Question 1

The author says that Trent would have been safer theologically if it had taken on the sola scriptura model.

Accepted Answer

The author argues that the sola scriptura model would have led to even more division and confusion, and that the Catholic Church's use of tradition and magisterial authority provided a more stable and consistent theological framework.

Question 2

The Patriarch of Constantinople was highly impressed with the Augsburg Confession.

Accepted Answer

The Patriarch of Constantinople did not comment on the Augsburg Confession as it was primarily a document of the Lutheran Church in Germany and not of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Question 3

At the Council of Basel, Orthodox and Catholic representatives agreed to unite, but the emperor refused to promulgate the agreement of unity.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The Council of Basel, which took place from 1431 to 1439, aimed to resolve the East-West Schism and achieve unity between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. In 1439, a union agreement known as the Union of Florence was signed by representatives of both churches. However, the Byzantine emperor at the time, who was key to cementing the agreement, refused to ratify it due to opposition from his subjects and clergy.

Question 4

Czar Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) saw himself as protector of the church.

Accepted Answer

Ivan the Terrible considered himself to be the defender of the Orthodox Church and its protector against heresy and external threats. He even took the title of "czar" which was derived from the word "caesar" to emphasize his role as both a religious and secular leader.

Question 5

Czar Alexis orchestrated the greatest repression of Orthodoxy in its history prior to the Bolshevik Revolution. .

Accepted Answer

Czar Alexis was known for his devout Orthodoxy and did not orchestrate repression against it; instead, his reign is noted for efforts to consolidate and enforce Orthodox practice, contrasting with the later Bolshevik Revolution's repression of religion.

Question 6

Given that there were reform initiatives before the Reformation, do you think the Reformation was necessary for Western Christianity's authenticity? Would your answer change if reforms were more vigorously employed in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Given that there were reform initiatives before...

Question 7

What do you think were the most positive and negative outcomes of the Council of Trent for Roman Catholic doctrine and the church as an institution, as well as for the Catholic Church's relationship with other Christian denominations?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do you think were the most...

Question 8

Why does the author believe that the term Counter-Reformation is a misnomer? Given that much of it did in fact counter Protestantism, do you think his reasoning is sound? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does the author believe that the...

Question 9

According to the author, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) did not start as a religious order interested in education, but education quickly became its hallmark. Do you think that this move was a corruption from the vision of Ignatius or aligned with it? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the author, the Society of...

Question 10

Review the lengthy quote on justification from the Council of Trent. Do you think that it principally aligns or departs from that of the Protestants? Regarding any divergences from the Protestants, do you think that Trent's position more intellectually cogent than that of Luther or Calvin? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Review the lengthy quote on justification from...

Quiz 15: The Catholic Reformation