Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
The Counter-Reformation was a period in the 16th century when the Catholic Church responded to the Protestant Reformation by implementing reforms and reaffirming its doctrines.
Related terms
Council of Trent: A series of meetings held by the Catholic Church between 1545 and 1563 to discuss and implement reforms in response to the Protestant Reformation.
Jesuits: Members of the Society of Jesus, an order founded during the Counter-Reformation with a mission to spread Catholicism through education and missionary work.
Roman Inquisition: Established in 1542, it was a system used by the Catholic Church to combat heresy and enforce religious orthodoxy during the Counter-Reformation.