Counter-Reformation

The Counter-Reformation, often referred to as the Catholic Reformation, was a pivotal period of resurgence for the Catholic Church in response to the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation. As historian Adolphus Ward notes, this movement aimed to achieve two key objectives the regeneration of the Church of Rome and the recovery of losses incurred due to the early successes of Protestantism. The establishment of the Jesuit Order marked the beginning of this combat as a dedicated force for both goals, alongside the convening of the Council of Trent (1545-1563), which notably avoided any conciliatory measures. This transformative era largely concluded in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years War. (Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.)