When it became apparent that large numbers of Christians were leaving the Catholic Church and following the reformers, the Catholic Church responded, in 1545, by convening the Council of Trent. Some who came to the Council wanted reforms that would bring reconciliation with the Protestants. Others wished to state the Catholic position so clearly that there could be no reconciliation. Generally, the decisions of Trent favored those who preferred the second path. To counter the Protestant emphasis on Scripture as the sole word of God, the Council declared that Catholic tradition was co-equal with Scripture as a source of truth for Christians. Therefore, when Protestants pointed to a Catholic practice that was contrary to Scripture, the Catholics replied that the Church had written Scripture and therefore its traditions were at least equal if not superior.
As a response to such Protestants as Wycliffe and Luther, who insisted on translating Scripture into the vernacular, the Council of Trent stated that the Latin Vulgate was to be the true sacred text of the Church. This also ran counter to the belief of reformers who had chosen to exclude certain Old Testament books not found in Jewish Scripture. The council also declared that only the Roman Catholic Church had the right to interpret Scripture. This flew in the face of the Protestant doctrine of the “priesthood of the believer.”
Although most reformed churches had rejected all of the sacraments except baptism and communion, the Council of Trent reaffirmed the traditional seven:
Baptism. Baptism of infants is necessary to wash away the taint of original sin. Any infant who dies without the benefit of baptism is technically destined for hell. Later, however, it became popular to say that the unbaptized infant was to spend eternity in a land called limbo.
Confirmation. At some point before maturity, usually at about age thirteen, children must be confirmed as an extension of their baptism.
Penance. Christians must confess their sins regularly in private to priests and receive absolution. Absolution, or forgiveness, may be conditioned upon acts of penance ordered by the priest, depending on the seriousness of the sin confessed.
Eucharist. This sacrament is known throughout the Christian world as the Lord's Supper or communion. The Council of Trent not only reaffirmed this sacrament but also gave renewed support to the doctrine of transubstantiation. According to this doctrine, the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of Jesus during the mass. The council held that because the whole Christ was present in both the bread and the wine, it was not necessary to give the wine to the laity.23
Extreme Unction. As a Catholic nears death, he or she is to be visited by a priest and anointed with healing oil. The priest then hears the last confession. In receiving these last rites, the Catholic is properly prepared to die.24
Marriage. Perhaps as early as the eleventh century, the marriage of Christians had come to be regarded as a sacrament. This explains continued opposition to divorce by some Christian denominations.
Holy Orders. For Christians who choose a religious vocation instead of marriage, taking the holy orders is considered a sacrament.
The Council of Trent also strongly supported the veneration of relics, saints, and sacred images—all contrary to most Protestant teaching. As a positive response to the challenge of Luther and others, the sale of indulgences was controlled and other abuses of the medieval church were corrected.