Council of Trent

Four Goals

• Affirm/define doctrine
• Reform practice
• Restore peace among Christians
• Repel heretics and infidels

Period 1 1545-1547

Period 2 1551-1552

Period 3 1562-1563

No Pope attended

Period 1 1545-1547

Sessions 1-8 in Trent
13/12/1545 - 11/3/1547

Interrupted by threat of plague

Sessions 9-10 in Bologna
21/4/1547 to 2/6/1547

Affirmed

• Nicene Creed basis of Catholic Faith
• Biblical canon fixed
• Tradition as a source of faith
• Scripture and Tradition had equal authority

Affirmed

• 7 Sacraments
• Baptism necessary for salvation

Affirmed

• Latin Vulgate (bible) authentic for preaching and settling disputes
• Nature and consequences of original sin

Rejected

• Luther's doctrine of justification by 'faith alone'
• Scripture as the only source of faith (sola scriptura)

The Council clearly defined the differences between Protestant doctrine and Catholic doctrine

Reformed

• Bishops must live in and preach in their own 'see'
• Bishops could not have more than one 'see'

Period 2 1551-1552

Protestants were invited to attend

Protestants came with two demands

• Bishops should not be required to swear an oath of obedience to the Pope
• The authority of a Church Council should be superior to the Pope

Sessions 11-16 in Trent
1/5/1551 - 28/4/1552

Finished in 1552 due to the threat of war

Affirmed

• Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist
• Doctrine of transubstantiation

Affirmed

• Clearly defined the sacrament of penance (reconciliation)
• Clearly defined the sacrament of anointing of the sick

Period 3 1562-1563

Sessions 17-26 in Trent
18/1/1852 - 4/12/1563

Affirmed

• Eucharist - Christ is present in both the consecrated bread and the consecrated wine
• Laity (people) not to receive the chalice

Affirmed

• Purgatory
• Indulgences
• Veneration of saints, images and relics

Reformed

• No selling of indulgences of relics
• Clerical morals and behaviour

Reformed

• Priests must live in their parish and perform regular duties
• Established seminaries to train priests

Benedictus Deus 26 January 1564

Benedictus Deus 1564 (Pius IV)
Confirmed all of the decrees of the council unaltered and ordered their implementation

Tasks left to the Pope

• List of forbidden books
• Revision of the missal
• Preparation of a catechism

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