The Counter Reformation

What do Georgetown University, St. Joseph’s University, and Loyola University have in common (besides basketball)? They were all founded by the Jesuits, and the Jesuit order of the Catholic Church was highly instrumental in the phenomenon known as the Counter Reformation. Once Luther, Calvin and others challenged the authority and teachings of the Catholic Church, the Church had no choice but to respond to these accusations and alternative beliefs. Here in Episode 43, we dive into the Counter Reformation which began in the 1540’s under Pope Paul III and ushered in many lasting changes in the Catholic Church.

Episode Notes:

·       Peter O’Toole played Pope Paul III in the Showtime series, The Tudors.
·       Yes, a Jesuit did become Pope. He is the present pontifex maximus, Pope Francis I.

 Books:

• The Counter Reformation by A.G. Dickens
• The Reformation Crisis edited by Joel Hurtsfield
• The Penguin Dictionary of English and European History, 1485-1789 by E. Williams
• Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy by Roger Collins

Film:

• Black Robe (1991) directed by Bruce Beresford