A Revived Papacy
Because of the papacy’s involvement in many political affairs, corruption had occurred. The big push for the eventual reform came from the Protestant Reformation. Pope Paul III was really the point at which things began to turn around. He had grown up with much money, and when he got the papacy, he put his nephews in power as cardinals, and got involved in politics. He then realized that he needed to do something to reform the papacy. He made Gasparo Contarini and Gian Pietro Caraffa new cardinals, and he put together a group in 1535 that would assess the church and point out things that needed to be reformed. The report came back that the papacy was corrupted because of the involvement in public politics. There was a colloquy in Regensburg that met in 1541 to finally resolve the religious division. The colloquy came to compromises over many doctrinal issues, and were able to agree to disagree on others. Cardinal Contarini was the cardinal who went to help resolve the issue, and when he returned, many other Catholics were angry with him saying that he had compromised with heretics. In 1542, the Roman Inquisition, or Holy Office was created to get rid of errors in church doctrine. These Catholics did not want to compromise at all with Protestantism.
Then, when Caraffa became pope Paul IV, he greatly increased the power of the Inquisition. He also came up with the Index of Forbidden Books, which Catholics were not allowed to read. Among this list were Protestant works as well as heretical or unorthodox works. Because of Caraffa, Paul’s steps had been erased and the compromise was thrown out the window.
Then, when Caraffa became pope Paul IV, he greatly increased the power of the Inquisition. He also came up with the Index of Forbidden Books, which Catholics were not allowed to read. Among this list were Protestant works as well as heretical or unorthodox works. Because of Caraffa, Paul’s steps had been erased and the compromise was thrown out the window.