Counter-Reformation
The
success of the Reformation movement created a great awe and fear in the Roman
Catholic Church. Before things went out of control, it took drastic measures to
check the spread of the Protestant religion and also to carry out reforms
within itself. This process was known as Counter-Reformation.
Ignatius
Loyola (1491-1556) was a Spanish soldier and lost his legs in a war.
Thereafter, he decided to contribute his might to the cause of the Roman
Catholic Church. Loyola founded the Society of Jesus in 1534 and it was
recognized by the Pope. The aim of this Society was to reform and restore the
glory of the Catholic Church. Members of the society were known as Jesuits.
They worked hard to earn good name for the Catholic Church through their
dedicated service.
They
established schools and colleges in several parts of the world. They achieved a
remarkable success in their missionary activities. They remained faithful to
the Pope and the Catholic religion.
The
Council of Trent (1545-1563) introduced several reforms in the Catholic Church.
The most glaring abuses of the clergy were removed. Celibacy was strictly
enforced for them. The sale of offices was stopped. The practice of the sale of
indulgences was abolished. It also stressed that clergy adhere more strictly to
their duties. The Pope was recognized as the supreme authority in the matters
of religion.
An
Index consisting of the list of dangerous and heretical books was issued by the
Church. The Catholics were prohibited from reading these books.
Similarly
the medieval practice of Ecclesiastical Court of Inquisition was revived.
Torture was used to extract confession. Severe punishments such as burning to
death were employed against the enemies of the Church.
The success of the Counter Reformation can be
understood from the fact that the rapid spread of Protestantism was halted.
Southern Germany, France, Poland, some of the Swiss cantons, and Savoy were
brought back to the Catholic faith. At the same time Protestantism was driven
out of Italy and Spain. The Roman Catholic Church is still one of the greatest
religious organizations in the world.
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