🇪🇺 AP EURO - Unit 2.5 (Catholic Reformation)

Counter-Reformation (Catholic Reformation): Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation.
Jesuits (Society of Jesus): militant reformers led by Ignatius Loyola; focus on education, missions, and loyalty to Catholic doctrine.
Council of Trent (1545-1563): ecumenical council convened by Pope Paul III to reform the Church and define Catholic doctrine.
Indulgences: reform to stop sale as a path to heaven; private donations allowed but not a public guarantee of salvation; sale of indulgences publicly discouraged.
Vernacular preaching: sermons in the language of the people; move away from exclusive Latin.
Clergy reform: end simony; education and discipline for priests; reaffirmed celibacy; rules to ensure pastoral care and proper conduct.

1517: Martin Luther's 95 Theses ignite the Reformation.
1520: Papal response begins; Luther’s status within the Church complicates action.
1545-1563: Council of Trent convened and conducted over about two decades.
1618: Start of the Thirty Years' War, intensifying confessional conflicts.
End of Trent: large majority of adherents who left return to Catholic Church; roughly 80\% return by the end of the council.

Pope Paul (the Pope during Trent) chairs the council and drives reform; focus on clerical corruption, discipline, and doctrinal clarity.
Address key abuses: absenteeism, ostentatious dress, and sexual misconduct among clergy; emphasis on clerical responsibility.
Indulgences clarified: publicly, indulgences do not guarantee salvation; reform of their use and promotion, with focus on integrity in church finances.
Simony banned: church offices earned by merit and education, not sale.
Sacraments reaffirmed: essential to Catholic practice; authority remains with the Church rather than private interpretation.
Language of preaching: sermons moved to the vernacular to improve understanding.
Accessibility and pastoral care: opposition to pew taxes and to gatekeeping; emphasize outreach to ordinary believers.
Reproof and reform of clergy: clergy to be educated; removal of priests who did not meet standards; general emphasis on biblical literacy within the bounds of Catholic teaching.

No formal reconciliation with Protestants; Catholic doctrine is reaffirmed as the true teaching.
Catholics should read Scripture and participate in church life; both are essential (not either/or).
Public indulgences are no longer promoted as a path to heaven; private donations to support the church continue under new guidelines.
Clerical reform is central: education, celibacy enforcement, and elimination of simony are key outcomes.
By the end of the Council, a large portion of supporters who left for Protestantism return to Catholicism; Trent strengthens Catholic identity ahead of ongoing confessional conflicts.

Major dates: 1517, 1520, 1545-1563, 1618.
Key figures: Ignatius Loyola (Jesuits); Pope Paul (III); Martin Luther (Reformation figure beyond Trent).
Core reforms: education of clergy, ban on simony, vernacular preaching, clarified doctrine, controls on indulgences.
Two central questions addressed: indulgences (public policy) and the role of Scripture in conjunction with church authority; priestly education and pastoral responsibility.

If you want, I can convert this into a one-page reference card with just the essentials.