These new orders and congregations were often characterised by distinctive spiritualities or ways of living the Christian life, such as Franciscan or Jesuit spirituality. '5 Furthermore the circumstances, given the Protestant Reformation and how it impacted the continent, the Catholic Church would have had to take a more hard line approach in their attempts to recapture their declining influence within certain parts of Europe. To lay focus of the Jesuit order itself, it was an order highly concerned with the ultimate preservation and spread of the Roman Catholic tradition. The order signified the importance of a good Catholic education with the various Jesuit colleges which developed all across Europe and the importance of traditional Catholic values such as transubstantiation, in which an individual was to be true to the sacraments and to practice them often as Christ was living within them through the Eucharist. It was clear that the Jesuits were functioning as an active and open resistance to the changes brought about by the Protestant Reformation, …show more content…
particularly in regards to changes made which ran counter to Catholic doctrine. A.G Dickens makes the statement that 'unlike the mystical directors, who so often bid us to cleanse the mind of images, Loyola encourages the maintenance of vivid and concrete imagery '.6 This is a prime example of a reinforcement of Catholic tradition against Protestant reform as it stresses the importance of Catholic idols and imagery as beacons of the faith and their role in the upkeep of traditional Catholic values.
The influence of the Jesuit order was potent as statistically it had thousands of followers worldwide and this is supported by H.
Outram Evennett 's suggestion that 'the Society of Jesus became the most powerful, active, modernising, humanistic and flexible force within the Counter-Reformation '.7 Therefore highlighting Catholic attempts at spiritual revival through the influential Jesuit order as it established a more distinct outlook. A further example of religious orders which sprang out from the Catholic Reformation can be identified as the Discalced Carmelites, who 's marquee figure was Teresa of Avila. This order showed some degree of reform as it stressed stricter practices within the Catholic faith for both men and woman alike. However this can be viewed as more of a tightening of traditional Catholic observances rather than the construction of a new sense of spirituality. Essentially the fact that these orders, particularly the Jesuits under Loyola, were fighting to preserve Catholic tradition indicates that the Counter-Revolution produced a more distinct form of Catholic spirituality rather than a new spirituality altogether, given that they stressed the importance of typical Catholic
teachings.
The Council of Trent can be used as an example of the Counter-Reformation creating a more distinct kind of spirituality rather than a new spirituality altogether. The Council of Trent was, and still is considered to be one of the Catholic churches most significant councils as it essentially set the standard for the Catholic Reformation. The Council of Trent had decided the general direction and action which was to be taken by the Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation, which was the pursuit to condemn the values which sprang up through the wave of Protestantism and to convert members back to the righteous path of Catholicism. The Council, in answer to the heresy of Protestantism had reinforced the true catholic traditions such as the regular practice and obedience to the holy sacraments such as confession, which was highlighted as an important event given that individuals had to repent for their sin on a regular basis, and the reinforcement of the sanctity of marriage in order to establish a social discipline in line with Catholic Doctrine. In this case the Council would implement these reinforcements through the distinctive methods of the Jesuits.
The Council of Trent did produce an element of reform, however this was a reform of the old catholic teaching which highlights that the spirituality remained essentially the same, just more distinctive. An example of this reform is the fact that the Council believed that the Catholic congregation could have a much closer relationship to God in what they did in their daily life. This focused on things such as the veneration of saints, justification and the ability to achieve salvation through works of faith, ideas which looked to undermine the Protestant belief of predestination. It was encouraged by Catholic doctrine that people should strive to be good individuals. This is supported by N.S Davidson who states that the Council 'argued that individuals can prepare themselves for justification...they should cooperate with God in the process of justification and sanctification...that faith and works are both necessary and worthy of reward '. 8 From the aforementioned points it is clear that the Council of Trent had a very significant impact on the overall outlook of the Counter-Reformation and indeed it could be argued that the Council itself represented this Catholic revival. Its reinforcement of the traditional Catholic values and implementing them through the Jesuit order identifies that the Counter-Reformation produced a more distinctive spirituality as opposed to a new one.
To conclude, it is fair to suggest that to an extent Catholicism underwent somewhat of a transformation in response to the Protestant Reformation and that this transformation extended to Catholic spirituality. However the stronger argument maintains that the Counter-Reformation, rather than create an entirely new spirituality, produced a more distinctive and assertive sense of spirituality which was based on traditional Catholic doctrine. This is supported primarily by the Jesuit order who under Ignatius Loyola provided a genuine structure to the Counter-Reformation with their militant attitude and drive to preach and educate the masses. Furthermore this is supported by the Council of Trent, which had indeed set the tone for the Catholic resurgence in its reinforcement of the traditional Catholic doctrine, such as sacraments and how humans could strive to achieve salvation through works of faith. Altogether these points identify that the Counter-Reformation had produced a more distinctive sense of spirituality as opposed to a new spirituality entirely, in that it was more structured and more driven in its answer to the Protestant Reformation.
Bibliography Evennett, H.Outram. (1968) The Spirit of the Counter-Reformation. Cambridge University Press.
Kidd, B.J. (1958) The Counter-Reformation 1550-1600. S.P.C.K. Holy Trinity Church.
Bireley, Robert. (1999) The Refashioning of Catholicism, 1450-1700. Palgrave Macmillan.
Dickens, A.G. (1979) The Counter-Reformation. Norton & Company.
Davidson, N.S. (1987) The Counter-Reformation. Basil Blackwell Ltd.
The Counter-Reformation, or Catholic Reformation as it is often referred to had ushered in an era of Catholic resistance to the Protestant Reformation. The Counter-Reformation can be defined by the various religious orders which sprang up during this Catholic resurgence and the approach in which they took in regards to responding the various social, artistic and political changes brought about by the Protestant Reformation. One of the most prominent and notable orders was the Society of Jesus or Jesuits founded in 1534 by Ignatius Loyola, a clergy man who himself had a more militant outlook given that he was trained and fought as a soldier. The spirituality of …show more content…
the Counter-Reformation is something which should be analysed. Whilst it is fair to suggest, to an extent that that the Counter-Reformation created a sense of new concept and policy surrounding spirituality, in that the Catholic Church appeared to take on a new direction in their response to the Reformation, the stronger argument suggests that essentially the spirituality on the whole was made more distinctive by the decisions produced at the Council of Trent in 1545 onwards and of the militant stance of the Jesuit order as it gave structure to the Catholic resurgence. Furthermore by this argument it is fair to suggest that the Counter-Reformation produced a more distinctive spirituality, but not necessarily a new spirituality as the church essentially spread the same message as was spread in the medieval church, just a more distinctive and assertive version of traditional Catholic Doctrine. The Counter-Reformation can certainly be argued to have produced a new sense of concept in regards to dealing with the changes and demands brought about by the Protestant Reformation and Sixteenth Century society. It was clear that the Catholic Church needed to adapt, however the argument of whether this was in essence a spiritual adaptation or more of a distinctive direct approach can be called into question. It is evident that the Catholic Church had gained a more militant outlook and it is this factor which is crucial to the overall argument. This new outlook can be viewed as a change in policy and change in spirituality on the part of the Catholic Church. As H. Outram Evennett stated, 'In its gradual formation, against the evolving background of the Protestant revolution, the spiritual revival and transformation of Catholicism took more of a rigid form than might otherwise have been the case '.1 Taking this statement into account it is evident that Evennet interpreted that the spirituality of the Counter-Reformation underwent somewhat of a radical transformation in regards to its approach. In this instance, one can look towards the militant stance of the Jesuits and the strong and affirmative support which the Catholic Church had given them. To an extent the initial adoption of a more militant response by the Catholic Church can be argued to be somewhat of a new course of action. This is supported by B.J Kidd 's view that 'The Roman Catholic Church had adopted a new policy. She was going to win back her losses by other means than the Council of Trent, by the Jesuits '.2 This links in with Evennet 's statement that the transformation of the Catholic Church was more rigid given the new found militant and revolutionary approach which was brought about the equally newly formed Jesuit order. Here one can identify the differing approach of the Catholic Church, and whilst this can be disputed, this new adaptation can be viewed as one of spiritual procedure.
The militancy of the Roman Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation is clearly represented by the Catholic inquisitions within Europe. This hard line approach essentially boiled down to the persecution and often execution of those who were considered to be Protestant Heretics and those who were unwilling to repent for their sins against the Catholic Church. As B.J Kidd highlights, 'In one country after another, the (Roman) Inquisition was a self-working organisation which no single state could resist...Paul IV determined to strike at the roots or heresy and to put aside all other schemes in its favour. '3 This observation supports the notion of militant Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation and highlights the general outlook of the Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation period. The inquisitions as well as the active censorship which was used by the Catholic Church to prohibit impure Protestant doctrine come under the Churches process of Evangelisation, which according to Robert Bireley was a means of 'raising the level of religious knowledge and practice. '4 This is an example of the Catholic Churches need to adapt and to an extent, reform to their present situation in using a more forceful means against Protestant influence. This initial need to adapt and to combat the Protestant heresies through repressive means, such as censorship and inquisition, clearly indentify the motives of the Catholic Church at the time in their attempt at revival and resurgence, yet whilst these elements showed Catholic reform and transformation, they worked in the frame of the traditional catholic teachings and thus created a new course of action rather than a new spirituality entirely.
Alternatively, whilst it can be argued that the Catholic Church underwent a change of policy in regards to the militant spirituality of the Jesuits, it can be more potently argued that although the Jesuits and various other religious orders at the time did have this aggressive approach, it was in essence, just a more distinctive means of expressing and spreading traditional Catholic teachings.
As Robert Bireley states, 'These new orders and congregations were often characterised by distinctive spiritualities or ways of living the Christian life, such as Franciscan or Jesuit spirituality. '5 Furthermore the circumstances, given the Protestant Reformation and how it impacted the continent, the Catholic Church would have had to take a more hard line approach in their attempts to recapture their declining influence within certain parts of Europe. To lay focus of the Jesuit order itself, it was an order highly concerned with the ultimate preservation and spread of the Roman Catholic tradition. The order signified the importance of a good Catholic education with the various Jesuit colleges which developed all across Europe and the importance of traditional Catholic values such as transubstantiation, in which an individual was to be true to the sacraments and to practice them often as Christ was living within them through the Eucharist. It was clear that the Jesuits were functioning as an active and open resistance to the changes brought about by the Protestant Reformation, …show more content…
particularly in regards to changes made which ran counter to Catholic doctrine. A.G Dickens makes the statement that 'unlike the mystical directors, who so often bid us to cleanse the mind of images, Loyola encourages the maintenance of vivid and concrete imagery '.6 This is a prime example of a reinforcement of Catholic tradition against Protestant reform as it stresses the importance of Catholic idols and imagery as beacons of the faith and their role in the upkeep of traditional Catholic values.
The influence of the Jesuit order was potent as statistically it had thousands of followers worldwide and this is supported by H.
Outram Evennett 's suggestion that 'the Society of Jesus became the most powerful, active, modernising, humanistic and flexible force within the Counter-Reformation '.7 Therefore highlighting Catholic attempts at spiritual revival through the influential Jesuit order as it established a more distinct outlook. A further example of religious orders which sprang out from the Catholic Reformation can be identified as the Discalced Carmelites, who 's marquee figure was Teresa of Avila. This order showed some degree of reform as it stressed stricter practices within the Catholic faith for both men and woman alike. However this can be viewed as more of a tightening of traditional Catholic observances rather than the construction of a new sense of spirituality. Essentially the fact that these orders, particularly the Jesuits under Loyola, were fighting to preserve Catholic tradition indicates that the Counter-Revolution produced a more distinct form of Catholic spirituality rather than a new spirituality altogether, given that they stressed the importance of typical Catholic
teachings.
The Council of Trent can be used as an example of the Counter-Reformation creating a more distinct kind of spirituality rather than a new spirituality altogether. The Council of Trent was, and still is considered to be one of the Catholic churches most significant councils as it essentially set the standard for the Catholic Reformation. The Council of Trent had decided the general direction and action which was to be taken by the Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation, which was the pursuit to condemn the values which sprang up through the wave of Protestantism and to convert members back to the righteous path of Catholicism. The Council, in answer to the heresy of Protestantism had reinforced the true catholic traditions such as the regular practice and obedience to the holy sacraments such as confession, which was highlighted as an important event given that individuals had to repent for their sin on a regular basis, and the reinforcement of the sanctity of marriage in order to establish a social discipline in line with Catholic Doctrine. In this case the Council would implement these reinforcements through the distinctive methods of the Jesuits.
The Council of Trent did produce an element of reform, however this was a reform of the old catholic teaching which highlights that the spirituality remained essentially the same, just more distinctive. An example of this reform is the fact that the Council believed that the Catholic congregation could have a much closer relationship to God in what they did in their daily life. This focused on things such as the veneration of saints, justification and the ability to achieve salvation through works of faith, ideas which looked to undermine the Protestant belief of predestination. It was encouraged by Catholic doctrine that people should strive to be good individuals. This is supported by N.S Davidson who states that the Council 'argued that individuals can prepare themselves for justification...they should cooperate with God in the process of justification and sanctification...that faith and works are both necessary and worthy of reward '. 8 From the aforementioned points it is clear that the Council of Trent had a very significant impact on the overall outlook of the Counter-Reformation and indeed it could be argued that the Council itself represented this Catholic revival. Its reinforcement of the traditional Catholic values and implementing them through the Jesuit order identifies that the Counter-Reformation produced a more distinctive spirituality as opposed to a new one.
To conclude, it is fair to suggest that to an extent Catholicism underwent somewhat of a transformation in response to the Protestant Reformation and that this transformation extended to Catholic spirituality. However the stronger argument maintains that the Counter-Reformation, rather than create an entirely new spirituality, produced a more distinctive and assertive sense of spirituality which was based on traditional Catholic doctrine. This is supported primarily by the Jesuit order who under Ignatius Loyola provided a genuine structure to the Counter-Reformation with their militant attitude and drive to preach and educate the masses. Furthermore this is supported by the Council of Trent, which had indeed set the tone for the Catholic resurgence in its reinforcement of the traditional Catholic doctrine, such as sacraments and how humans could strive to achieve salvation through works of faith. Altogether these points identify that the Counter-Reformation had produced a more distinctive sense of spirituality as opposed to a new spirituality entirely, in that it was more structured and more driven in its answer to the Protestant Reformation.
Bibliography Evennett, H.Outram. (1968) The Spirit of the Counter-Reformation. Cambridge University Press.
Kidd, B.J. (1958) The Counter-Reformation 1550-1600. S.P.C.K. Holy Trinity Church.
Bireley, Robert. (1999) The Refashioning of Catholicism, 1450-1700. Palgrave Macmillan.
Dickens, A.G. (1979) The Counter-Reformation. Norton & Company.
Davidson, N.S. (1987) The Counter-Reformation. Basil Blackwell Ltd.