The Counter Reformation: Internal Conflict Within The Catholic Church

When trying to understand the Counter Reformation, one should consider not only belief factors but also political factors when examining the internal conflict within the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church experienced a reformation both politically and belief driven during the 16th century. This series of internal conflicts, flowering into a reformation, gave the church the ability to examine its role in world, define its position clearly, and eliminate unchristian practices.

This paper addresses the political motivations behind the Counter Reformation, mainly the unchristian practices fueling corruption and the reformers defined religious concerns. This paper establishes that nepotism and the using of patronage undermined the piety of the

In this time, the power of the pope was absolute and supplanted by the power of the Holy Roman Emperor possessed, being the worldly defender of the Catholic Church. Although possessing no defined territory, the church was a state, it had a monarch in the pope, its princes were prelates, and the subjects all of Western Christendom. Legislative assemblies existed as ecumenical councils, the constitution as cannon law, and a fiscal institution as the Curia. The Catholic Church negotiated treaties, collected taxes, and went to war. In short, the Catholic Church was the Holy Roman Empire with strongholds throughout all of Europe, however this would quickly

The reforming monasteries were known to address the social and religious needs of the masses. Orders like the Capuchins, the Theatines, and the Barbanites began to appear. Probably the most important new order was the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits were founded by the great reformer Ignatius of Loyola. The Jesuits emphasized obedience to Christ and the Church of Rome. They devoted themselves to service to God. The Jesuits were a highly selective order and they only welcomed those who spirituality reflected Loyola. One must be willing to engage in unquestionable obedience to the Pope in this order. The mission of the Jesuits was to educate the young, lead the Protestant back to Catholicism and take the Catholic message to the world. The Jesuit Order made the church stronger in that it brought back standards of Catholic priests. Their mission was huge, it was the whole world and their efforts led to the spread of Christianity outside of Europe. Their efforts strengthened the church and increased the number of followers. The renewed Church of the latter 16th Century was largely a product of the