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Catholic Counter-Reformation

Definition

The Catholic Counter-Reformation refers to efforts made by the Roman Catholic Church to respond to Protestantism and bring people back into the fold. It involved both spiritual renewal and institutional reforms.

Analogy

Imagine you're playing a game against another team, but they start gaining more supporters. In response, your team makes changes internally - improving strategies, organizing fan events - all aiming to win back those supporters. Similarly, during the Counter-Reformation, Catholics made changes within their church structure and practices to regain followers lost to Protestantism.

Related terms

Inquisition: A judicial institution established by Pope Gregory IX that investigated individuals suspected of heresy or non-conformity with Catholic doctrines.

Index of Forbidden Books: A list created by the Catholic Church of books considered heretical or immoral, which Catholics were forbidden to read.

Teresa of Avila: A Spanish mystic and writer who played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation. She reformed the Carmelite order and emphasized personal spiritual experience.