What is Counter-Reformation?
The '''Counter-Reformation''' was a movement within the [[Roman Catholic Church]] which began in the 1500s. It covered the following five areas: # [[Doctrine]] (ideology) # [[Ecclesiology|Ecclesiastical]] or Structural Reconfiguration # [[Religious order]]s # Spiritual Movements # [[Politics|Political]] Dimensions The Counter-Reformation began after [[Martin Luther]]'s [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]]. In reaction, Catholics <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/european/luther.html|title = Martin Luther as Priest, Heretic, and Outlaw: The Reformation at 500 (European Reading Room, Library of Congress)|website = [[Library of Congress]]}}</ref> reaffirmed some points of faith that the Protestants' objections had put in danger. These included the validity of the seven [[sacrament]]s. The Protestants had reduced the sacraments to only two, [[Baptism]] and the [[Eucharist]]. Protestants deny the doctrine of [[transubstantiation]], which is seen as making Mass less important. Some reformation era groups had rejected the Mass entirely. Luther's view was somewhere between that of the more radical reformers and the Catholic view. Luther wrote that without faith neither Baptism nor the Eucharist is sufficient for [[Salvation (Christianity)|salvation]].<ref>https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=restorationquarterly</ref> The Counter-Reformation specifically re-affirmed the Catholic understanding of the mass. On other issues, Catholics effectively accepted some of the Protestant complaints. [[Penance]] became a private confession and repentance from sin instead of outward actions. This served to correct the corrupt practice of selling forgiveness. This type of forgiveness, called [[Indulgence]] was the immediate cause of Luther's protests against abuses in the Catholic church. As a result of the Counter Reformation, other abuses, such as [[Simony]] were also greatly curtailed. Thus the Protestant movement served not only to create new expressions of the [[Christianity|Chris