The Catholic Counter Reformation

Name: ___________________
Date: ___________________

The Protestant Reformation seriously weakened the power of the Roman

Catholic Church. As Protestantism became more popular, the Roman
Catholic Church lost practitioners, income, and land. In England, Henry
VIII challenged the Pope and became the head of the Church of England in
1534. By the mid-1500s, the Roman Catholic Church began its own reform
– the Counter Reformation. During the Counter Reformation, the Roman
Catholic Church decided to reform itself. Then it decided to counter, or
fight against, Protestant beliefs.

In 1545, the Roman Catholic Church called for a council of church officials
to meet at the German city of Trent. This council lasted 18 years. It wrote
down the most important beliefs of the Catholic Church and stopped the sale
of indulgences. However, it disagreed with Luther. The council said that
people found salvation only through the Roman Catholic Church. The
council also said that people had to go to church and do good deeds to be
saved and had to accept the Pope as the only leader of the Christian Church.
Finally, Catholics had to agree with the Church’s interpretation of the Bible.

In addition to the Council of Trent, the Inquisition was established. It was

a special court that inquired into people’s religious beliefs. If the person was
found guilty of heresy or believing in ideas that differed from the Roman
Catholic Church, the person could be tortured or even executed. The
Inquisition frightened people in Catholic countries and led to fewer
dissenters. The Pope also began to censor books by telling people which
books they could read.

Finally, a new religious order was founded by Ignatius of Loyola. The

Jesuits were dedicated to spreading the Catholic faith to non-Christians in
Africa, Asia, and North and South America. Now, Europe had two groups
of Christian churches – Catholic and Protestant. Many northern Europeans
became Protestants while Italy, France, Spain, and southern Germany
remained Catholic.
Questions:
1: What was the Protestant Reformation? (From a previous lesson)
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2: How did the Protestant Reformation affect the Roman Catholic Church?
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3: What was the Catholic Counter Reformation?
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4: Why did the Roman Catholic Church initiate or begin a Counter
Reformation?
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5: What was decided at the Council of Trent?
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6: What was the Inquisition?
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7: Who were the Jesuits and how did they help the Roman Catholic Church?
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8: Which countries remained Catholic?
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9: Which countries converted to Protestantism?
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10: Why did England become Protestant?
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11: Do you think the Catholic Counter Reformation was successful?
Explain your answer.
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12: What are the primary theological or religious conflicts between
Protestants and Catholics?
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 Why did Henry VIII withdraw his support of the Roman Catholic Church?
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Word Bank:
Inquisition, Martin Luther, Faith, Pope, Council of Trent, Gutenberg,
Counter Reformation, Protestants, Indulgences, Henry VIII, Jesuits

“We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is
really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides”
Saint Ignatius of Loyola