The Catholic Church in the Sixteenth Century in Europe
After all, the schism between the eastern and western Church began in 1054, the sixteenth century Reformation brought the separation that occurred between the Roman Catholic Church and the various currents within Protestantism.
The Roman Catholic Church initiated the Council of Trent (1545-1564) with its own internal ecclesiastical reform, the Counter-Reformation: doctrine was reformulated, a new catechism was issued, abuses were removed, and the liturgy was reformed. Also, the training of priests was properly regulated. Furthermore, the administration of the Roman Catholic Church was centralized, its authority structure was strengthened and the influence of non-clergy upon ecclesiastical affairs was greatly limited. Latin remained the official ecclesiastical language.
Excerpted from: E.G. Hoekstra and M.H. Ipenburg, Wegwijs in religieus en levensbeschouwelijk Nederland, Handboek religies, kerken, stromingen en organisaties, (Kampen, 2000).
