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On December 13, 1545, the first session of the Council of Trent opened. This signaled the beginning of the Counter Reformation.
The Counter Reformation was the revival of the Roman Catholic Church in response to the teachings of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.
The Council of Trent was called to initiate reform in the church and to define its essential doctrines. It met in twenty-five sessions under three popes, from 1545 to 1563
The Council responded to every one of the major points of the Protestants with absolute inflexibility, cementing their position with renewed vigor. The following are some of their main decisions.
- Scripture is but one of the sources of the doctrines of Christianity and must be understood within the written and oral tradition of the Church.
- The seven sacraments bestow merit on the believer and are necessary for salvation.
- Salvation is by faith and good works.
The Council upheld the traditional Roman Catholic view of Transubstantiation, Purgatory, relics, indulgences, and prayer to the saints. They also sanctioned the fledgling organization of Ignatius of Loyola, the Society of Jesus, more popularly known as the Jesuits.
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