The Council of Trent
Pope Paul III decided that he needed to call together the Council of Trent in 1542 in order to finally and completely resolve the issues of division among Christendom. He finally got a large group of cardinals, archbishops, bishops, abbots, and theologians to meet in Trent in March of 1545. The council was not always able to have annual meetings because of plague, war, and the changing of popes. The moderate Catholic reformers tried to encourage the Protestants to return to the church by changing doctrine to sound appealing, but other Catholics only wanted to reinforce the existing doctrine and prove Protestant Reformers wrong.
After the council was finally finished with meeting, the results were in favor of the Catholics, saying that the Protestants were wrong. It was said that scripture and traditions had the same value, and that one needed faith and good works in order to get to heaven. The Catholics were also able to reaffirm the clerical celibacy as well as the sacraments and indulgences. As a result of the Council of Trent, many Catholics became hard-headed and refused to compromise at all with the Protestants. After the council, the Catholic Church was once again unified under common purpose and doctrine, and the papacy had supreme power still. The Catholic Church now had new life.
After the council was finally finished with meeting, the results were in favor of the Catholics, saying that the Protestants were wrong. It was said that scripture and traditions had the same value, and that one needed faith and good works in order to get to heaven. The Catholics were also able to reaffirm the clerical celibacy as well as the sacraments and indulgences. As a result of the Council of Trent, many Catholics became hard-headed and refused to compromise at all with the Protestants. After the council, the Catholic Church was once again unified under common purpose and doctrine, and the papacy had supreme power still. The Catholic Church now had new life.