The Council of Trent spanned a lengthy 18 years (1545-1563) and proved to be one of the most significant of the 21 ecumenical councils convened in Church history. Despite the import of an historical event which influenced Catholic teaching for years to come, little work has been written on this particular council. However, Fr. John O’Malley, S.J., has presented a detailed recounting of this remarkable event in his book, Trent: What Happened at the Council, published by the Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, England, in 2003. As foreshadowed by his title, O’Malley’s goal is to uncover the events of this council in an attempt to lay out exactly what occurred. Although at first glance it appears to be a detailed chronological retelling,
…show more content…
In particular he identifies the issue of “Tridentinism,” the disciplinary reform enacted by canon lawyers in various forms such as the Tridentine Creed, which gave precedence to some degrees (like on indulgences) and left others vague and undefined (such as those concerning justification); although “produced in the spirit of the Council, O’Malley explains that they don’t reveal the complexity of the Council itself or even its priorities.” Overall, Trent influenced “all aspects of ecclesiastical life and of the the moral climate of Europe” through its fundamental teachings on the sacraments, and its redefining of the roles and duties of clergy, which more clearly defined the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church. As a whole, O’Malley success in his goal of highlighting various misunderstandings concerning the Council of Trent and distinguishing between Trent itself and the aftermath of its degrees which shaped much of Catholic teaching for years to come, although perhaps not always in the way which was intended originally at the
In particular he identifies the issue of “Tridentinism,” the disciplinary reform enacted by canon lawyers in various forms such as the Tridentine Creed, which gave precedence to some degrees (like on indulgences) and left others vague and undefined (such as those concerning justification); although “produced in the spirit of the Council, O’Malley explains that they don’t reveal the complexity of the Council itself or even its priorities.” Overall, Trent influenced “all aspects of ecclesiastical life and of the the moral climate of Europe” through its fundamental teachings on the sacraments, and its redefining of the roles and duties of clergy, which more clearly defined the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church. As a whole, O’Malley success in his goal of highlighting various misunderstandings concerning the Council of Trent and distinguishing between Trent itself and the aftermath of its degrees which shaped much of Catholic teaching for years to come, although perhaps not always in the way which was intended originally at the