Council of Trent, Religious Orders, and Spirituality

Council of Trent

• Three sessions occurred from 1545 to 1563.
• Although it did not reverse all damage, it prevented widespread departure from the church.
• Reaffirmed doctrine, initiated structural changes, and eliminated "Cryptuan."
• Improved priest education, emphasizing the importance of bishops being true to their people.
• Mandated celibacy for priests.
• Focused on the church.

Religious Orders

• St. Ignatius Loyola, a former military person, founded the Jesuits.
• Jesuits were known as scholars and missionaries.

Spiritual Movements

• Involved practicing religion through introspection and meditation rather than solely through prayer.

Bishop

• A religious authority figure present in most Christian branches.
• Oversees a diocese.

Easter

• Celebrated on the Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox.
• The Paschal Mystery celebration begins with Mass on Holy Thursday and ends with evening prayer on Easter Sunday, a period known as the Triduum.
• The most solemn liturgy occurs on Holy Saturday night during the Easter Vigil.
• New members are baptized, confirmed, and admitted to the Eucharist during the Vigil.
• The Easter season lasts 50 days, concluding with the feast of Pentecost.

Triduum

• A three-day period in the Catholic Church.
• Begins on the evening of Holy Thursday and ends on the evening of Easter Sunday.

Archbishop of Canterbury

• The leader of the Church of England.
• The head leader of the Global Anglican Communion.

Pentecostalism

• Christian denominations that emphasize the Holy Spirit.
• Worship services may include speaking in tongues and faith healings.
• Key characteristics include acceptance of the Bible as the word of God, guidance from the Holy Spirit, a focus on God's judgment, and the belief in baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Patriarch of Constantinople

• The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
• Patriarch means father.

The Great Awakening

• Efforts to revive early Protestant spirituality since the 18th century.
• A series of religious revivals in the American colonies in the 18th century.
• Characterized by emotional preaching and a renewed focus on personal religious experiences, leading to new denominations.

Pope

• Bishop of Rome and Head of the worldwide Catholic Church.

Trinity

• God, Jesus, and the presence of God are one.
• There is one God who eternally exists as three distinct persons.
• The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one in essence and three in person.

Sola Fide

• Means faith alone.

Sola Scripture

• Means scripture alone.

Catholic vs. catholic

• Capital C refers to the Catholic denomination.
• Small c refers to the universal meaning.

Martin Luther

• A German theologian, professor, pastor, and church reformer.
• Started the Protestant Reformation with his Ninety-Five Theses.

Pentecost

• Takes place on the 49th day of Easter, marking the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles.
• Marks the beginning of the Christian Churches mission in the world.

Domestic Church

• A Catholic concept where marriage is a sacrament.
• Couples are called to teach their children and others about faith in Christ.

Vatican II

• (1962 - 1965)
• An older person initiated a meeting that altered the church's perspective.
• The most important church council in modern history.
• Addressed massive cultural changes from before the 1960s.
• Since Vatican II, Eastern and Western Churches have referred to each other as "sister Churches."
• The church adopted a new approach to interfaith dialogue.
• Focused on shared beliefs and respectfully discussing differences.
• Based on the ideas that God's salvation is offered to all, Jesus Christ is present in other religions, the Holy Spirit is at work in other religions, and dialogue is part of the Church's mission.

Saints

• Catholics often seek saints' intercession and see them as examples of how to live.
• Christians see Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the best example.
• Remain part of the church and form the communion of saints.
• Protestant churches generally observe fewer feast days than Catholic and Orthodox churches and do not worship saints.

Henry VIII

• Initiated the English Church.
• Desired to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
• The Pope refused to grant the annulment, leading Henry to establish the Church of England and become its supreme head.
• Was willing to break with Rome for political and personal reasons due to succession.
• Children: Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

Anglicanism

• Became the Church of England because Henry VIII wanted a divorce.
• Created for personal and political desires.

Anabaptists

• A Christian movement originating in the 16th century during the Reformation.
• Known for adult baptism and the separation of church and state.
• The Amish are an example of this group.

Fundamentalism

• Manifests in various denominations.
• Began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among British and American Protestants in reaction to liberalism and cultural modernism.
• Key beliefs include biblical infallibility and inerrancy, with a literal interpretation of the Bible.

Liberalism

• Part of the new age of Protestantism.
• Grew out of the Enlightenment and Romanticism.
• Interprets Christian teaching by considering modern knowledge, science, and ethics.
• Emphasizes reason and experience over doctrinal authority.
• Includes acceptance of Darwinian evolution, modern Biblical criticism, and participation in the Social Gospel movement.

Evangelicalism

• Can belong to almost any denomination.
• Involves salvation through faith in Christ alone, personal conversion, emphasis on the authority of the Bible, honourable behaviour, and missionary activity.
• Places less emphasis on official church membership and formal creeds.

Basic Timeline of Christianity

• Apostolic Age: Peter and Paul.
• Persecution: Nero.
• Freedom.
• The empire falls.
• West (Latin) and East (Greek).
• The Medieval Church.
• Eastern Orthodoxy separates.
• The Reformation.
• The English Church.
• The Counter-Reformation: Council of Trent.
• Scientific Revolution.
• Evangelization of the New World.
• Secularization (Church-State Separation).
• Vatican II.

Causes of the Protestant Reformation

• Happened in the 16th century.
• It was a religious, political, and intellectual upheaval sparked by dissatisfaction with the Catholic Church's practices, the rise of humanism, and the desire for religious and political reform.
• Dissatisfaction with the Catholic Church due to corruption, abuse of power, accumulation of wealth, extravagance of the clergy, and the sale of indulgences.
• Lack of religious literacy due to the Bible being primarily in Latin.
• The rise of humanism led to a re-examination of scripture.
• Political and economic factors included the rise of nationalism.

English Reformation

• Course outlined by King Henry VIII’s desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon.
• The Pope refused.
• This led to King Henry breaking away from the Catholic Church and establishing the Church of England.

Counter (Catholic) Reformation

• The goal was to oppose the Protestant Reformation process.
• Reform the Catholic Church.
• Successes included addressing issues raised by the Protestant Reformation, corruption, and abuses within the church.
• The Council of Trent reaffirmed Catholic doctrines, reformed church practice, and strengthened the papacy.
• New religious orders like the Jesuits played a crucial role in spreading Catholic education and missionary work.
• Revival of Catholic piety led to a renewed emphasis on religious art, music, and devotional practices.
• The Global Expansion involved the spread of Catholicism to new parts of the world.
• Failures: Protestantism continued to spread, religious wars resulted in devastation, increased religious divisions, persecutions of Protestants.

Main Festivals of the Christian Liturgical Year

• They are important because they commemorate key events in the life of Jesus, fostering spiritual reflection, community, and a deeper understanding of the Christian faith.
• Advent: A period of preparation for the coming of Christ.
• Christmas: Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
• Lent: 40 days of preparation for Easter marked by fasting, prayer, and acts of charity.
• Easter: Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Pentecost: Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.

Changes Needed for Catholic Full Communion with Other Christian Churches

• Theological re-evaluation of the role of the papacy and disagreements over sacraments.
• Church authority and differing doctrines.
• Practical changes: Increased inter-denominational dialogue, mutual respect, and ecumenical cooperation.
• Address historical divisions and seek reconciliation.

Beliefs Shared by Most Christian Denominations

• The divinity of Jesus.
• The Trinity: God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• The Bible as the Word of God.
• Salvation through faith.
• Belief in an afterlife.

Differences Between the Catholic Church and Protestant Denominations

• Authority of the Pope
  • The Catholic Church views the Pope as the successor to St. Peter, holding ultimate authority.
  • Protestant denominations generally reject papal authority.
• Interpretation of Scripture
  • The Catholic Church believes in the Bible, tradition, and the Magisterium (teaching authority) as sources of divine revelation.
  • Protestantism emphasizes "sola scriptura" (scripture alone) as the ultimate authority.
• Nature of the Eucharist
  • The Catholic Church believes in transubstantiation, where the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.
  • Protestantism views the Eucharist as a symbolic remembrance of Christ's sacrifice.
• Veneration of Saints
  • The Catholic Church venerates saints, praying to them for intercession.
  • Protestantism believes Christians should pray directly to God, not through saints.
• Number of Sacraments
  • The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments.
  • Protestantism has fewer, if any, sacraments.